Boeing 314 "Clipper"

It has been just over 70 years since the elegant Boeing 314 flying boat first took to the air on June 7, 1938. Pan American was the driving force behind the design, seeking a fast, comfortable and safe aircraft for regularly scheduled transatlantic service.

The 314's distinctive silhouette featured a triple tail, since early flight tests with a single vertical stabilizer demonstrated inadequate directional control. The design eliminated wing-mounted floating stabilizers in favor of stubby sponsons mounted on either side of the fuselage (these served double duty as fuel tanks). It entered service as the largest civil aircraft ever built, with an empty weight of just over 50,000 lbs and a 152 ft wingspan.

The four Four Wright Twin Cyclone 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engines each put out 1,600 HP and propelled the aircraft across the ocean at a cruising speed of 183 mph. A total of 3,500 gallons of fuel gave the Boeing 314 an impressive 3,500 mile range, although it would take over 19 hours to travel that far. A variety of seating arrangements allowed a maximum of 74 passengers, or as few as 40 in reclining sleeper seats.

The 314 began regular transatlantic service with Pan Am in the spring of 1939. Flights were interrupted by the outbreak of WWII and the design was adopted for transport service by the US Army Air Force and the US Navy.

Service resumed for a short time after the war, but the tremendous technological advances in aviation during the war years had rendered flying boats a footnote in intercontinental aviation history - the remaining Clippers were sold off to smaller charter companies and finally retired from service in 1950, shortly before the dawn of the Jet Age.

Sadly, there are no remaining examples of this iconic aircraft. Only a dozen were built, although they made up for their small number by flying far and wide around the globe.