Lockheed Model 10 Electra
Encyclopedia
The Lockheed Model 10 Electra was a twin-engine, all-metal monoplane airliner developed by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in the 1930s to compete with the Boeing 247
and Douglas DC-2
. The aircraft gained considerable fame as it was flown by Amelia Earhart
on her ill-fated around-the-world expedition in 1937.
Some of Lockheed's wooden designs, such as the Orion, had been built by Detroit Aircraft Corporation
with metal fuselages. However, the Electra was Lockheed's first all-metal and twin-engine design by Hall Hibbard
. The name Electra
came from a star in the Pleiades
. The prototype made its first flight on February 23, 1934 with Marshall Headle at the controls.
Wind tunnel work on the Electra was undertaken at the University of Michigan
. Much of the work was performed by a student assistant, Clarence Johnson
. He suggested two changes be made to the design: changing the single tail to double tails (later a Lockheed trademark), and deleting oversized wing fillets. Both of these suggestions were incorporated into production aircraft. Upon receiving his master's degree, Johnson joined Lockheed as a regular employee, ultimately leading the Skunk Works
in developing advanced aircraft such as the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.
The Lockheed Electra was one of the first commercial passenger aircraft to come equipped with mud guards as standard equipment. Before the Electra, only aircraft with fixed landing gear had mud guards.
Besides airline orders, a number of non-commercial civil operators also purchased the new Model 10. In May 1937, H.T. "Dick" Merrill
and J.S. Lambie accomplished a round-trip crossing of the Atlantic Ocean
. The feat was declared the first round-trip commercial crossing of that ocean by any aircraft. It won them the Harmon Trophy
. On the eastbound trip, they carried newsreels of the crash of the Hindenburg
, and on the return trip from the United Kingdom
, they brought photographs of the coronation of King George VI. Bata Shoes
operated the Model 10 to ferry their executives between their European factories.
Probably the most famous use of the Electra was the highly modified Model 10E flown by aviatrix
Amelia Earhart
. In July 1937, she disappeared in her Electra during an attempted round-the-world flight.
Many Electras and their design descendants (the Model 12 Electra Junior
and Model 14 Super Electra
) were pressed into military service during World War II
, for instance the USAAF
's C-36. By the end of the war, the Electra design was obsolete, although many smaller airlines and charter services continued to operate Electras into the 1970s.
The Electra was produced in several variants, for both civilian and military customers. Lockheed built a total of 149 Electras.
Electra 10-A
Electra 10-B
Electra 10-C
Electra 10-D
Electra 10-E
XC-35
Lockheed KXL1
Brazil
Canada
Mexico
Kingdom of Romania
United States
Venezuela
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Canada
Spain
United States
Venezuela
Canada is the home of two Model 10As. The first aircraft in the Air Canada
(then called Trans-Canada Air Lines
) fleet was an Electra 10A, "TCA." Two Electras were delivered to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) in 1937. They were based in Winnipeg and used for pilot training. Trans-Canada Air Lines ordered three more for transcontinental service; "CF-TCC" was one of those three. These former TCA machines and other 10As were acquired by the RCAF during Second World War, and later sold to private operators.
Believed that TCC was formerly N239PB operated by Provincetown-Boston Airlines.
Two Model 10 Electras are also preserved in New Zealand's Museum of Transport and Technology
at Auckland. Another Auckland-based Electra, owned by Kaipara Aviation Trust, is under restoration to flying condition.
A military version designated as UC-36A Electra (s/n 43-56638, civilian registration N4963C) is on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona
. Another military version designated AC-35 Electra is on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum
in Chantilly, Virginia
.
Electra 10A, Serial no. 1037, built in 1935, is on display in the Science Museum (London)
in the "Making the Modern World Gallery."
