The Plane That Accidentally Flew Around the World

The story of Pan American Airways Boeing-314 "Pacific Clipper", which made an unplanned flight around the world following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

"This Plane Accidentally Flew Around the World" by John Bull

Amazing book "The Long Way Home" by Ed Dover:

Chapters:
00:00 - LaGuardia Tower
01:57 - Flying Boats
03:09 - Pan American
04:38 - California Clipper
06:46 - Plan "A"
08:31 - Evacuation
10:10 - Gas & Beer
11:35 - Mines
14:14 - Is that a whale?
17:02 - Waterfall
18:54 - Yellow fever
19:35 - The Longest Hour

Paper Skies - amazing stories about famous airplanes, historical events, or exceptional people that have changed the world of aviation or turned out to be unfairly forgotten.

All content on Paper Skies is presented in historical context for educational purposes.

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#aviation #history #skies

[csualcyclps]

Having 3 engines that had been running on low grade gas pushed to their maximum power for twice the rated time is testament to the engineering that went into those monsters

[alexanderSydneyOz]

To whomever wrote the script for this video: that was without doubt the best narration of anything I've seen on Youtube. Not a wasted word, or fake drama, and most importantly, no stupid music. And all the video content was 100% relevant and informative. You won't get a prize for this, but everyone involved should. Well done.

[AsbestosMuffins]

its tragic nobody bothered to put one of these in a museum before they were all scrapped. these were absolutely amazing planes

[ZGryphon]

Poindexter lived the most epic "but it's my _day off"_ story ever.

[DerpyPenguin]

"They had also sprayed the inside of the captains safe." I lost it at that

[RaptorJesus]

This is the most Indiana-Jones esque true story I have ever heard.

[surprisedchar]

The entire “Waterfalls” chapter is just Ace Combat IRL.

[carsonm]

What an astonishing story, and so well presented. The canyon scene had me on the edge of my seat. HOW is there not a movie about this?

[KelsomaticPDX]

The most interesting bit of this video for me was at 4:15.
I had no idea that's where the modern commercial aviation Pilot's / Captain's uniform comes from! What a nice little bit of history.

[gregb]

I'd heard about this flight as a youngster - my Dad was a Pan Am employee and I remember him mentioning it. There was even an article about it in the Employee magazine at some point. I have a very faded zeros copy of it ... somewhere. Truly an amazing flight. Back in those days, and into the fifties and early sixties (when I was a kid) it was almost a family type company, everybody knowing everyone else at the different stations. Heck, Even on the other side of the Pacific where we were stationed when I was an eight and a half year old, Juan Trippe showed up at the company Christmas party and even took the time to talk to us kids. I told him all about about Cub Scouts.

[bakerniner]

Of all the great pilot jobs in the world in the 20th century, being a Pan Am skipper was the top experience. I met a very old PAA 314 Clipper captain around 20 yrs ago, in his last times. I didn't want to tie him up in conversation, but asked, "How was it?" "He smiled and winked, "It was as wonderful." They were superstars.

[ltdan]

In 1988 I was asked by Pan Am to build a 1/8 th scale model of the 314 called "Dixie Clipper" I built it from scratch with a wingspan of 19 feet! This model has been on display at Miami Airport, Florida since that time with engines turning! If anyone goes there, the Clipper is hanging in a long hallway near Concourse E. In Concourse D, you'll find a DC-3 (12 foot wingspan) American Airlines. I built that one also from scratch in 1990. Enjoy if you're there sometime!

[FoundAndExplained]

Yes the perfect video to watch in the morning with a coffee!

[Hallands.]

What an amazing adventure masked as forced overtime… That waterfall-gorge run with partly jammed fly-wires and overweight had me on the edge of the chair! Well done Paper Skies!

[lanswyfte]

"how many Jerry cans of fuel would the crew need to refuel their aircraft?"
me: *"yes"*

[foowashere]

As a fan of flying boats and inter-war aviation, I’m familiar with this adventure, but you tell it and produce it so well that I’m still sitting as if riveted. Well done, and thank you for making and sharing! 👍

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

It's kind of amazing how Pan Am weren't just an airline, they were _the_ airline.

As for the main subject of the video... this is truly the stuff of legends. The determination in the face of an unprecedented task. The careful planning of the best possible route. The incredible flying by the pilots - weaving through a gorge in a flying boat, with disabled ailerons no less! - and the deft on-the-fly adjustments by the engineer. And of course, some good old luck.

I wonder if the crew of that sub lived long enough to learn why a flying boat buzzed them out of nowhere.

The age of the flying boat may have ended after World War II, but I think the spirit of them was reborn in the 747.

[larrycarmody]

The age of Flying Clippers was short, but, they were the first to navigate around the World, ie. fly completely around the World.
I was a a flying boat captain from 1968 to 2015 retiring after flying North Slope of Alaska to Ft Jefferson NM west of Key West Florida, with over 5000hrs flying G44/ G21 Grummans & float planes of all types.

[Treblaine]

This really would make for a fantastic movie, I think Spielberg could do an excellent job with this capturing a unique time in history. A truly globe trotting adventure.

[JohnSmith-ktuy]

I would say that the romantic perception of flying from the early days has completely faded when flight attendants have to duct tape passengers to seats!