China Clipper

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CHINA CLIPPER

CHINA CLIPPER, the first class of hydroplanes in the San Francisco-Manila trans-Pacific service. This aircraft, with a crew of seven and Captain Edwin C. Musick at the controls, took off from Alameda, Calif., near San Francisco, for the first trans-Pacific mail flight on 22 November 1935. The plane reached Manila, Philippines, seven days later, having touched down at Honolulu, Midway Island, Wake Island, and Guam on the way. On 7 October 1936 the China Clipper inaugurated U.S. passenger service to Manila, and in April 1937 it began biweekly service to Hong Kong.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gandt, Robert L. China Clipper: The Age of the Great Flying Boats. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 1991.

KennethColegrove/a. r.

See alsoAir Transportation and Travel .

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