Sights & Sounds - Pan Am Historical Foundation

The iconic Boeing 747 first took to the skies in February, 1969, a few months before it was released for commercial service to its launch customer, Pan American World Airways.

Mission to China by Eric Hobson: How Harold Bixby saved Pan Am's plans for China in the 1930s

In 1968, Pan American World Airways worked with J Walter Thompson, their ad agency, to build excitement for the soon to arrive Boeing B-747. They used one of Pan Am's time-honored public relations' strategies, harkening back to the amazing history of aviation progress to showcase the next step - the "Queen of the Skies." But it was months before the actual aircraft was ready, so in the ad, they used a model.

The Round-the-World Journey of Pan Am's B-314 Pacific Clipper in WW2 with Bob Ford in Command

Pan Am's first aircraft, Fokker F-7 "General Machado" carried Pan Am's very first passengers from Key West to Havana, January 16, 1928.

Celebrating 50 Extraordinary Years! Dream of a Lifetime - A Pan American B-747 in flight

In June 1938, a young engineer from the National Advisory Council on Aeronautics (NACA) took along his 16mm movie camera on what would be the last completed round-trip flight of the Hawaii Clipper. The following month, the aircraft vanished without trace. This is a short segment from that film

Galleries: Recorded Moments in Pan Am History

From the early days of radio recordings & newsreels to modern technologies, Pan American World Airways was a frequent focus of public attention.

Other History Pathways:

From Archives to Pan Am in popular culture, Pan Am Historical Foundation's in-depth history articles and images document Pan Am's unparalleled contributions to commercial aviation.