Electra 10A, serial no. 1052 is undergoing final restoration while on display at the New England Air Museum
in Windsor Locks, Connecticut
. Although originally a USN XR20-1 (BuNo 0267), it is painted in Northwest Airlines colors. At one point it was intended to use this machine for a recreation of the Earhart flight but it required too much work. N38BB is on display at Oakland Aviation Museum in Oakland, CA and is scheduled for restoration in the near future. This aircraft was originally supposed to be restored and cast for a role in the new Amelia Earhart movie but a deal could not be made with producers and a Lockheed 12 was used instead. N38BB was formerly N38PB operated by Provincetown-Boston Airlines.
Boeing 247
The Boeing Model 247 was an early United States airliner, considered the first such aircraft to fully incorporate advances such as all-metal semi-monocoque construction, a fully cantilevered wing and retractable landing gear...
and Douglas DC-2
Douglas DC-2
The Douglas DC-2 was a 14-seat, twin-engine airliner produced by the American company Douglas Aircraft Corporation starting in 1934. It competed with the Boeing 247...
. The aircraft gained considerable fame as it was flown by Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Mary Earhart was a noted American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean...
on her ill-fated around-the-world expedition in 1937.
Design and development
Detroit Aircraft Corporation
The Detroit Aircraft Corporation was incorporated in Detroit, Michigan on July 10, 1922, as the Aircraft Development Corporation. The name was changed in 1929...
with metal fuselages. However, the Electra was Lockheed's first all-metal and twin-engine design by Hall Hibbard
Hall Hibbard
Hall Livingstone Hibbard was an engineer and administrator of the Lockheed Corporation beginning with the company's purchase by a board of investors led by Robert E. Gross in 1932. Born in Kansas, he received a bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics at the College of Emporia in 1925...
. The name Electra
Electra (star)
Electra, also cataloged as 17 Tauri, is a blue-white giant star in the constellation of Taurus. The star is one of the nine brightest stars in the Pleiades open cluster. The most visible stars in this group are named for the Seven Sisters of Greek mythology.The star has an apparent brightness of...
came from a star in the Pleiades
Pleiades (star cluster)
In astronomy, the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters , is an open star cluster containing middle-aged hot B-type stars located in the constellation of Taurus. It is among the nearest star clusters to Earth and is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky...
. The prototype made its first flight on February 23, 1934 with Marshall Headle at the controls.
Wind tunnel work on the Electra was undertaken at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. Much of the work was performed by a student assistant, Clarence Johnson
Clarence Johnson
Clarence Leonard "Kelly" Johnson was an aircraft engineer and aeronautical innovator. As a member and first team leader of the Lockheed Skunk Works, Johnson worked for more than four decades and is said to have been an "organizing genius"...
. He suggested two changes be made to the design: changing the single tail to double tails (later a Lockheed trademark), and deleting oversized wing fillets. Both of these suggestions were incorporated into production aircraft. Upon receiving his master's degree, Johnson joined Lockheed as a regular employee, ultimately leading the Skunk Works
Skunk works
Skunk Works is an official alias for Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs , formerly called Lockheed Advanced Development Projects. Skunk Works is responsible for a number of famous aircraft designs, including the U-2, the SR-71 Blackbird, the F-117 Nighthawk, and the F-22 Raptor...
in developing advanced aircraft such as the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.
The Lockheed Electra was one of the first commercial passenger aircraft to come equipped with mud guards as standard equipment. Before the Electra, only aircraft with fixed landing gear had mud guards.
Operational history
After October 1934 when the US government banned single-engined aircraft for use in carrying passengers or in night flying, Lockheed was perfectly placed in the market with its new Model 10 Electra. In addition to deliveries to US based airlines, several European operators added Electras to their prewar fleets.Besides airline orders, a number of non-commercial civil operators also purchased the new Model 10. In May 1937, H.T. "Dick" Merrill
Dick Merrill
Henry Tyndall "Dick" Merrill was an early aviation pioneer. Among his feats he was the highest paid air mail pilot, flew the first round-trip transatlantic flight in 1936, was Dwight D...
and J.S. Lambie accomplished a round-trip crossing of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. The feat was declared the first round-trip commercial crossing of that ocean by any aircraft. It won them the Harmon Trophy
Harmon Trophy
The Harmon Trophy is a set of three international trophies, to be awarded annually to the world's outstanding aviator, aviatrix , and aeronaut...
