Reputed to be the first passenger flight between Manila and Hong Kong. Pan American initially used S-42s for the final two stages of its trans-Pacific passenger services. Martin M-130s flew the stages from San Francisco to Manila. Hong Kong's water airport was a jetty at Kai Tak aerodrome. NC16724, later renamed Samoan Clipper, exploded on January 11, 1938 while attempting to dump fuel so it could return to Samoa. Killed was famed Pan Am pilot Ed Musick. Photo from: National Library of Australia

Highly symbolic of the end of the era of exploration in aviation: an American and a British flying boat on route surveying flights meet up in far-flung New Zealand. The Short S.23 Empire of Imperial Airways is G-ADUT Centaurus. Pan Am's Samoan Clipper arrived back in Honolulu on 3 January 1938. Unfortunately, during her next flight to New Zealand she exploded south of Pago Pago, American Samoa, on 11 January, kiling her seven crew including the famous Captain Ed Musick. Photo from: Whites Aviation Collection/Alexander Turnbull Library