Flight of the flying boat

Robert · May 10, 2016

I am positive most of the posters are far too young to know of the Boeing Clipper ships.

These carried passengers over water in luxury. This story will amaze you.

To tell you the story now would deprive you of watching and learning brand new things.

Enjoy. I know I did.

[video=youtube;Ms84WfJwalI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms84WfJwalI[/video]

APACHERAT · May 11, 2016

Robert said: ↑

I am positive most of the posters are far too young to know of the Boeing Clipper ships.

These carried passengers over water in luxury. This story will amaze you.

To tell you the story now would deprive you of watching and learning brand new things.

Enjoy. I know I did.

[video=youtube;Ms84WfJwalI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms84WfJwalI[/video]
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Just to add to the thread.

Boeing 314 Clipper
1939

As early as January 1935, Pan American Airways had signified to the US Bureau of Air Commerce its wish to establish a transatlantic service and, despite its ownership of the large Martin M-130 and Sikorsky S-42 long-range four-engined flying-boats, the airline wanted a new aircraft for the route.

Boeing submitted a successful tender to the Pan American specification and a contract for six Boeing Model 314 flying-boats was signed on 21 July 1936. The manufacturer used features of the earlier XB-15 heavy bomber, adapting the wing and horizontal tail surfaces for its 37421kg gross weight flying-boat, which could accommodate up to 74 passengers in four separate cabins. The engines were not the 746kW Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasps of the XB-15, but 1119kW Wright GR-2600 Double Cyclones which gave the machine a maximum speed of 311km/h. The fuel capacity of 15898 litres conferred a maximum range of 5633km; some of the fuel was stored in the stabilising sponsons, which also served as loading platforms.

The first Boeing 314 took off on its maiden flight on 7 June 1939, this original version having a single fin and rudder, later replaced by twin tail surfaces to improve directional stability. These proved to be inadequate, and the original centreline fin was restored, without a movable rudder. The aircraft was awarded Approved Type Certificate No. 704 and entered transatlantic airmail service on 20 May 1939, passenger service commencing on 28 June. At that time the Model 314 was the largest production airliner in regular passenger service.

Pan American ordered another six aircraft which were designated Model 314A, improved by the installation of 1193kW Double Cyclones with larger-diameter propellers, and additional 4542 litres of fuel capacity, and a revised interior. The first Model 314A flew on 20 March 1941 and delivery was complete by 20 January 1942. Five of the original order were retrospectively converted to Model 314A standard in 1942. Three of the repeat order were sold, before delivery, to BOAC for transatlantic service and operation on the Foynes-Lagos sector of the wartime 'Horseshoe Route'.

Of Pan American's nine Model 314/ 314As, four were requisitioned by Army Transport Command and given the military designation C-98. They were little used, however, and in November 1942 one was returned to the airline. The other three were transferred to the US Navy to join two acquired direct from Pan American; the airline provided crews for the US Navy's B-314 operations and the aircraft were partially camouflaged but operated with civil registrations.

BOAC and Pan American terminated Boeing Model 314 services in 1946 and the surviving aircraft were sold to American charter airlines

http://www.aviastar.org/air/usa/boeing-314.php
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And there were comments some who actually flew them and or were passengers.

DAVE HURSH, 21.02.2016
i may be one of the few remaining lucky people who actually flew on a Clipper. It's a long story: my missionary parents sailed to Nigeria in '42 (by ocean freighter), where my eye-surgeon father founded Kano Eye Hospital. The U.S. State Dept. would not issue passports to children in '42 (I was 3 years old) since German U-boats were sinking too many unprotected ships. I stayed at a mission home in Canada for 2 years, then began a six-month journey with another missionary couple to join my parents. In late '44 we arrived in Natal, Brazil; it was the jumping-off point for US Army Air Corps bombers going to Europe, so I saw lots of B-29's. After3 months it's finally our time to get on a boat and board the Clipper -- which we did twice and got bumped for high-priority military people. Third time was a charm; we took off, flew for half a day, landed and refueled at Ascension Island, then arrived many hours later in Sierra Leone. I had my 6th birthday there, flew to Kano in a DC-3, and finally reunited with my parents. All those great Clipper memories and many more are still with me after 70+ years!