. On the eastbound trip, they carried newsreels of the crash of the Hindenburg
Hindenburg disaster
The Hindenburg disaster took place on Thursday, May 6, 1937, as the German passenger airship LZ 129 Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed during its attempt to dock with its mooring mast at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station, which is located adjacent to the borough of Lakehurst, New Jersey...
, and on the return trip from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, they brought photographs of the coronation of King George VI. Bata Shoes
Bata Shoes
Bata Shoes is a large, family owned shoe company based in Bermuda but currently headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, operating 3 business units worldwide – Bata Metro Markets, Bata Emerging Markets and Bata Branded Business. It has a retail presence in over 50 countries and production...
operated the Model 10 to ferry their executives between their European factories.
Probably the most famous use of the Electra was the highly modified Model 10E flown by aviatrix
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Mary Earhart was a noted American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean...
. In July 1937, she disappeared in her Electra during an attempted round-the-world flight.
Many Electras and their design descendants (the Model 12 Electra Junior
Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior
The Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior, more commonly known as the Lockheed 12 or L-12, is an eight-seat, six-passenger all-metal twin-engine transport aircraft of the late 1930s designed for use by small airlines, companies, and wealthy private individuals...
and Model 14 Super Electra
Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Francillon, René J. Lockheed Aircraft since 1913. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-835-6.-External links:*...
) were pressed into military service during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, for instance the USAAF
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
's C-36. By the end of the war, the Electra design was obsolete, although many smaller airlines and charter services continued to operate Electras into the 1970s.
Variants
Electra 10-A
- Powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior SBPratt & Whitney R-985The Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior is a series of nine-cylinder air-cooled radial aircraft engines built by the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company from the 1930s to the 1950s. These engines have a displacement of ; initial versions produced , while the most widely used versions produce...
, 450 hp (336 kW) each; 101 produced.- Three built for the U.S. Army Air Corps as Y1C-36, redesignated as C-36 in 1938 and as UC-36 in 1943.
- Fifteen impressed by the U.S. Army Air Forces as C-36A, re-designated as UC-36A in 1943.
- Three built as XR2O-1 / R2O-1 for the U.S. Secretary of the Navy.
- One built as Y1C-37 for the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, redesignated as C-37 in 1938 and as UC-37 in 1943.
Electra 10-B
- Powered by Wright R-975-E3 Whirlwind, 440 hp (340 kW) each; 18 produced
- Seven impressed by the U.S. Army Air Forces as C-36C, re-designated as UC-36C in 1943.
- One built as XR3O-1 for the U.S. Coast Guard for use by the Secretary of the Treasury.
Electra 10-C
- Powered by Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp SC1Pratt & Whitney R-1340|-See also:* Pratt & Whitney Wasp series* Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior* Pratt & Whitney R-1535 Twin Wasp Junior* Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp-Bibliography:...
, 450 hp (336 kW) each; eight produced for Pan American Airways.
Electra 10-D
- Proposed military transport version; none built.
Electra 10-E
- Powered by Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp S3H1Pratt & Whitney R-1340|-See also:* Pratt & Whitney Wasp series* Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior* Pratt & Whitney R-1535 Twin Wasp Junior* Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp-Bibliography:...
, 600 hp (450 kW) each; 15 produced. The version used by Amelia EarhartAmelia EarhartAmelia Mary Earhart was a noted American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean...
.- Five impressed by the U.S. Army Air Forces as C-36B, re-designated as UC-36B in 1943.
XC-35
Lockheed XC-35
|-See also:-External links:* * * * * from National Museum of the United States Air Force...
- Experimental pressurized research model powered by turbocharged Pratt & Whitney XR-1340-43Pratt & Whitney R-1340|-See also:* Pratt & Whitney Wasp series* Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior* Pratt & Whitney R-1535 Twin Wasp Junior* Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp-Bibliography:...
