|
Boeing 314 - Pan Am
Clippers
The Yankee Clipper project dated back to
1935, with the start of a series of negotiations between Pan American
World Airways and Boeing for the production of a flying-boat capable of
guaranteeing transatlantic passenger flights with a high degree of safety,
comfort and speed. On July 21,1936 Pan American signed a contract for six
aircraft, the first of which (designation Model 314) took to the air on
June 7,1938. When it made its appearance this flying-boat was the largest
civil aircraft in service.
It outstripped all rivals in size, with twice the power of the Martin
M-130. The 14-cylinder double-row Wright Cyclones were the first to use
100-octane fuel. The finest flying boat to go into regular commercial
service, the Boeing 314 weighed 40 tons, and the first batch cost $550,000
per aircraft.
It had a central hull and adopted the wing and engine assembly of the
experimental Boeing XB-15 heavy bomber. In the place of the traditional
floating stabilizers at the wingtips, sponsons mounted on the sides of the
hull were used, based on the formula developed by the German engineer
Dornier. These sponsons also contained fuel tanks, the capacity of which
(together with those situated in the wings) totalled almost 3,525 gallons
(16,000 litres).
At first, Boeing had problems with the
single vertical stabilizer. It tried a twin-tail arrangement, and finally
settled on the three fins which became a feature of the design.
In the spacious fuselage there was ample room for 74 daytime passengers,
or for 40 passengers in reclining seats for long night-flights.
On May 20,1939, Pan American inaugurated the first transatlantic mail
service. Under the command of Captain A. E. LaPorte, almost a ton of mail
was carried from Port Washington to Marseilles, via the Azores and Lisbon.
in 29 hours. The same aircraft, commanded by Captain Harold Gray, opened
the northern mail service to Southampton on June 24,1939.
On June 28,1939 Pan American inaugurated the first regular passenger
service, from New York to Southampton, via Newfoundland. Under the command
of Captain R.0.D. Sullivan, the "Dixie Clipper" carried the first
scheduled passengers across the North Atlantic. Twenty-two privileged
persons had the option of paying $375 one-way (about $4,000 in today's
money) or $675 return (say about $7,000 or $8,000, or twice Concorde
levels). The Yankee Clipper opened the northern passenger route on July
8,1939, carrying 17 passengers at the same fare. Today, the North Atlantic
route is still the most prestigious of all today despite the immense
growth of the airlines.
The golden age of the commercial flying-boats was abruptly interrupted by
the outbreak of the Second World War in Europe on September 3,1939. The
war curtailed Pan American's opportunity to build on its success, The
northern transatlantic route was abandoned after only three months, on
October 3,1939.
With the success of the Boeing 314, Pan American ordered another six with
the designation Boeing 314A. The 314A was considerably improved. They had
a carrying capacity (77 daytime passengers), engine power, and increase in
fuel capacity by about 1,000 gallons (4,500 litres). The first of the
Boeing 314A aircraft flew as a prototype on March 20, 1941, but with WW II
in full swing, only half the order went to Pan American. Three models were
bought by the British government and allotted to BOAC for use as transport
aircraft.
Subsequently, the Boeing 314s continued
flying all over the globe, maintaining especially the Atlantic crossing by
the central route, or via Brazil and West Africa. They made many important
flights during the war, in support of military operations as far afield as
southeast Asia. The Boeing 314 airplanes were well known for the fact that
they carried Winston Churchill on his intercontinental journeys, and
survived the war to be returned to the United States in 1948.
The career of the Yankee Clippers, five of which were purchased by the
USAAF and the US Navy, was also a lengthy one. Apart from three which were
destroyed in February 1943, November 1945 and October 1947, the others
remained with Pan American. With the progress made in developing
long-range landplanes during WW II, the last Boeing 314 was retired from
Pan American World Airways in 1946. They were then used by various small
charter companies and not withdrawn from service until 1950.
Boeing
314 Aircraft Operated by Pan American World Airways |
Number
|
Type
|
Name |
Date
|
NC18601
|
Boeing 314
|
Honolulu
Clipper - Sank by US Navy |
1939-1945
|
NC18602
|
Boeing 314
|
California Clipper - Renamed Pacific Clipper
Sold to World Airways |
1939-1950
|
NC18603
|
Boeing 314
|
Yankee
Clipper - Started Transatlantic mail service |
1939-1943
|
NC18604
|
Boeing 314
|
Atlantic
Clipper |
1939-1946
|
NC18605
|
Boeing 314
|
Dixie
Clipper - Started transatlantic passenger service |
1939-1950
|
NC18606
|
Boeing 314
|
American
Clipper |
1939-1946
|
NC18609
|
Boeing 314A
|
Pacific
Clipper |
1941-1946
|
NC18611
|
Boeing 314A
|
Anzac
Clipper |
1941-1951
|
NC18612
|
Boeing 314A
|
Capetown
Clipper |
1941-1946
|
Specifications: |
Boeing 314A Yankee Clipper |
Dimensions: |
Wing span: |
152 ft 0 in (46.33 m)
|
Length: |
106 ft
0 in (32.31 m)
|
Height: |
27 ft
7 in (8.41 m)
|
Wing
Area: |
2,867
sq ft (266.34 sq m)
|
Weights: |
Empty: |
50,268
lb (22,801 kg)
|
Gross T/O:
|
82,500
lb (37,422 kg)
|
Performance: |
Maximum Level Speed:
|
199
mph (320 km/h)
|
Cruising Speed:
|
183
mph (294 km/h)
|
Service Ceiling:
|
13,400
ft (4,085 m) |
Normal Range:
|
3,500
miles (5,633 km)
|
Powerplant: |
Four Wright GR-2600 Twin Cyclone, 1,600 hp (1,192 kw),
14 cylinder, air-cooled, radial engines.
|
|
|
|