John Howell, 13.05.2014
I was with my family in San Francisco the summer of 1938 or 1939. We happened to be down near the bay when we saw the clipper take off. Everybody called it the China Clipper. It was something to see. I was 5 or 6 years old

James, 22.09.2013
When visiting the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola, Fla. about two years ago the tour took us past a building where aircraft were being rebuilt and through am open door I saw the largest Seaplane I have ever seen. It had the shape and contours that could only be a Boing Clipper.

Phil Copeland, 11.08.2013
Actually BOAC continued to use the 314 until 1948 for the Bermuda/USA service.

Bruce Pattison, 08.11.2012
My Dad, Romney (Pat) Pattison was a navigator on the Pan AM 314's and flew all over the world during the War. He told me many interesting stories of his flights. He later became the chief navigator for Pan Am. Does any one remember him?

PAUL A. JOHNS, 30.07.2012
Iwas with Pan Am for 10 yrs and flew the Boeing 314 clipper
on 20 pacific crossings as Pilot and Pilot Navigation officer.
Also on trips with Capt Ford.
The 314 was a great Plane and of my 220 pacific crosings they
stand out the most allthouh I AM NOW 99 YRS OLD BUT REMEMBER
THEM WELL

Buz Allen, 10.10.2010
What most people can't appreciate is the guts it took for the crews of these aircraft to blast off into the darkness of that Vast Pacific Ocean without any firm idea of the weather that lay ahead,no satellite wx back then or a backup plan to navigate without the stars or moon being visible! I did it in the early 1970's and it was scary then, in a Boeing KC-135, nothing compares to being Lost in the Pacific!!! Unless you are lost and on FIRE!!!

Richard, 29.09.2009
It should be noted, that this was the first airplane that a sitting president flew in. In 1943, FDR flew in NC-18605 to the Casablanca Conference to meet with Winston Churchill to discuss wartime issues. He was flown from Miami to Brazil, South America then across the Atlantic to Gambia,Africa, he then flew in a C-54 to Casablanca and returned over the same route to the US.

Ken Smith, 24.01.2009
As a young Engine Mechanic enlisted in the British Fleet Air Arm, I was based at China Bay Ceylon. (Sri Lanka.

Just before Xmas '41 a giant flying boat arrived, a Pan American Clipper. The ocean hopping monster tied up near our slipway, dwarfing our tiny seaplanes. The crew came ashore, telling us in their Yankee accents, how they’d been dodging those Zeroes. Their Wright Cyclone engines had been stressed by ‘too much boost’ so they asked for tools at our Engine Shop; but our British tools weren’t suitable. They took off on Xmas Eve but lacking climb power in the humid air, returned after dumping fuel. Managing impromptu repairs they took off finally to fly the long way home to New York, via central Africa; a record that stood for years.

That giant boat impressed us with the power of our new Ally - the USA.

Roy Arthur Phillips, 02.09.2008
Boeing Clippers are a peace of ART. Nothing to day can match it' beauty.
I grew up in Seattle, not to far from the Boeing plant.
One day they tied a clipper to a large tug boat to test it's power. The Clipper pulled the tug boat back wards.
Boeing Plant and the Boeing Air field was the high light of my younger year. I am 82. Boeings has always been a class A act in Seattle. It has never changed.
Roy

Don Bansen, 12.07.2008
I was a mechanic working on this aircraft, fresh out of aviation school. I worked at the Marine Terminal at La Guardia Field from Nov. 1940 until I joined the Navy in 1943. I specialized in flight controls and spliced many cables since all the flight controls were cable controlled.
I still have my cable splicing tools but they will probably get thrown out when I go. I still remember the day NC 18602 arrived at Bowery Bay, unannounced, after flying around the world because the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. The plane was dirty and oil streaked and certainly not up to Pan Am standards for appearance.

buzz darcy, 04.05.2008
My Dad, Chuck Darcy, was a flight engineer for Pan Am and flew in the 314's before and during the war. I've read his log books from that period and they are awesome. The 314 was an incredibly beautiful aircraft and certainly an end to an era of the flying boats.
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