After retirement, about 2008, my parents sold their home in Sacramento and moved to a retirement community in Paradise, CA (yes, the town burned out a couple years ago.) One of their neighbors had been a radio operator on a Pan Am Boeing 314 before the war, and flew the Pacific route. At age 90+ he was still a Ham operator and had antennas in the trees around his unit. I got to meet him and use his radios a few times. He gave me some great stories!
Loved the tongue-in-cheek presentation, nice sardonic college student vibe. Also loved the end collage of LCC airliners. Ask me sometime about my 10-minute flight as a five year old aboard the last Sikorsky VS 44 to Catalina island in California, back in the 1950's. The VS 44 flew transatlantic for American Export Airlines, the only real American competitor to the Boeing 314.
7-22-24 This is a 5-Star Pan Am 314 Flying Boat synopsis of the post-Pearl Harbor bombing by the Japanese on 12-7-41. Hats off to you. Importantly, THE FOYNES FLYING BOAT MUSEUM, Foynes, Ireland, built a Pan Am "Yankee Clipper" replica from Boeing blueprints that you can enter and tour!! Up the stairs into the huge 21-ft X 9-ft flight deck, back down past the galley, bathroom, were six seating/lounge areas. At the rear is the "Honeymoon Suite," viewed through a window in the door. Returning from the rear, sleeping berths are made up, featuring Pan Am blankets, each berth with a reading light, and an adjustable air vent nozzle. ****FABULOUS****Foynes was the destination to Europe from Pan Am's New York's LaGuardia Marine Terminal, on the Shannon River. The Shannon airport now replaces the river landings for the flying boats. ****This is a bucket-list must!!****
Winston Churchill flew once - ONCE - aboard the Boeing B-314. And then, it was the B-314A "Berwick" G-AGCA (c/n: 2082), owned and operated by Britain's national airline, BOAC. Churchill had been on a visit to the US, to confer with President Roosevelt at The White House and Camp David, but when the visit was over, Churchill felt that he needed to return to the UK as quickly as possible. Churchill's visit had taken place only a month after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and whilst the Battle of Britain had been won over a year before in September 1940, the British & Commonwealth victory at Second El Alamein was still ten months in the future, and the war was finely balanced. On 15 January 1942, Churchill departed NAS Norfolk in Virginia aboard Berwick, intending to fly only as far as Bermuda, where it was planned he would make a flying visit to address the National Assembly of Bermuda. Then, a British Crown Colony, but now a British Overseas Territory (BOT) - Bermuda had been most co-operative in the war effort, going so fas as to permit US forces to buoy military bases on their island. In Bermuda, Churchill originally planned to board the Royal Navy battleship HMS "Duke of York" (47,881 tons / 10 x 14" guns) to sail back across the Atlantic at maximum speed: this was seen as the swiftest and most secure way for Churchill to return to Blighty. But Berwick was under the command of the redoubtable Irishman, Capt Jack Kelly-Rogers, a former Imperial Airways and now BOAC flying boat captain, with whom Churchill had flown several times before and whom Churchill held in the highest regard. On a whim, Churchill asked Kelly-Rogers if Berwick could make the flight from Bermuda non-stop to Plymouth? To this, Kelly-Rogers said he was confident that if the tanks were full and the load was otherwise minimised, the crossing could be made - provided he would get the fully-laden Berwick off the water at Bermuda before the flying boat reached the far side of Hamilton Great Sound! Much to the consternation of Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, Churchill's response was immediate: "Let's go". As Minister of Supply in Churchill's administration, Beaverbrook had accompanied Churchill on his visit to the US and counselled him during the discussions with Roosevelt, but Aitken was not big on flying and had been looking forward to sailing back across the Atlantic in the spacious and comfortable accommodations HMS Duke of York offered VIP guests such as Churchill and him. But to depart without notifying British authorities of either the change in transportation mode or of the change in itinerary carried its own risks. Had prior notification of such been sent and the message were to be intercepted by the Abwehr, Kelly-Rogers, Churchill and Beaverbrook knew that Hitler would certainly order Churchill shot out of the sky. But returning home early, unexpected and by air (instead of sea) carried other risks: would British defences - permanently on hair-trigger alert for German attacks - be able to recognise what was going on and NOT shoot down Churchill themselves? In the end, this latter scenario almost happened, but was averted at the very last minute. Having departed Bermuda aboard Berwick on 16 January 1942, Churchill, Beaverbrook and Kelly-Rogers reached Plymouth (in the County of Devon on England's south coast) safely and otherwise uneventfully the next day, on 17 January 1942. Churchill never flew on the B-314 again.
