MSFS 2024 Status:
Waiting for marketplace launch
Support the site - donate!

Boeing B-314 - The Clipper

PILOT'S

BOEING B-314 THE CLIPPERFLYING BOATB314 B314AVINTAGE SEAPLANEFOYNES IRELAND

4/5 (42)

Known as the absolute quintessential flying boat, the majestic Boeing B-314 Clipper is an unmistakable icon of the flying boat era.

Foynes, Ireland, well-known for its claim to fame for being the birthplace of Irish coffee during this time, served as an aviation hub between North America and Europe, and with the highly anticipated B-314 from PILOT’S, virtual pilots too can now recreate the many Atlantic crossings that made the fleet of Pan Am Clippers famous.

FEATURES

  • Developed from the ground-up for MSFS
  • Study level concept
  • Complete Virtual Cockpit featuring additional, accurately simulated Navigation and Radio Room with Flight Engineer Station
  • Sperry Type A Gyropilot featuring Heading and Pitch Control
  • Additional Gyropilot Vertical Speed Mode (ft/min) plus a full Altitude Hold Mode
  • Authentic and realistic gauges
  • Prototypes included (Single-Fin, Twin-Fin)
  • Long range and more powerful B-314A version included
  • Custom Sound Package by ArezOne-Aviation Soundstudios
  • Authentic colour matching and simulated original materials
  • Mooring position hold with mooring lines
  • Simulated Shore Power when the B-314 is moored
  • Exterior doors plus exits that open and close
  • Interior wing access doors that open and close
  • 4K Textures and PBR
  • Custom Seaports to facilitate waterborne Cold & Dark and Ready-for-Takeoff departures
  • Comprehensive manuals detailing aircraft history, functions and Sperry Gyropilot
  • Navigation aids and weatherships to feed the Gyropilot for transoceanic navigation

The 314 was a 4-engine, long-range, flying boat developed and produced by American aviation company Boeing. The aircraft was the last of Boeing’s renowned line of passenger-carrying flying boats and is widely hailed by aerospace historians as the pinnacle of this form of aviation. The aircraft took its maiden flight on June 7, 1938 and it was introduced in 1939. Boeing produced a total of twelve 314s during a production run that spanned from 1938 to 1941.

Boeing created two primary variants, the 314 and the 314A, with the latter being fitted with more powerful engines. Boeing tested three empennages with the original 314, one with a single vertical stabilizer, one with two vertical stabilizers, and one with three vertical stabilizers. Both the 314 and the 314A production models featured an empennage with three vertical stabilizers due to the yaw authority and stability this form of tail unit engenders.

Boeing developed the 314 based on a 1936 request from Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) for a next-generation, trans-oceanic flying boat. Specifically, Pan Am sought a craft that could carry up to 10,000 pounds of payload, cruise at 150 miles per hour, and had a range of 2,400 miles. Furthermore, Pan Am stated that the aircraft should be the ultimate in luxury, reliability, and safety for their well-heeled passengers. The airline offered a $50,000 prize for the winning design to stimulate their prospects from the aviation industry.

The Boeing design, which was one of the largest aircraft ever created at the time, won the bid as it bested all of Pan Am’s criteria, notably range. Boeing used the wing design of the company’s XB-15, a testbed long-range bomber, and Wright Double Cyclone radial piston engines. The aircraft, crewed by four, could carry up to 74 passengers, or up to 40 when configured for overnight sleeper berths. The 314, dubbed the “Clipper,” after transoceanic sailing ships, had the range for both trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific flights and set new standards of luxury for airline passenger service. Amenities included large windows for passenger viewing pleasure, dressing rooms, a dining salon (that could be converted into a bridal suite or a lounge), and a galley that served four-star meals. Pan Am ordered twelve total, in two blocks of six. The 314 and the routes that it flew became legendary.

The great Boeing Clippers were drafted into military service for the Allies at the onset of the Second World War. The 314 had been rendered obsolete by the end of the conflict due to the numerous airfields that had been built featuring runways that could handle long-range aircraft.

