![]() Boeing also incorporated Dornier-style sponsons into the hull structure. The 314 used a series of heavy ribs and spars to create a robust fuselage and cantilevered wing, eliminating the need for external drag-inducing struts to brace the wings. This too was found to be insufficient and finally the centerline vertical fin was restored, after which the aircraft flew satisfactorily. The aircraft returned to the factory and was fitted with the endplates on the ends of the horizontal tail in place of the single vertical fin. At first the aircraft had a single vertical tail, and Allen found he had inadequate directional control. The first flight was on June 7, 1938, piloted by Edmund T. The huge flying boat was assembled at Boeing's Plant 1 on the Duwamish River in Seattle, and towed to Elliott Bay for taxi and flight tests. Pan Am ordered six more aircraft with increased engine power and capacity for 77 daytime passengers as the Boeing 314A. Boeing engineers adapted the cancelled XB-15's 149 ft (45 m) wing, and replaced the 850 hp (630 kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp radial engines with the 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) Wright Twin Cyclone. Boeing's bid was successful and on July 21, 1936, Pan American signed a contract for six. Pan American had requested a truly trans-Pacific flying boat with unprecedented range and double the passenger payload of the airline's Martin M-130. Twelve Clippers were built, nine of which served with Pan Am.ĭesign and development The Yankee Clipper in 1939 For its wing, Boeing re-used the design from the earlier XB-15 bomber prototype. One of the largest aircraft of its time, it had the range to cross the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The age of the Clippers ended shortly after WWII when land planes could operate at much higher speeds than the flying boats.The Boeing 314 Clipper was an American long-range flying boat produced by Boeing from 1938 to 1941. Chefs prepared gourmet meals while passengers lounged in deeply cushioned wicker chairs and enjoyed a grand view of the scenery from about 5,000 feet. 74 could be carried on day trips and 40 when sleeping quarters for all passengers was required. The luxurious cabins were divided into 5 standard compartments, each seating 10 passengers, a dining salon for 14, a special compartment for four and a deluxe bridal suite. It was connected to the passenger cabin by a spiral staircase. The flight deck compared to the bridge of a ship and housed 6 crew. The airliner was a palace compared to the cramped jets and limited service of today. Before the war, the 314 fleet flew the Pacific, Atlantic and other routes. This huge flying boat started flying the Atlantic mail in 1939 with a trip over 26 hours long. Since non-stop service would be needed, a new aircraft was designed. ![]() ![]() Pan Am's attention soon turned to the Atlantic. ![]() In the 1930s Pan Am was a household word in the USA for their romantic foreign routes and the glamorous 'China Clippers' that crossed the Pacific Ocean, stopping at such ports as Wake Island. NOTE: three prop blades are cleanly broken at the hub the blade is present. ![]() It has been inventoried complete with all parts and includes decals and instructions. Type four logo box, likely from the 1980s. 1/144 04172-6 Airfix Boeing 314 Pan Am Clipper - 'Dixie' or BOAC 'Berwick' ![]()
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