The
1928
Boeing 40C
âSail on, silver girl . . . all your dreams are on their wayâ
T
his silver Pacific Air Transport mailplane shines and sparkles, rivaling the diamonds she carried that fateful October day in 1928, when the mountainside claimed her in Canyonville, Oregon. Thanks to Addison Pembertonâs persistent dream of owning and flying
14 NOVEMBER 2008
by
Sparky Barnes Sargent
a Boeing 40C, N5339 exists today as the only 40C and the oldest airworthy Boeing. Finding and restoring the Boeing was partially a tribute to his fatherâs childhood memories of watching the mailplanes flying the contract air-mail (CAM) route over Iowa, and also Pembertonâs way of bring-
ing history to full-fledged life. After bartering for the biplaneâs remains with the Oregon Aviation Historical Society, he eventually brought a veritable village together to accomplish the memorable and monumental task of restoration. It is quite an experience to personally behold this fabulous flying