Simviation Forum - Clipper to Paradise

Oct 17^th, 2011 at 4:33pm

CaptainCub Offline
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With a full load of 1940's era fun seekers aboard, Island HopperAirways flight 149 departs from New York:

Turning onto our course, Next stop: Grand Bahama.

A little over three hours later, decending towards the island:

On final approach to a landing in the bay, coming in over the oil stoarage depot:

Thanks for stopping by

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Reply #1 - Oct 17^th, 2011 at 7:13pm

Flying Trucker Offline
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Those were the days, the large flying boats were the Queens of the sky, if the designers had of had the brains they would have made them Amphibians instead of just flying boats. Wink

Nice shots...well done...

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

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Reply #2 - Oct 18^th, 2011 at 11:52am

pfevrier Offline
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I love those big clippers... Cool shots!!

-Pierre-

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Reply #3 - Oct 18^th, 2011 at 12:54pm

CaptainCub Offline
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Flying Trucker wrote on Oct 17^th, 2011 at 7:13pm:

Those were the days, the large flying boats were the Queens of the sky, if the designers had of had the brains they would have made them Amphibians instead of just flying boats. Wink

Nice shots...well done...

Thanks, I always wondered how they got them ashore to swap out the engines and other major maintainence myself. I'm working on a what if? United Airlines scheme as I'm from the Chicago area, and think about how cool it would have been to see these beauties landing and taking off from Lake Michigan with their terminal being on what was once Meigs Field.

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Reply #4 - Oct 18^th, 2011 at 2:11pm

Flying Trucker Offline
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They used what was called "Beaching Gear" which many times was carried on the aircraft depending on where it was going. Dead weight and it required skilled ground crews to mount it to the aircraft.

Could make for dangerous situations for the crew depending on water, location and wind conditions.

Many aircraft of the day like the heavy bombers and twin engine bombers had all engines turning in the same direction. Deadly on takeoff with a full bomb and fuel load if an engine quit. However the politicians thought it would be too costly to have engines which turned in opposite directions and that the spare engines which had to be stored would cause warehousing and maintenance nightmares.

I found out many years ago politics and aeroplanes do not mix.

If the military or airlines wants a new design, then keep politics out of it, totally... Wink

Tried to find a site that showed Beaching Gear for the Shorts Flying Boats but this is the best I can do.....

http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/sundland.html

Odd nothing much on the internet about Beaching Gear...

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

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Reply #5 - Oct 18^th, 2011 at 2:28pm

Hagar Offline
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Some nice shots Cub but I'm trying to figure out the reason for the odd sized images. Also, they would look a lot better if you do something about the jaggies.

Flying Trucker wrote on Oct 18^th, 2011 at 2:11pm:

I found out many years ago politics and aeroplanes do not mix.

If the military or airlines wants a new design, then keep politics out of it, totally... Wink

I tend to agree about the politics Doug but I'm not sure the airlines or military are any better. They keep changing their minds about what they want. The sad story of the Vickers VC10 is by no means unusual. http://www.vc10.net/History/historyBOAC.html

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Reply #6 - Oct 18^th, 2011 at 2:34pm

Flying Trucker Offline
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You are right there Doug, that is why I believe it should be up to the pilots to have a say, not the Generals, Admirals, Air Chief Marshalls, politicians and bean counters who could not agree whether to put vinegar on fish and chips or not... Wink

Strange Doug, not much on the internet about Beaching Gear.

I have some papers on it at the old homestead somewhere in the library, but dang if I can remember where.

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

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Reply #7 - Oct 18^th, 2011 at 3:45pm

Hagar Offline
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Flying Trucker wrote on Oct 18^th, 2011 at 2:34pm:

Strange Doug, not much on the internet about Beaching Gear.

Very odd. I found a few photos of the Short Empire flying boats on beaching gear here ---> http://www.users.waitrose.com/~mbcass/gallery.htm

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Reply #8 - Oct 18^th, 2011 at 7:21pm

Flying Trucker Offline
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I missed that Link Doug...well done...

Perhaps some of our younger members will now know what Beaching Gear is... Wink

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

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Reply #9 - Oct 25^th, 2011 at 3:17pm

CaptainCub Offline
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Here's a question: How did the Clippers stay upright without the aid of outrigger floats at the wingtips like I've seen on other flying boats? Those stubby wing like sponsons at the bottom don't look as if they'd be able to conteract the weight of the wings if the aircraft tilted. Shocked

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