Lockheed 18-50 Lodestar      NC25688     (c/n  2040)


                                       

                                              National Airlines was the only major carrier in the United States never to operate the venerable
                                              DC-3.  They opted, instead, for the slightly faster Lockheed Lodestar.  Here's a great shot (from
                                              National Airlines) of the 'Transcontinental Record Breaker'.  This aircraft was delivered from the
                                              Lockheed plant in Burbank, California to it base in Jacksonville, Florida on 2 November 1940 in
                                              the time of 9 hours 29 minutes, which was exceedingly good for that era.  National used its Lodestars
                                              mainly on its intra-Florida routes, but also as far north as Philadelphia before the arrival of its DC-4s. .