The 314 was luxury. I wish there was one still around to visit :-/ I'd think there could be a business in offering long-haul 250mph trips if you were somewhat pampered. Just looking out at the world slowly going by... It'd probably be a turbo-prop these. Maybe someone will convert a C-130? I'd prefer an old flying boat.
Unfortunately a lot of luxury tourist aircraft startups have been proposed and practically none of them succeed past the prototype stage, any that start service usually end up defunct in a small time frame. Unfortunately the "money needed" to "audience willing" ratio for flying slowly over the empty ocean is insanely not viable. Especially when you consider the note I have at the end of the video that expresses how excited floatplane crews were to move onto the much safer and reliable land planes. Floatplanes just aren't viable commercially or safety-wise The 314s niche was short lived and exclusive in a bad way, but it was that last step in world unity. To that end, a single half built replica in scotland... as one of the quintessential, de facto icons of aviation, it doesn't do it justice
It's funny. I decided to make a float plane in stormworks half inspired by this story yesterday and was working on it when this video came out. BZ, another great video!
Then your designs are more advanced than mine hahah Best I've managed is a plane that's wings fold to fit on a train car and a reactor powered ship which travels 2 m/s and irradiates the surrounding levels to lethal levels lol
The morse code graphic at 11:59 is correct and shows the right morse for the message described, but the spacing between the letters and words is inaccurate. You can't distinguish the breaks accurately.
Thanks for all the information about fly both I love that was so romantic fly and great experience in that time my first guy was 1959 when coming to America still in my memories when a was kid thats again girl all your information blessed
Impressive and enjoyable content, was very surprised to see less than 1000 subscribers. Add +1 to the subscriber list, I'm interested in seeing where this channel goes :)
After retirement, about 2008, my parents sold their home in Sacramento and moved to a retirement community in Paradise, CA (yes, the town burned out a couple years ago.) One of their neighbors had been a radio operator on a Pan Am Boeing 314 before the war, and flew the Pacific route. At age 90+ he was still a Ham operator and had antennas in the trees around his unit. I got to meet him and use his radios a few times. He gave me some great stories!
Great job!. The 314 has always had a special place in my heart. I did a throw back Thursday reel on it.
Loved the tongue-in-cheek presentation, nice sardonic college student vibe. Also loved the end collage of LCC airliners. Ask me sometime about my 10-minute flight as a five year old aboard the last Sikorsky VS 44 to Catalina island in California, back in the 1950's. The VS 44 flew transatlantic for American Export Airlines, the only real American competitor to the Boeing 314.
Excellent documentary that holds the attention. Thank you sir.
7-22-24 This is a 5-Star Pan Am 314 Flying Boat synopsis of the post-Pearl Harbor bombing by the Japanese on 12-7-41. Hats off to you. Importantly, THE FOYNES FLYING BOAT MUSEUM, Foynes, Ireland, built a Pan Am "Yankee Clipper" replica from Boeing blueprints that you can enter and tour!! Up the stairs into the huge 21-ft X 9-ft flight deck, back down past the galley, bathroom, were six seating/lounge areas. At the rear is the "Honeymoon Suite," viewed through a window in the door. Returning from the rear, sleeping berths are made up, featuring Pan Am blankets, each berth with a reading light, and an adjustable air vent nozzle. ****FABULOUS****Foynes was the destination to Europe from Pan Am's New York's LaGuardia Marine Terminal, on the Shannon River. The Shannon airport now replaces the river landings for the flying boats. ****This is a bucket-list must!!****
Great cover of this story with fantastic humor!
I am glad you covered the 314
Winston Churchill flew once - ONCE - aboard the Boeing B-314. And then, it was the B-314A "Berwick" G-AGCA (c/n: 2082), owned and operated by Britain's national airline, BOAC.
Churchill had been on a visit to the US, to confer with President Roosevelt at The White House and Camp David, but when the visit was over, Churchill felt that he needed to return to the UK as quickly as possible. Churchill's visit had taken place only a month after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and whilst the Battle of Britain had been won over a year before in September 1940, the British & Commonwealth victory at Second El Alamein was still ten months in the future, and the war was finely balanced.
On 15 January 1942, Churchill departed NAS Norfolk in Virginia aboard Berwick, intending to fly only as far as Bermuda, where it was planned he would make a flying visit to address the National Assembly of Bermuda. Then, a British Crown Colony, but now a British Overseas Territory (BOT) - Bermuda had been most co-operative in the war effort, going so fas as to permit US forces to buoy military bases on their island.
