Work on the Explorer was commenced in 1927 for
Sir Hubert Wilkins as an aircraft for use in exploration of
Antarctica. However, this configuration was judged impractical, and Wilkins opted to use a Vega equipped with floats instead. The incomplete aircraft was brought out of storage to make an attempt at a nonstop flight between Japan and the United States, funded by lumber dealer John Buffelen and members of the
Tacoma Chamber of Commerce. Named
City of Tacoma, the first Pacific crossing attempt ended in disaster when overfilled fuel tanks spilled over on takeoff. Two subsequent attempts in newer Explorers also met with failure. The wing of a wrecked Explorer was fitted to the fuselage of an
Orion by aviator
Wiley Post, resulting in an Orion-Explorer hybrid variously referred to as 'Wiley's Bastard' and 'Aurora', though Post himself referred to the aircraft only by its serial number. The aircraft, nose-heavy, crashed after its engine failed shortly after takeoff near
Point Barrow, Alaska on August 15, 1935, taking the lives of Post and humorist
Will Rogers. Lockheed built a total of four Explorers, all of which were destroyed in crashes. == Variants ==