Pan Am Film: A Journey Into the Past, China Clipper 50th Anniversary (1985)

This 1985 documentary was produced for Pan American World Airways by Pictorial Histories Productions; produced and directed by Stan Cohen.
On November 22, 1985, more than 300 people aboard a Boeing 747-212b named China Clipper II departed San Fransisco to retrace the 1935 flight of the original China Clipper, a Martin M-130 Flying Boat. Stops were made in Hawaii, Midway, Wake, Guam, and the final stop, Manilla, Philippines.
This documentary takes you on special journey to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Pan Am's first Pacific crossing that redefined commercial aviation and inspired hope to people around the world during the later years of the Great Depression.
The video includes some amazing and rare interviews from pioneering pilots and crew of the flying boat era.
The Boeing 747-212b, NA723PA, originally named Clipper Fleetwing, entered service with Pan Am in 1985 and remained with the airline until the company closed in 1991. The aircraft was renamed China Clipper II to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the 1935 historic flight.
Note: Pan Am CEO Ed Acker is interviewed at the beginning of the video, was on the flight, and gave speeches at each stop celebrating the 50th anniversary of Pan Am crossing the Pacific Ocean and making history. However, at the time of the recording he was in secret talks with United Airlines to sell the entire Pacific Division along with Pan Am's fleet of 747SPs and L-1011s for $750 million. The sale was finalized in 1986, the year after this documentary was made when Pan Am, and Mr. Acker, celebrated the historic milestone. Many Pan Am employees felt betrayed and blindsided by this controversial sale.
After the sale and much heartbreak of many employees, the 747 aircraft was discreetly renamed Clipper Hawaii and kept this name until Pan Am went out of business.
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[@robertlyon8876]

I love the great history of Pan am . I spent almost 45 years flying for another flag carrier , but Pan am was the best .❤

[@ThomasBinkley]

I remember soon after when the Pan Am signs came down at SFO and United started advertising their increased flights to Asia. Heartbreaking.

[@LMays-cu2hp]

Looking so nice to fly the 747s. I miss flying my former 747-400s.

[@torgeirbrandsnes1916]

Thank you! What an awesome video. The pioneers of aviation in the flesh. History we need to pass on to future generations. Pan Am is now also history. I am very thankful that I got to fly with PA at the same time as this video.

[@davefrommelbourne1237]

Thanks for sharing. Sad to think that the pacific network was sold to UA not long after this milestone…

[@idolhanz9842]

November 1985...that when my wife arrived from Manila and we got married...I sure did get to fly across the oceans as a C-5 instructor flight engineer...

[@JackSmith-lv5lq]

Amazing video. What happened to humanity? Makes me so nostalgic for the past.

[@taotao98103]

"In the old days it took 24 hours from here to Honolulu, today we do it in about 5."
Almost 40 years later, it still takes 5.5 hours to travel from San Francisco to Honolulu.
What have we improved in terms of aviation speed???????????

[@simonf8902]

Pan Am sold out its Pacific routes to Hawaii Australia and New Zealand. The beginning of the end

[@astardustparade]

I was born a little less than a month later.

[@PanAmMuseum]

You should check out our podcast! podcast.thepanammuseum.org/share 💙✈️👨‍✈️🧑‍✈️👩‍✈️

[@jimrestaino7763]

Very good video . The original China Clipper was a Martin M-130 NC 14716 delivered on 10-9-35; had 4 P+W Twin Wasp 830 H.P. engines. Gross T.O. Weight 52,250 Lbs. 3,200 St. miles range. It could fly 130 mph; with 41 seats. At a length of 91 ft. 130 ft. wing span; height of 25 ft.This plane is one of 3. It sank at Port Of Spain, Trinidad on Jan. 8 1945. 50 years later China Clipper 2 N723 PA was an ex.-Singapore Airlines 212B, delivered to Pan Am on 4-26-85.It had 4 P+W JT9D 50,000 Lbs. thrust engines. Gross T.O. Weight 800,000 Lbs. Range of 6,000 st. miles. 589 mph,with 350 seats mix class. Length was 231 ft. span 196 ft. height 63 ft. Info is from Pan Am an airline and its aircraft by R.E.G. Davies 1987.

[@Shibu11229]

Thank you for posting this. I wanted to get a model of the original China Clipper but wasn’t sure what it was. Now I know to look for a Matin M-130 NC 14716. All I need now are pictures of the China Clipper from all angles.

[@taotao98103]

It's called China clipper for a reason. You got to go to China to count. I know China in those days were behind iron curtain of Communism, but Hong Kong was still a British territory. China Clipper 2 should have landed their final stop in Hong Kong to complete the China Clipper route.

[@vikingtigr]

Eventually they did. The British refused the traffic rights to HK for a while.

[@vikingtigr]

This was 1935-1941, by the way, before Communism.

[@taotao98103]

@@vikingtigr I was talking about China Clipper 2. The whole movie is talking about Çhina Clipper 2.

[@Shibu11229]

Matin M-130 NC 14716