Posing with the second S-40, in for maintenance in Dinner Key's Hangar 2. The bottom of the hull has been stripped and resealed. Despite the S-40's awkward and draggy appeance, it operated successfully and safely as one of the largest airliners of its day, carrying 38 passengers plus six crew, or 24 pax on longer flights. Photo from: Gleason Waite Romer / Miami-Dade Public Library

Nice action shot. The Commodore was first ordered by the short-lived New York, Rio & Buenos Aires Line, NYRBA, but played an important role in Pan Am service. Photo from: SFO Museum

The Atlantic Fokker company became the General Aviation division of GM - later North American. Its (A)F-15 became the GA-15, designated FLB (Flying Life Boat) by the USCG and then PJ in the US Navy designation system. Five machines built from 1931, the first of which was converted to tractor propulsion as the PJ-2. USCG s/n 254 Amacar, s/n 255 Arcturus and the Douglas RD-1 Dolphin s/n 128 Sirius were based at Dinner Key in 1934. Photo from: US Coast Guard

Charles and Anne Lindbergh flew this Sirius from late 1929. It was often equipped with floats. On a trip clockwise around the Atlantic in 1933 the two got as far east as Moscow. Miami was one of the last stops before they returned to New York. Photo by: Gleason Waite Romer / Miami-Dade Public Library

The Aeronca PC-3 was the floatplane version of the C-3. The new Sikorsky S-40 NC81V Caribbean Clipper arrived at Dinner Key on 2 December 1931. Photo by: Gleason Waite Romer / Miami-Dade Public Library

'Arrival of Havana Clipper at Biscayne Bay.' The name of the third S-40 is listed as Southern Clipper. The photographer probably meant 'the Clipper from Havana'. Photo by: Gleason Waite Romer / Miami-Dade Public Library

The first S-42 returning from its maiden trip to Buenos Aires. Photo by: Gleason Waite Romer / Miami-Dade Public Library

The S-40 came with full landing gear, but it could and was often removed to save weight. Ring cowlings were quickly removed from the R-1860 Hornet B engines. These were replaced with supercharged R-1690 Hornet T2D1s in 1935 to produce the S-40A. Photo by: Jesse S Wooley / University of Miami

A seaplane journey to Latin America on Pan Am started here at Dinner Key in Miami. The terminal building is now the Miami City Hall. NC15064 to Panair do Brazil as PP-PAW.

Destroyed in a crash at Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago January 8, 1945. Pan Am photo. Photo from: Civil Aviation Historical Society, Melbourne, Australia