Pan Am Clipper of the Day - April 7, 2008.

[Dixon Cannon]

Being a long way down here, flying boats had a long history in this country
[SIZE="1"]http://www.clubmarine.com.au/internet/clubmarine.nsf/docs/MG19-6+Feature
http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/Rose Bay pre war 1.htm[/SIZE]

Which prompts the question; Does anyone else know why the word 'Qantas' has no 'u' vowel, which would otherwise be proper English spelling? I know you know, Dr. Greg! I learned from a QA employee years ago! Anyone else!?

-dixon cannon

 

[dhermann1]

Gimme a tough one!

Queensland And Northwest Territories Air Service.

 

[Story]

More photos from LIFE

ATLANTIC CLIPPER in Portugal
http://images.google.com/hosted/lif...ife&hl=en&safe=active&imgurl=58530a2c16027714

With a page on the around-the-world flight of the PACIFIC CLIPPER , Dec. 7 1941
http://steeljawscribe.com/2008/03/06/flightdeck-friday-the-accidental-circumnavigator

 

[Randy]

Was the Short Sunderland ever used for international passenger flights?

The Short Sunderland pictured in my avatar was used as a passenger plane at one point in it's life. It is airworthy still, but not currently flown.

- Randy

 

[Warbaby]

Queensland And Northwest Territories Air Service.

The earliest version of name c. 1923:

 

[dhermann1]

Warbaby! Empty yer mailbox!

 

[Warbaby]

Oy - didn't realize it was full. Thanks for the heads up. I just emptied it.

 

[cookie]

Rose Bay Flying Base

Being a long way down here, flying boats had a long history in this country
http://www.clubmarine.com.au/internet/clubmarine.nsf/docs/MG19-6+Feature
http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/Rose Bay pre war 1.htm

Thanks Greg ...my Dad worked there after WWII.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

Pan Am Clipper Slide Show

http://www.architecturaldigest.com/homes/spaces/archive/otherspaces_slideshow_052004

 

[Sapphire]

Great ships those Boeing 314s. What a pity their civil service was limited just to a few months before WW2 and a few months after. (They did their bit as transports during, too - of course.)

I love the flying boats as well - the closest I came to them was a flight in a Chalk's Grumman from Miami to the Bahamas ten years ago..not comparable in comfort though but much better than the ole' stinkin' 737 on the way back.

Nevertheless what PAA used immediately after the flying boats was not bad either, especially thinking of the Stratocruiser but also the Constellation and DC-6. Here a few pics from a booklet that I just bought:

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Fletch]

It's not widely known that in the years leading up to WW2, the Army Air Corps sent pilots (and only pilots then) to Pan Am for navigator training. Only in 1941 did the AAC begin its own nav schools.

 

[Steven180]

A great thread that I hope we can keep alive with more participants and information. Thanks to all for the great links.

To me the Clippers represent the maturation of an innocent and naive world that personified the Golden Era. The progress of aviation, technological and engineering advances, and the shrinking of the globe were but a few of the accomplishments. And consider the courage of those who flew, and most importantly operated, the Clippers to destinations previously unknown. Imagine flying across the world without the benefit of global positioning systems, satellite radio and telephone access, and insurmountable industrial support. A sense of courage and adventure we can rarely find today...in opportunity or people

And you can not deny the nostalgic and romantic aspect of the Clippers. Although unwieldy looking when compared to modern aircraft, these were in vogue and completely capable in opening up the world.

M.