In Bermuda, Churchill originally planned to board the Royal Navy battleship HMS "Duke of York" (47,881 tons / 10 x 14" guns) to sail back across the Atlantic at maximum speed: this was seen as the swiftest and most secure way for Churchill to return to Blighty.
But Berwick was under the command of the redoubtable Irishman, Capt Jack Kelly-Rogers, a former Imperial Airways and now BOAC flying boat captain, with whom Churchill had flown several times before and whom Churchill held in the highest regard.
On a whim, Churchill asked Kelly-Rogers if Berwick could make the flight from Bermuda non-stop to Plymouth? To this, Kelly-Rogers said he was confident that if the tanks were full and the load was otherwise minimised, the crossing could be made - provided he would get the fully-laden Berwick off the water at Bermuda before the flying boat reached the far side of Hamilton Great Sound!
Much to the consternation of Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, Churchill's response was immediate: "Let's go". As Minister of Supply in Churchill's administration, Beaverbrook had accompanied Churchill on his visit to the US and counselled him during the discussions with Roosevelt, but Aitken was not big on flying and had been looking forward to sailing back across the Atlantic in the spacious and comfortable accommodations HMS Duke of York offered VIP guests such as Churchill and him.
But to depart without notifying British authorities of either the change in transportation mode or of the change in itinerary carried its own risks. Had prior notification of such been sent and the message were to be intercepted by the Abwehr, Kelly-Rogers, Churchill and Beaverbrook knew that Hitler would certainly order Churchill shot out of the sky.
But returning home early, unexpected and by air (instead of sea) carried other risks: would British defences - permanently on hair-trigger alert for German attacks - be able to recognise what was going on and NOT shoot down Churchill themselves?
In the end, this latter scenario almost happened, but was averted at the very last minute. Having departed Bermuda aboard Berwick on 16 January 1942, Churchill, Beaverbrook and Kelly-Rogers reached Plymouth (in the County of Devon on England's south coast) safely and otherwise uneventfully the next day, on 17 January 1942.
Churchill never flew on the B-314 again.
Man, this was a fun watch - thank you!
*Subscribed - even though I just noticed you haven't posted in over a year?
Hope to see more from you!
I'm working on it lol
Expect something in the future
Not the *near* future but when I have the opportunity
ボーイング314クリッパーは断トツで素晴らしい大型飛行艇、川西９７式飛行艇がみすぼらしくみえる。
The 314 was luxury. I wish there was one still around to visit :-/ I'd think there could be a business in offering long-haul 250mph trips if you were somewhat pampered. Just looking out at the world slowly going by... It'd probably be a turbo-prop these. Maybe someone will convert a C-130? I'd prefer an old flying boat.
Unfortunately a lot of luxury tourist aircraft startups have been proposed and practically none of them succeed past the prototype stage, any that start service usually end up defunct in a small time frame.
Unfortunately the "money needed" to "audience willing" ratio for flying slowly over the empty ocean is insanely not viable.
Especially when you consider the note I have at the end of the video that expresses how excited floatplane crews were to move onto the much safer and reliable land planes. Floatplanes just aren't viable commercially or safety-wise
The 314s niche was short lived and exclusive in a bad way, but it was that last step in world unity. To that end, a single half built replica in scotland... as one of the quintessential, de facto icons of aviation, it doesn't do it justice
In the West indies this would work perfectly between Islands for tourism and small farmers.
That was fun, thanks for the knowledge bomb.
It's funny. I decided to make a float plane in stormworks half inspired by this story yesterday and was working on it when this video came out. BZ, another great video!
Dude
I've tried like a half dozen times to make a floatplane in stormworks... I just end up disappointed every time lol
@@shockwaveairhistory this is the first one that hasn't immediately rolled on me lol
Then your designs are more advanced than mine hahah
Best I've managed is a plane that's wings fold to fit on a train car and a reactor powered ship which travels 2 m/s and irradiates the surrounding levels to lethal levels lol
The morse code graphic at 11:59 is correct and shows the right morse for the message described, but the spacing between the letters and words is inaccurate. You can't distinguish the breaks accurately.
"The sudden spike in volume..."
lolol
Thanks for all the information about fly both I love that was so romantic fly and great experience in that time my first guy was 1959 when coming to America still in my memories when a was kid thats again girl all your information blessed
Impressive and enjoyable content, was very surprised to see less than 1000 subscribers. Add +1 to the subscriber list, I'm interested in seeing where this channel goes :)
1k has always been my big goal, glad to have you on board
And of course left us the Irish Coffee
opening w #MuuuhUkraaaaaaaine simping loses you far more eyeballs than it attracts.
Before you go on about Ukraine, look up Babi Yar....
Ugh~