The routes depended on purchasing Boeing 377 Stratocruisers and using them on mail routes, which they did. As the launch customer, Pan Am began scheduled Stratocruiser flights from San Francisco ...

Pan Am remained ahead of the curve, introducing aircraft like the Lockheed L-049 Constellation, Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, and Douglas DC-4 Skymaster, which offered a blend of range, speed ...