The China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC) was founded as a partnership between Curtiss Aircraft and the Chinese Nationalist Government in 1929. The manager was an American named Clement Keys. After accidents and disagreements with Chiang Kai-Shek, the Chinese Nationalist president, Keys sold his interest to Pan American Airways in 1933. The airline used the Douglas DC-3 (military C-47) Skytrain and the Curtiss C-46 Commando to haul passengers and cargo from India “over the Hump” (“the hump” being the name given by Allied pilots in World War II to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains) from Dinjan, India to cities in central China. Military airlifts began in 1942 and continued until 1949 when the Communist government created a new airline called Central Air Transportation Corporation. This company took over all operations from CNAC.

 The pass down log in this collection is a written communication between various individuals such as Hugh Woods, a manager, and pilots such as Donald Wong, Moon Chin, Jay Thom, and others.

The collection contains a Pass-Down Log from the China National Aviation Corporation base in Dinjan, India. This pass-down log extends from August to October, 1945. It involves day-to-day operations of China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC). In addition to the log pages, there are within the book various memorandums and communiques loosely pressed into the book.   

For more, see our Descriptive Finding Guide.