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1/144 #04172-6 Airfix
 Boeing 314 Clipper 'Dixie' Pan Am or BOAC 'Berwick' VG Injection Molded old | ||
| Very nicely molded and detailed kit. Has decals for both aircraft. Never started. NOTE: missing the top navigators clear dome. Otherwise inventoried with all other parts, decals and instructions. In the 1930s Pan Am was a household word in the USA for their romantic foreign routes and the glamorous 'China Clippers' that crossed the Pacific Ocean, stopping at such ports as Wake Island. Pan Am's attention soon turned to the Atlantic. Since non-stop service would be needed, a new aircraft was designed. The Boeing 314 was chosen. This huge flying boat started flying the Atlantic mail in 1939 with a trip over 26 hours long. Before the war, the 314 fleet flew the Pacific, Atlantic and other routes. The airliner was a palace compared to the cramped jets and limited service of today. The flight deck compared to the bridge of a ship and housed 6 crew. It was connected to the passenger cabin by a spiral staircase. The luxurious cabins were divided into 5 standard compartments, each seating 10 passengers, a dining salon for 14, a special compartment for four and a deluxe bridal suite. 74 could be carried on day trips and 40 when sleeping quarters for all passengers was required. Chefs prepared gourmet meals while passengers lounged in deeply cushioned wicker chairs and enjoyed a grand view of the scenery from about 5,000 feet. The age of the Clippers ended shortly after WWII when land planes could operate at much higher speeds than the flying boats. | |||