, 550 hp (410 kW) each. The one production model was tested for the War Department by Lieutenant Benjamin S. KelseyBenjamin S. KelseyBenjamin Scovill "Ben" Kelsey was an American aeronautical engineer and test pilot who brought success in World War II to the United States Army Air Forces by initiating the manufacture of innovative fighter aircraft designs, and by working to quickly increase American fighter production to meet...
. For this work, the Army Air Corps was awarded the 1937 Collier TrophyCollier TrophyThe Collier Trophy is an annual aviation award administered by the U.S. National Aeronautics Association , presented to those who have made "the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space...
. The XC-35 is currently in storage in the collection of the National Air and Space MuseumNational Air and Space MuseumThe National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and...
.
Lockheed KXL1
- A single Lockheed Model 10 Electra supplied to the Imperial Japanese Navy Air ServiceImperial Japanese Navy Air ServiceThe Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service was the air arm of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II, the organization was responsible for the operation of naval aircraft and the conduct of aerial warfare in the Pacific War.It was controlled by the Navy Staff of the Imperial Japanese Navy and...
for evaluation.
Civil operators
- Ansett Airways
- Guinea Airways, an Australian airline serving New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. - MacRobertson-Miller AviationMacRobertson Miller AirlinesMacRobertson Miller Airlines Ltd. , callsign "Miller", IATA code "MV", was established in Australia in late 1927, by pilot Horrie Miller with the backing of chocolate millionaire Sir Macpherson Robertson....
- Marshall Airways
- Qantas Empire Airways
Brazil
- AeronorteAeronorteEmpresa de Transportes Aéreos Norte do Brasil Ltda – Aeronorte was a Brazilian airline founded in 1949 that operated in the north and northeast regions of Brazil. It was bought by Aerovias Brasil in 1953 but maintained some degree of autonomy...
- Cruzeiro do SulServiços Aéreos Cruzeiro do SulServiços Aéreos Cruzeiro do Sul, was the second oldest airline of Brazil, tracing its origins to 1927, when it was founded as Syndicato Condor, a subsidiary of Deutsche Luft Hansa. Syndicato Condor retained rights and interests of a former German trade company, Condor Syndikat, which previously...
- Panair do BrasilPanair do BrasilPanair do Brasil is a defunct airline of Brazil. Between 1945 and 1965 it was considered to be the largest carrier not only in Brazil but in all of Latin America.-NYRBA do Brasil :...
- VARIGVarigVARIG was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. From 1965 until 1990 it was Brazil's leading and almost only international airline...
Canada
- Canadian AirwaysCanadian AirwaysCanadian Airways was an airline formed when Western Canadian Airways bought out Commercial. It operated through the 1930s until it was purchased by Canadian Pacific Air Lines in 1941, carrying passengers on mail planes into smaller communities.-History:James Armstrong Richardson established WCA in...
- Trans-Canada Air LinesTrans-Canada Air LinesTrans-Canada Air Lines was a Canadian airline and operated as the country's flag carrier. Its corporate headquarters were in Montreal, Quebec...
- LAN Chile
- Compañia Cubana de Aviación
Mexico
- Compañía Mexicana de Aviación
- KLM West Indies Section
- Union Airways of New Zealand
- National Airways CorporationNational Airways CorporationNational Airways Corporation was the national domestic airline of New Zealand from 1947 until 1978 when it amalgamated with New Zealand's international airline, Air New Zealand. The airline was headquartered in Wellington...
- LOT Polish AirlinesLOT Polish AirlinesPolskie Linie Lotnicze LOT S.A. , trading as LOT Polish Airlines, is the flag carrier of Poland. Based in Warsaw, LOT was established in 1929, making it one of the world's oldest airlines still in operation. Using a fleet of 55 aircraft, LOT operates a complex network to 60 destinations in Europe,...
operated ten aircraft between 1936 and 1939.
Kingdom of Romania
- LARESTAROMS.C. Compania Națională de Transporturi Aeriene Române TAROM S.A., doing business as TAROM Romanian Air Transport, is the flag carrier and oldest currently operating airline of Romania. The brand name is an acronym for...
