Test pilot William H. Engle was in California on a demonstration tour with the first F-5 Sea Bird. Here he is showing it to Hollywood actor Wallace Beery, who wanted to keep the aircraft at his seaside home so he could hop in and go fishing. Engle plunged through the surf to show it could be done, but advised the actor it was too dangerous for a low time pilot to attempt. Collection holder William Engle is the son of Fleetwings test pilot William H. Engle.

Douglas seaplanes were moved from the factory at Clover Field (KSMO) to the beach for their first flights. On the right is the Santa Monica Athletic Club building, near the Deauville Club and the Santa Monica Pier. The DF passenger flying boat was developed from the military XP3D. Only four DFs were built, the two DF-151s going to Japan and two DF-195s to the USSR. CCCP-N205 and N206 were delivered to Russia in the spring of 1937. On 9 August 1937 CCCP-N206 was officially registered to Polyarnaya Aviats as c/n '3', which is not an actual Douglas construction number. The flying boat was withdrawn from use in August 1946, with the fuselage surviving until the early 1960s. Photo from: Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)