Warbird Information Exchange

Roger Cain just alerted me to this discussion. Here is a photo of the China Clipper, only one had that name. Each plane had a different Clipper name.

And this is what the Pan Am Boeing 314 looked like.

Don't forget the three Sikorsky VS-44's that were built in 1941. They may not have been "Clipper" ships per se, but they were certainly the pinnacle of the type...and only one, commercial civilian, US built, flying boat still exists, and that's at the New England Air Museum.
She's a beauty and worth the trip if you get up this ay!
Jerry

www.neam.org

_________________
"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

DaveyMac,
I think I've seen that site but i don't remember the list. Good to have that info. There's a Sikorsky S-43 in Texas you know. The twin engine 'Baby Clipper' follow-on to the S42 is down at Brazosport on the coast south of Galveston. It was featured in an "Only survivors" feature in Air & Space a year or so ago.
I hope to see it next month while there for CAF Tora practice.
Doug.

Bill,

Out of curiosity, how many of the Clippers were you able to photograph?

_________________
Roger Cain
www.sfahistory.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Stearman/


We must limit politicians to two terms:
one in office and one in jail.

Another link to the Boeing 314:
http://www.rbogash.com/B314.html

_________________
Roger Cain
www.sfahistory.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Stearman/


We must limit politicians to two terms:
one in office and one in jail.

Check out www.catalinagoose.com for some bodacious color pix of the VS-44 that's in the New England Air Museum while it flew for Avalon Air Transport in the 50's.

Bill Larkins, That's one VS-44, the one that bacame the XPBS-1 was crashed. What about the third?

Doug Ratchford, Canso42

So they still haven't not specifically found either surviving aircraft, correct?

That full size replica is amazing.

Im still interested in seeing what condition both VS-44A's are in after the crashes. It seems like these flying boats have been kinda left out. Im surprised that no one has investigated them.

What a world to live in, if we could see a museum formed with the sole intention to FLY these big behemoths.

"National Flying Boat Museum"

using the recovered remains of Boeing 314's and the VS-44A's (and depending on the condition of the aircraft) the museum would fly an restored example of each to various coastal and appropriate shows around the world!

And ya know the usuals: PBY, Albatross, Goose, Beaver

Now thats Dynamic!
http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0 ... &photo_nr=

_________________
Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
Warbird Wear: https://www.redbubble.com/people/warbirdwear/shop

Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

Warbird Kid, I think you're on to something!

Daveymac, and everyone else with an interest in ops of the big boats, especially the Boeing 314s, find the August 1999 issue of Air & Space mag for a real adventure tale.

"The Round The World Saga of the 'Pacific Clipper' " by John A. Marshall. A PBY buddy sent it to me a couple of years ago. I won't spoil it by giving it away any more than the title already has but it's really a good read.

Doug Ratchford aka Canso42, resident flying boat nut.

Forgotten Field,
Where is the Martin museum located?

Canso42

Don't forget the MARS!
Jerry

_________________
"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

How could i forget! Oooh! While were at it, we could try and find a Dornier Do-24!

Maybe a Kingfisher and a duck too?

_________________
Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
Warbird Wear: https://www.redbubble.com/people/warbirdwear/shop

Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

Hey guys and gals,

I got to check out an issue of the (Seattle) Museum of Flight's newsletter the other day. This was the January/February issue and in it there was an article about the Boeing 314.

It was quite interesting and what got me excited is that they are seriously looking to find, recover, and restory a Boeing 314 for the Museum of Flight. Of course only to static condition. A flyer would be INCREDIBLE, but kind of unrealistic especially when reserecting an extinct machine of that size.

It appears that the wheels are in motion to find the "Honolulu Clipper" that was scuttled November 7th 1945 which they presume is about 500nm east of Oahu and at about 17,000' below the surface.

The man spearheading the mission is Bob Bogash, who was instrumental in the museum acquiring its Concorde, the serial #1 of both the 727 and 747, as well as the acquisition of the Conny. So, he is clearly seems like the kind of guy to get done what he's set out to do.

Also mentioned is that if the airframe of the Honolulu is in too poor shape, they also want to try and find the "Capetown Clipper" which went down somewhere in the mid-Atlantic.

It's kind of a daunting task to say the least. I wish them good luck!

Peace,

David

Hi Davey, good to see you back on the trail of the big boats.
cheers
Doug

_________________
"I love the smell of 100LL in the morning."