Wilmington Catalina Airlines Pilot Wing

Pebbly, CA 1931-1941

From the collection of A. Kabadaian

The airline began its service on August 1, 1931 by the island's owner, Phillip K. Wrigley. It would operate successfully for the next ten years, without a single accident. At that time, it offered the only airplane service to Catalina. In August 1940, plans that had been made to expand aviation operations on the island to include land-based airplanes. The airport was completed in 1941, the airline operation was renamed Catalina Air Transport and the future looked bright. Until December 7, 1941, when everything changed and the govenment closed the island to visitors.