The Model 314, also known as the Clipper, is one of the planes that I fell in love with and led me to come to work for The Boeing Company. The other is the Boeing 747, but of course it is not quite as romantic as the Clipper.

Below you will find various links to resources about the Clipper. These includes history, available books, pictures and models to buy and build.

Boeing Model 314

Games: B-314 add-on for Microsoft Flight simulator History: Boeing 314 Clipper - USA History: Pam Am's Fabulous Flying Ships History: The Airborne Palace - data sheet History: The Museum of Flight in Seattle: News - Newsletter Article: Notes from the Hatfield Collection: "Rolling Out" the Boeing 314 Clipper History: China Clipper History: Boeing: History -- Beginnings - Model 314 Clipper History: HistoryLink Database - Model 314 History: Boeing 314 - 1 History: Boeing 314 - 2 History: (In Russian) Boeing 314 History: Airline History - Flying Boat Airliners Where did they go? History: New World Airways Models: Boeing B-314 Dixie Clipper Wooden Model ~ Post Flight Shop @ flyingclippers.com Models: Boeing 314 Pan Am "Clipper" Model: Dixie Clipper Model Poster: Clipper Posters, etc: Pan Am's memorabilia Image: Clipper Print Book: Last of the Flying Clippers: The Boeing B-314 Story Book: Pan Am - An Aviation Legend Misc: B314clipper.com

One of the books that best covers the Boeing 314 is Last of the Flying Clippers: The Boeing B-314 Story by M.D. Klaas. Included in this book are pictures gleaned from the Boeing Archives.

Some interesting information about the Boeing 314:

Problems with on-water and in-flight control, led to three designs for the tail configuration.
(photos from Boeing Archives appear in Last of the Flying Clippers)

single	double	triple

The hydrostabilizers were a conspicuous feature of the Boeing 314. Boeing engineers studied various alternatives to solve the "porpoising" problem.

hydrostabilizers	hydrostabilizers	wing pontoons (design)

• Model 314 and the 747
• Both sported spiral staircases
• Both were the largest airplanes for their time
• Both were/are known as a "pilot's airplane"
• The 314 had crawlways through the wings for minor in-flight repair of engines.
• Unofficially, the 314 was the first Air Force One based on Roosevelt's "Casablanca Conference" trip and celebrating his birthday in-flight.
• "blister" hatch style astrodome, located directly between the wings, opened to load and unload cargo as well as serving as a navigation turret.
• The 314 was a player in the 1983 movie "The Black Stallion Returns"
• The 314 appears in the television shows "Tales of the Gold Monkey", "Airports", "Wings" and "Diamonds in the Sky"
• The last of the 314s were scrapped in 1952.

BOEING B-314 ~ 12 Produced
NC-18601 Honolulu Clipper	January 1939	Pacific service. Remained with Pan Am during the War. Crashed into Navy vessel taking it under tow and had to be sunk on November 14, 1945 in Pacific.
NC-18602 California Clipper	January 1939	Pacific service. Renamed Pacific Clipper. Sold to the U.S. Navy in 1942. Sold to World Airways after the War and was scrapped in 1950.
NC-18603 Yankee Clipper	February 1939	Atlantic service. Purchased by the U.S. Navy in 1942, but operated by Pan Am. Crashed and sank in River Tagus near Lisbon, Portugal on February 22, 1943
NC-18604 Atlantic Clipper	March 1939	Atlantic service. Purchased by the U.S. Navy in 1942, but operated by Pan Am. Salvaged for parts.
NC-18605 Dixie Clipper	April 1939	Atlantic service. Purchased by the U.S. Navy in 1942, but operated by Pan Am. Sold after the War to World Airways and scrapped in 1950.
NC-18606 American Clipper	June 1939	Atlantic service. Sold to the U.S. Navy in 1942. Sold to World Airways after the War and was scrapped in 1950.
NC-18607(A) Bristol	April 1941	Ordered by Pan Am. Sold to the British Purchasing Commission and used by BOAC. 18607 became G-AGBZ. After the War was sold to World Airways - 1948.
NC-18608(A) Berwick	April 1941	Ordered by Pan Am. Sold to the British Purchasing Commission and used by BOAC. 18608 became G-AGCA. After the War was sold to World Airways - 1948.
NC-18609(A) Pacific Clipper	May 1941	Pacific service. Purchased by the U.S. Navy in 1946. After the War it was sold to Universal Airlines. It was damaged in a storm and subsequently salvaged for parts.
NC-18610(A) Bangor	April 1941	Ordered by Pan Am. Sold to the British Purchasing Commission and used by BOAC; became G-AGCB. After the War it was sold to World Airways - 1948.
NC-18611(A) Anzac Clipper	June 1941	Pacific and Atlantic service. Sold to the U.S. Navy in 1942. Sold to American International Airways after the War in 1947 and then to World Airways in 1948; sold again in 1951 and destroyed in Baltimore, Maryland in late 1951.
NC-18612(A) Capetown Clipper	August 1941	Atlantic service. Sold to the U.S. Navy in 1942. Sold to American International Airways in 1947. Was sunk at sea by the U.S. Coast Guard on October 14, 1947
Epilogue: After World War II, 7 of the remaining B-314's were purchased by a start-up airline called New World Airways. By the early 1950's, all of the B-314's that had survived the War had been scrapped.