Postage Stamp Collection PS58205

Postage Stamp Collection PS58205 is a 1/400 scale diecast model of the Douglas DC-10-30, registration N61NA, named “Clipper Evening Star,” in Pan Am livery, circa the early 1980s.

Pan Am

Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was a prominent American international airline. It was founded on March 14, 1927, by Carl A. Spaatz, Air Corps Majors Henry H. “Hap” Arnold and John H. Jouett. The airline used “Clipper” in all aircraft names and call signs. In June 1947, Pan Am became the first airline to provide scheduled around-the-world flights. Declared bankrupt, it ceased operations on December 4, 1991, with Delta Air Lines purchasing profitable assets.

McDonnell Douglas DC-10/MD-10

The DC-10 is an American medium-to-long-range, wide-body trijet airliner that first flew on August 29, 1970, and entered service with American Airlines on August 5, 1971.

It was produced in several variants: the initial DC-10-10, the improved -15 (domestic), the -30 and -40( transcontinental), and the KC-10 Extender air-to-air refuelling tanker. In 1997, Boeing began upgrading the existing DC-10s with a glass cockpit, eliminating the need for a flight engineer and reclassing it as the MD-10.

Unfortunately, the DC-10 suffered a poor safety record early on due to a flaw in the design of the cargo doors. Production of the DC-10 ended in 1989, with 386 DC-10s and 60 KC-10s built. By early 2014, they were withdrawn from passenger service, but freighter versions continued to operate.

The DC-10’s cockpit crew consists of two pilots and a flight engineer, while the MD-10 has two pilots. The passenger cabin can seat up to 380 people.

It is powered by three General Electric CF6 high-bypass turbofan engines; the -40 uses the Pratt & Whitney JT9D, one pylon mounted under each wing and the third atop the fuselage’s rear, under the vertical fin.