PBA MARTIN 404 N40415 AT FANTASY OF FLIGHT
The
faded colors of Provincetown-Boston
Airline still adorn the weathered
fuselage of Martin 404 N40415 (msn 14119) behind the Fantasy of Flight
museum near Polk City, Florida. The remains of this once great bird
were
bought by Kermit
Weeks in 2002 and shipped in from Mississippi where the
aircraft had been parked since the 1980s.
I visited Fantasy of Flight in June 2010 and took a few photos of what's left of N40415. The tour guides were uncertain what would become of the fuselage and I've heard various rumors that it was to be scrapped or was going to become part of a future exhibit. So, when in doubt, go to the source to get the truth! I contacted the museum and asked about their plans for N40415.
Fantasy of Flight's Peg O'Keef was extremely helpful and sent this amusing reply:
"What a terrific question! When I realized I had no answer, I went to the boss. “So is it for restoration or scrap?” I asked. “It was scrap when I acquired it,” said Kermit. “I’m not sure exactly what we will do with it.” And then he got a twinkle in his eye and continued, “I’ve always wanted to do a guest experience called ‘Airline Flight from Hell’ where the guest would be forced to sit in an uncomfortable seat in an airport as his flight runs later and later. Then we load them into the airliner, strap them in, and give them a wild ride.” He was laughing hard at this point, fully reliving every bad airport/commercial flight experience ever… We started regaling about food and kids kicking the back of seats… So, in response to your question, the fate of the Martin 404 is uncertain… but it is better off now than before we got it. Who knows? Sometime in the future, you may find yourself lining up for a hellish airline experience in it… "
I visited Fantasy of Flight in June 2010 and took a few photos of what's left of N40415. The tour guides were uncertain what would become of the fuselage and I've heard various rumors that it was to be scrapped or was going to become part of a future exhibit. So, when in doubt, go to the source to get the truth! I contacted the museum and asked about their plans for N40415.
Fantasy of Flight's Peg O'Keef was extremely helpful and sent this amusing reply:
"What a terrific question! When I realized I had no answer, I went to the boss. “So is it for restoration or scrap?” I asked. “It was scrap when I acquired it,” said Kermit. “I’m not sure exactly what we will do with it.” And then he got a twinkle in his eye and continued, “I’ve always wanted to do a guest experience called ‘Airline Flight from Hell’ where the guest would be forced to sit in an uncomfortable seat in an airport as his flight runs later and later. Then we load them into the airliner, strap them in, and give them a wild ride.” He was laughing hard at this point, fully reliving every bad airport/commercial flight experience ever… We started regaling about food and kids kicking the back of seats… So, in response to your question, the fate of the Martin 404 is uncertain… but it is better off now than before we got it. Who knows? Sometime in the future, you may find yourself lining up for a hellish airline experience in it… "
Here's a photo of N40415 in better days, on final to Miami in 1983, courtesy of Bob Garrard. The aircraft left the factory on May 26, 1952 and was delivered to TWA as Skyliner Albany. It suffered a landing gear collapse the following year and was withdrawn from use. Piedmont took delivery of the aircraft in 1961 and rechristened it Yadkin Valley Pacemaker. It served Piedmont for nearly a decade, after which it was sold to the Landmark Baptist Temple in 1971 and then to Penn Landmark Corporation in 1973. Following several years of storage in Pinehurst, NC, N40415 was purchased by Provincetown- Boston Airline / Naples Airlines on December 1, 1976. PBA kept the aircraft in service until November 1984 when the FAA temporarily grounded the airline after finding numerous maintenance and operating violations. Although the airline returned to the skies a few week later, the Martin 404 fleet was permanently grounded. Many of PBA's 404s, including N40415 were flown to Gulfport, MS in 1987. A company named Erikson and Remmert puchased it in 1988, presumably as an investment, and moved it to Bay St. Louis-Stennis International, MS in 1989, where it remained until being scrapped in 2002. Kermit Weeks purchased the fuselage and shipped it to Fantasy of Flight soon after.
The following photos were taken by former PBA employee Scott Peterson who visited the museum in April 2010. He writes: "Not allowed on board due to liability but interior appeared in very good shape!"
Scott continues: "Flight certificate and co-pilot seat. How many sat there?"
Original plate from 1952 showing delivery to TWA.
Thanks again to Peg O'Keef, Kermit Weeks and Scott Peterson!