- British Airways Ltd.British Airways Ltd.British Airways Ltd was a British airline company operating in Europe in the period 1935–39. It was formed in 1935 by the merger of Spartan Air Lines Ltd, United Airways Ltd , and Hillman's Airways...
(not to be confused with the present-day British AirwaysBritish AirwaysBritish Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
)
United States
- Braniff Airways
- Chicago and Southern Air LinesChicago and Southern Air LinesChicago and Southern Air Lines started life as Pacific Seaboard Air Lines, which was organized on June 15, 1933. The airline's headquarters was in Memphis, Tennessee....
- Continental Air Lines
- Delta Air LinesDelta Air LinesDelta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
- Eastern Air LinesEastern Air LinesEastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
- Mid-Continent AirlinesMid-Continent AirlinesMid-Continent Airlines operated in the central United States through the 1930s until merging with Braniff Airlines in 1952.The company was founded in 1928 in Sioux City, Iowa as Hanford's Tri-State Airlines by Arthur Hanford, Jr., who offered charter service and scheduled flights from Sioux City to...
(formerly Hanford Airlines) - National AirlinesNational Airlines (NA)National Airlines was an airline founded in 1934 and was headquartered on the grounds of Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States near Miami.- History :...
- Northeast AirlinesNortheast AirlinesNortheast Airlines was an American airline based in Boston, Massachusetts. They began as Boston-Maine Airways, which was founded as a Pan Am contract carrier on July 20, 1931, by the Boston and Maine Railroad and Maine Central Railroad offering service from Boston to Bangor via Portland...
(formerly Boston-Maine/Central Vermont Airways) - Northwest AirlinesNorthwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
- Pacific Alaska AirwaysPacific Alaska AirwaysPacific Alaska Airways was a subsidiary of Pan American World Airways that flew routes around Alaska. The airline was eventually completely absorbed into Pan Am in 1941. The airline restarted service under its own name in the 1970s but ceased operations in 1986....
, which became the Alaska division of Pan American Airways - Wisconsin Central Airlines
Venezuela
- Línea Aeropostal Venezolana
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
- AeroputAeroputAeroput was the national airline of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, which was founded on 17 June 1927 in the palace of the Adriatic and the Danube bank in Belgrade as Drustvo za Vazdusni Saobracaj A D – Aeroput ...
Military operators
- Argentine Air ForceArgentine Air ForceThe Argentine Air Force is the national aviation branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. , it had 14,606 military and 6,854 civilian staff.-History:...
- Brazilian Air ForceBrazilian Air ForceThe Brazilian Air Force is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branch were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces"...
Canada
- Royal Canadian Air ForceRoyal Canadian Air ForceThe history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
- Honduran Air ForceHonduran Air ForceThe Honduras Air Force is the air force of Honduras. As such it is the air power arm of the Honduras Armed Forces.-History:...
Spain
- Spanish Air ForceSpanish Air Force-The early stages:Hot air balloons had been used with military purposes in Spain as far back as 1896. In 1905, with the help of Alfredo Kindelán, Leonardo Torres y Quevedo directed the construction of the first Spanish dirigible in the Army Military Aerostatics Service, created in 1896 and located...
- Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
United States
- United States Army Air CorpsUnited States Army Air CorpsThe United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
/Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air ForcesThe United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force.... - United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
- United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast GuardThe United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
Venezuela
- Venezuelan Air Force
- Imperial Japanese Air Force (copy)
Survivors
Air Canada
Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...
(then called Trans-Canada Air Lines
Trans-Canada Air Lines
Trans-Canada Air Lines was a Canadian airline and operated as the country's flag carrier. Its corporate headquarters were in Montreal, Quebec...
) fleet was an Electra 10A, "TCA." Two Electras were delivered to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) in 1937. They were based in Winnipeg and used for pilot training. Trans-Canada Air Lines ordered three more for transcontinental service; "CF-TCC" was one of those three. These former TCA machines and other 10As were acquired by the RCAF during Second World War, and later sold to private operators.
