NM16  Lockheed 10-C Electra                          (c/n  1005)

                                      

                                           Compania Nacional Cubana de Aviacion Curtiss S.A. was formed as a subsidiary of the
                                           North American Aviation conglomerate in 1929.  When the Curtiss-Keys-North American
                                           enterprise got into financial difficulties in 1932, Juan Trippe, president of Pan American
                                           swooped in and purchased the fledgling airline.  At that time the word "Curtiss" was drop-
                                           ped from the title.  Naturally enough the early equipment comprised a single Curtiss Robin
                                           and a Curtiss Thrush.  Ford Trimotors were acquired in 1932.  These were replaced in 1934
                                           with five ex PanAm Lockheed Electras (hence they were model 10-Cs).  The print seen
                                           above was sent to me by Cubana in 1950.   NM16 was  formerly NC14258.    It had just
                                           been repainted when this photo was taken. Underneath the fuselage cheat line the old C.N.C.A.
                                           titles can be made out.   The photo below, from the Stanislav Dudek collection,  predates the
                                           one above and shows the L-10 at Havana with just the C.N.C.A. titling on the fuselage.
                                           Since all the aircraft in Cuba were US owned at the time, the pre war Cuban nationality letters
                                           were NM.  This aircraft was originally assigned NM11 and bore this registration for a short
                                           while before being re-registered NM16.    It became CU-T-11 when the nationality markings
                                           were changed in 1945..