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Oh, for the days when American
big airplane manufacturers rightfully claimed air superiority. Boeing, of course,
was arguably the leader of the pack, although Douglas and McDonnell ran close at
Boeing's heels. The unfortunate incidences of the
737 MAX Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System
(MCAS) software issue has delivered a huge black
eye to Boeing at a time when they are desperately trying to compete with Airbus
in the commercial airline transport market. Boeing enthusiasts who used to recite
the "If it's not Boeing, I'm not going," mantra have been forced to reconsider their
brand loyalty. This brief inset piece in a 1941 pre-war issue of Air Trails
magazine extolled the virtues of
Boeing's 314 Clipper amphibious airplane that facilitated
Pan American Airway's (PAA) domination of transoceanic passenger
and cargo operations. Similar to the manner in which the U.S. Navy used to sponsor
the Model Airplane Nationals (Nats) competition in order to promote and encourage
aerospace technology (and hopefully induce young men to join the navy), Pan American
Airways sponsored the
PAAload
(aka PAA-load or PAAloader)event to promote and encourage interest in cargo-carrying
airplanes, hence the "payload" title. PAAload models required a discernable cockpit
cabin area to resemble a real airplane, and then models were burdened with increasing
amounts of payload weight to determine who's craft could lift and remain aloft the
longest time under the burden.
See also "Boeing
B-17 Flying Fortress Assembly Line" from the December 1941 Flying Aces
magazine.
How Boeing Builds Them - 314 Clippers
 These photographs illustrate construction
work on the six new giant Boeing Clippers which, according to Company publicity,
will be delivered to Pan American Airways system before mid-year. And like the 314
flying boats already in service with PAA, these ships will be used for transoceanic
passenger service.
Upper left: This is the bow of one of the 42-ton 3l4-A's, still encased in the
scaffolding of the main hull jig. The scaffold members are numbered and named and
the entire unit can be dismantled . and easily set up elsewhere.
Upper right: No, these sections aren't part of a fuselage - they're merely assemblies
for the engine nacelles! Four power plant streamlines are spaced along the 152-foot
wing of each plane. They house the four 1,600-h.p. Wright Cyclone engines.
Lower left: Technically known as a hydrostabilizer, this panel also is a sizable
fuel tank. The new planes have a total gasoline capacity of 5,400 gallons, which
is enough to fly non-stop from New York to Lisbon - with a good thousand miles to
spare.
Lower right: Pan American wants its six new Clippers in a hurry and Boeing would
like to clear its plants to concentrate on national defense production, so mechanics
work elbow to elbow. Here on a wing-stub is a riveter, his bucker, and two men installing
a wing fuel tank. The Clippers are being completed considerably ahead of schedule.
Posted September 28, 2019
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