- TCA survived into the 1960s when Ann PellegrenoAnn PellegrenoAnn Dearing Holtgren Pellegreno has been a professional musician, teacher, author, lecturer, and farmer. In 1967, Pellegreno and a crew of three successfully flew a similar aircraft to complete a world flight that closely mirrored Amelia Earhart's flight plan in 1937...
between June 7 and July 10, 1967 flew TCA on a round-the-world flight to commemorate Amelia Earhart’s last flight in 1937. The Canada Aviation MuseumCanada Aviation MuseumThe Canada Aviation and Space Museum is Canada's national aviation history museum. The museum is located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, at the Ottawa/Rockcliffe Airport...
acquired this aircraft after the commemorative flight. Manufactured in 1937, the Museum example was the first new aircraft purchased by Trans-Canada Air Lines and served with the company until transferred to the RCAF in 1939. Sold in 1941 to a private operator, it was flown until 1967 by various owners. Air Canada restored the aircraft in 1968 and donated it to the Museum. - TCC was another former Trans-Canada Air Lines original. CF-TCC was found in Florida by a vacationing Air Canada employee in the early 1980s. Arrangements were made for it to be brought back to Winnipeg where it was restored. It was flown across Canada in 1987 to commemorate Air Canada's 50th Anniversary. Air Canada maintains the aircraft and uses it to promote the airline. The aircraft was placed on display at Expo 86Expo 86The 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication, or simply Expo '86, was a World's Fair held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from Friday, May 2 until Monday, October 13, 1986...
after recreating the original TCA cross-country flight in 1937 and continues to be displayed at air shows and conferences. In 2006, it was flown from Toronto to Washington DC for the annual "Airliners International" Show. For most of the year, TCC resides at the Western Canada Aviation MuseumWestern Canada Aviation MuseumThe Western Canada Aviation Museum is a museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is the second largest aviation museum in Canada. The collection is housed in an original Trans-Canada Air Lines hangar dating from the 1930s....
where it is one of the feature aircraft displayed.
Believed that TCC was formerly N239PB operated by Provincetown-Boston Airlines.
Two Model 10 Electras are also preserved in New Zealand's Museum of Transport and Technology
Museum of Transport and Technology
The Museum of Transport and Technology is a museum located in Western Springs, Auckland, New Zealand. It is located close to the Western Springs Stadium, Auckland Zoo and the Western Springs Park. The museum has large collections of civilian and military aircraft and other land transport vehicles...
at Auckland. Another Auckland-based Electra, owned by Kaipara Aviation Trust, is under restoration to flying condition.
A military version designated as UC-36A Electra (s/n 43-56638, civilian registration N4963C) is on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
. Another military version designated AC-35 Electra is on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and...
in Chantilly, Virginia
Chantilly, Virginia
Chantilly is an unincorporated community located in western Fairfax County and southeastern Loudoun County of Northern Virginia. Recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census designated place , the community population was 23,039 as of the 2010 census -- down from 41,041 in 2000, due to the...
.
Electra 10A, Serial no. 1037, built in 1935, is on display in the Science Museum (London)
Science Museum (London)
The Science Museum is one of the three major museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. The museum is a major London tourist attraction....
in the "Making the Modern World Gallery."
Electra 10A, serial no. 1052 is undergoing final restoration while on display at the New England Air Museum
New England Air Museum
The New England Air Museum is located at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Connecticut, USA. The museum is housed in three large display buildings consisting of more than of exhibit space...
in Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Windsor Locks is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was 12,043. It is the site of Bradley International Airport, which serves the Greater Hartford-Springfield region. It is also the site of the New England Air Museum...
. Although originally a USN XR20-1 (BuNo 0267), it is painted in Northwest Airlines colors. At one point it was intended to use this machine for a recreation of the Earhart flight but it required too much work. N38BB is on display at Oakland Aviation Museum in Oakland, CA and is scheduled for restoration in the near future. This aircraft was originally supposed to be restored and cast for a role in the new Amelia Earhart movie but a deal could not be made with producers and a Lockheed 12 was used instead. N38BB was formerly N38PB operated by Provincetown-Boston Airlines.