THANKS! Here's a newsreel clip of the first China Clipper flight in 1935.

[old mark]

It left Alameda, CA and is seen arriving in Manila 60 hours later;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8SkeE1h_-A&feature=related

Many of the islands in the pacific that were used as fuel stops by these commercial planes were later captured by the Japanese, such as Wake Island. They were used as military sea plane bases to attack shipping and transport important military personnel. Here's an example of a Japanese Kawanishi Flying Boat,,,


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kawanishi_H8K2_(Emily)_flying_boat.jpg

This is an early open flying boat that crossed the atlantic in 1919:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_NC-4_four_engine_configuration-detail.jpg

I love these old planes-thanks again.

mark

[pokerfan]

1. cool

The video was cool but your pictures didn't embed for me for whatever reason but I think I sorted them out.

Japanese Kawanishi Flying Boat:


Open flying boat:

[old mark]

2. Thanks! I don't want to think about crossing the Atlantic in the second aircraft...

but in 1919, that was the shit!


mark

[pokerfan]

3. Well, if you were going to attempt it

it might as well be in a boat that can land on water... :)

Wow, it only took 19 days!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NC-4

[old mark]

4. Yeah, but I bet it got damn cold in those open cockpits over the ocean...

6 guys in that thing, too...
I saw a model of it in a museum in DC once when I was a cub scout...looked liek a fat canoe with canvas covered wings. High tech of its day, though...


mark