W/O 7. September 1959 in Tokyo, Japan

Nice winter light. The KLM DC-4 is PH-TCE. Photo by: Rolf Winterbergen / Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

Built in 1949 as N90947 for American Overseas Airlines which merged into Pan American World Airways in September 1950. Withdrawn by them in 1961, it was sold to Israel Aircraft Industries as 4X-AOD and then to the Israeli Air Force as 4X-FOG in November 1962. The aircraft was converted to a Boeing 377M and re-registered 4X-FPX/098 in February 1964 and made several more visits to Gatwick as such before being finally withdrawn from service in September 1975.

A Pan Am 'Strato Clipper' over the Hawaiian islands with Diamond Head, Oahu in the background. Aircraft inherited from American Overseas Airlines. Renamed Clipper Mandarin at some point. Withdrawn from use in 1960. To Israel in 1962. Preserved at Hatzerim. Photo from: SFO Museum

Stunning colour slide needed no colour correction. Photo date given as 1950 but might perhaps be July 1949 when the same airframe attended the inauguration of Kloten. It was then named Flagship Great Britain but this was subject to change. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

Ex Northwest Orient Airlines.

Ex Northwest Orient Airlines.

Photo probably taken on 27 July 1949 when the Stratocruiser landed at the new Kloten airport for the first time. AOA changed this aircraft's name twice in just one year - a habit inherited by Pan Am. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

Photo probably taken on 4 September 1949 when Flagship Europe was the first Stratocruiser to visit Schiphol. Aircraft delivered on 30 July 1949. Later renamed Flagship Great Britain. Airline absorbed by Pan Am on 25 September 1950. Aircraft withdrawn in 1960, to Aero Spacelines in 1963. Damaged beyond repair in a ground collision with N402Q in August 1967. Photo by: Henk Hofland / The Utrecht Archives

Photo by Chuck Boie.

"Flagship Great Britain" was AOA's first Stratocruiser. AOA was formed out of American Export Airlines, a shipping firm's subsidiary, which began operations from New York to Foynes, Ireland, on 20 June 1942, using Sikorsky VS-44 flying boats. Switched to landplanes in 1945. Became a subsidiary of American Airlines in 1945 and became American Overseas Airlines. Sold to Pan Am in Srptember 1950 and operations were merged. Photo from AOA 60 years ago.

The first Stratocruiser for AOA, N90941 was delivered to the airline on 13 June 1949. AOA merged into Pan Am on 25 September 1950. This aircraft was damaged beyond repair in a belly landing at Tokyo on 9 July 1959. This publicity photo of pax boarding into the lower deck was obtained from AOA over 60 years ago.

AOA's "Flagship Great Britain" at Boeing Field before delivery to the airline. Served from 13 June 1949 until AOA was merged into Pan Am on 25 September 1950. Damaged beyond repair in a belly landing at Tokyo on 9 July 1959. From AOA over 60 years ago.