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Cool story, thanks. You might be interested in the war time Perth to Sri Lanka/Karachi flights in Qantas operated Catalinas. Flew a 4,000 mile, 33 hour long leg at a blistering 120 mph that crossed Japanese held territory, so radio navigation would have been suicide. Planes were so overloaded with fuel that all they could carry each trip was a mail bag and 3 passengers. They flew it weekly or better for a couple years. View Quote |
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The pilot, Bob Ford, was a surfer, 80 years ago. These guys were amazing.
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That would make an awesome movie. Why can't Hollywood do that one instead of fucking around with classics like Ghostbusters? View Quote After that, there wouldn't be much time left for the airplane stuff. |
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The Harrowing Journey of a Pacific Clipper |
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Not sure what model but there is still a couple of the flying boats of this era doing forest fire fighting work out on the west coast . View Quote Super Scooper |
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It’s really impossible to understate the impact of Pan Am and TWA on making modern travel and modern all weather long range air operations possible.
The military and federal government had far less to do with it than a bunch of guys wondering if it was possible and trying it. |
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That's a great story and a heck of an accomplishment. Thanks for posting.
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I had my wife read this before breakfast and now she's super pissed off that nobody has made a movie about this.
What an amazing story that nobody has ever heard of. |
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Sounds like you're thinking of the 'Super Scooper'... those are current production amphibs designed to skim over water in flight to refill the water tanks. Super Scooper View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Not sure what model but there is still a couple of the flying boats of this era doing forest fire fighting work out on the west coast . Super Scooper ETA: Ever since discovering them in the "Black Cats" mission of CoD:WaW the PBY has been one of my favorite planes. One of these days I'll get a chance to see one up close. I'd love to get inside one (or any WW2 original-configuration bomber, for that matter) but that seems unlikely. I saw a (pretty torn up) PBY in person years ago, but only from a distance at NAS Whidbey Island while visiting a friend who wrenched on Prowlers up there. |
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There are still WW2 PBY Catalina planes used for firefighting all over the US ETA: Ever since discovering them in the "Black Cats" mission of CoD:WaW the PBY has been one of my favorite planes. One of these days I'll get a chance to see one up close. I'd love to get inside one (or any WW2 original-configuration bomber, for that matter) but that seems unlikely. I saw a (pretty torn up) PBY in person years ago, but only from a distance at NAS Whidbey Island while visiting a friend who wrenched on Prowlers up there. View Quote |
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There are still WW2 PBY Catalina planes used for firefighting all over the US ETA: Ever since discovering them in the "Black Cats" mission of CoD:WaW the PBY has been one of my favorite planes. One of these days I'll get a chance to see one up close. I'd love to get inside one (or any WW2 original-configuration bomber, for that matter) but that seems unlikely. I saw a (pretty torn up) PBY in person years ago, but only from a distance at NAS Whidbey Island while visiting a friend who wrenched on Prowlers up there. View Quote http://militaryaviationmuseum.org/aircraft/wwii-aircraft/ @CFletch |
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If you are ever in SE VA the Military Aviaton Museum in Va Beach has an operational PBY in its collection. http://militaryaviationmuseum.org/aircraft/wwii-aircraft/ @CFletch View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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There are still WW2 PBY Catalina planes used for firefighting all over the US ETA: Ever since discovering them in the "Black Cats" mission of CoD:WaW the PBY has been one of my favorite planes. One of these days I'll get a chance to see one up close. I'd love to get inside one (or any WW2 original-configuration bomber, for that matter) but that seems unlikely. I saw a (pretty torn up) PBY in person years ago, but only from a distance at NAS Whidbey Island while visiting a friend who wrenched on Prowlers up there. http://militaryaviationmuseum.org/aircraft/wwii-aircraft/ @CFletch |
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That was a great read and should definitely made into a movie!
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That was great. A plane so overloaded with fuel that the fucking wings bent enough to jam the mechanisms controlling the flaps, and then subsequently having to surf the damn plane through a canyon with rapids below, all in an effort to finally take off. Jesus. I’d be interested to read about what these planes did during WW2. So many stories are just lost, forgotten, or hidden from our own histories. View Quote |
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there are few in civilian collectors hands that fly around still. I think one or two of them still do rides just like the bombers do. View Quote eta: Does anyone know of the Philippine MARS ever got to Pensacola or is its move still being held up by Canada? Martin Mars Water Bomber Demo - Richmond, B.C. Philippine Mars US Navy Museum Restoration Martin Mars Time Lapse Video Launching July 11,2016 Martin (Philippine) Mars bomber back on water 8/31 2015 The Philippine Mars All Four Engines Running From The Cockpit The Sunderland leaving the UK for its home one Florida. The Last Sunderland Flying Boat |
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Other stuff on the Boeing 314.
Typical cruising speed of 155mph. Seattle to Honolulu took 19 hours. Service was beyond what we'd even consider First Class nowadays. Flying wasn't cheap. SFO to Hong Kong cost $760 one way in 1940. That's almost $14k in todays $$. I think the Pan Am Clippers are the best looking airliners ever. |
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Thoroughly enjoyed reading that and shared it with my dad.
Thanks for posting it up OP. |
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That would make an awesome movie. Why can't Hollywood do that one instead of fucking around with classics like Ghostbusters? View Quote |
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https://i.imgur.com/EMabFl7.jpg View Quote Thanks |
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It’s either the long way home or a long ride home, Or the long flight home sorry I can’t be more specific.
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Quoted: San Francisco to New York. I suppose technically it's not but from the sounds of it it would have been extremely unusual for a seaplane to fly across the US. I'd say it's close enough. Amazing story OP, thank you. View Quote |
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Damn! That's a great story. I've been in about half of the places they were, and I've flown around the world going west at least 3 times, so its particularly interesting to me.
Stories about people stranded by big events are always cool (I.E. Casablanca). You could probably make a good romantic comedy about people stuck during 9/11 in London. Good job OP. |
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The same story as told by "The History Guy" (an excellent YT channel):
The Harrowing Journey of a Pacific Clipper ETA: I see that DoubleARon beat me to it. |
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Extraordinarily spacious and comfortable.
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To the gentleman who got me a Platinum membership, you are awesome!
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I can't prove it but I'd imagine it eventually found its way back to the west coast for Pacific service. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted: San Francisco to New York. I suppose technically it's not but from the sounds of it it would have been extremely unusual for a seaplane to fly across the US. I'd say it's close enough. Amazing story OP, thank you. |
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Wow what a story! I’m surprised Tripp didn’t make it a major story after the war was over.
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Write it. Have a black woman play the captain, a spunky gay guy to play the flight engineer and have a white guy co-pilot that has a nervous breakdown and Hollywood might buy it. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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That would make an awesome movie. Why can't Hollywood do that one instead of fucking around with classics like Ghostbusters? |
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