The 314 measured 106 feet in length, stood 27 feet, 7 inches tall, and had a wingspan of 152 feet. It featured a high-mounted, cantilever (unbraced) main wing and sponsons. The sponsons stabilized the craft while on water, provided a loading / unloading surface, and added limited aerodynamic capabilities while in flight including lift and stability.

The 314 was powered by four Wright Twin Cyclone GR-2600 engines. The original 314 used the GR-2600-A2A model that produced up to 1,500 horsepower and the 314A used the GR-2600-A25 that generated up to 1,600 horsepower. Both the 314 and the 314A used Hamilton-Standard 3-blade, fully-feathering, constant-speed propellers.

The 314 had a range of 4,028 miles, an operational service ceiling of 8,000 feet above sea level, a cruising speed of 183 miles per hour, and a top speed of 193 mph.

The 314A had a range of 5,410 miles, an operational service ceiling of 8,000 feet above sea level, a cruising speed of 189 miles per hour, and a top speed of 193 mph.

Specifications

SPEEDCruise: 160 knots, Max: 173 knots
CEILINGTypically around 8,000 ft
TYPICAL RANGE6,500 km / 3,500 nmi or 8,700 km / 4,700 nmi
LENGTH32.30 m (106 ft)
WINGSPAN46.32 m (152 ft)
HEIGHT8.41 m (27 ft 7 in)
TAKEOFF1,220 m (4,000 ft)
MAX WEIGHT43.1 t (95,000 lb) or 48.8 t (107,500 lb)
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT37.2 t (82,500 lb) or 38.1 t (84,000 lb)
FUEL CAPACITY16,072 l (4,246 USg) or 20,615 l (5,446 USg)
ENGINEWright GR-2600-A2A or Wright GR-2600-A25 Twin Cyclone
COCKPIT CREW4

VERSION 1.7.2 RELEASED OCTOBER 24, 2024

PILOT'S Boeing B-314 - The Clipper v1.7.2 Latest ChangeLog - 24 October 2024

ChangeLog v1.7.2

All models Fuel pressure code updated. Flight engineer panel fuel flow gauge needle animation fixed. Flight engineer panel fuel flow gauge code updated. Revised airspeed needle code that was erroneously calculating speed via MPH instead of knots. Fixed reversed aileron trim needle animation. Gyropilot heading hold recoded. Gyropilot heading change mode implemented. Gyropilot pitch hold mode implemented. Gyropilot pitch change mode implemented. Radio Operator Station now has tuneable ADF. Radio Operator Station ADF tracking implemented via the channel deflection needles. Gyropilot tooltip will now indicate if the gyropilot is misconfigured. Navigator station map is now clickable to cycle through the available maps.

B-314A Fixed First Officer compass that was INOP.

ChangeLog v1.6.2

All models Cockpit and Engineer panel propeller RPM lights now functional, they will light up when propeller RPM is too high.

B-314A EGT Gauge at bottom right of Engineer panel now fully functional.

ChangeLog v1.6.0

All models Added exterior ocean/water splash sounds. Added interior ocean/water splash sounds. Due to the build and structure of the aicraft, these will be very faint.

ChangeLog v1.5.5

All models Overhaul of camera views from feedback received. Eliminated Center Fuel tanks due to Asobo bug on fuel feed.

B-314 Fuel Tank Gauge logic recoded and changed to Gallons - was on Percent. B-314A Fuel Tank Gauge logic recoded and changed to Gallons - was on Percent.

A big thanks to FlyingsCool5650 for his suggestions regarding the various camera views!

ChangeLog v1.5.0

All models Intricate detailing and refinement of external textures, with a focus on panels, rivets and fabric areas. Captain side attitude indicator was not showing pitch - Fixed.

ChangeLog v1.3.0

All models Fuel Tank Dial code rewritten with input from Asobo to circumvent LVAR code not being read correctly at flight startup. Fuel Tank Dials now configured and operating properly for Cold & Dark and water runway startups. Revised some aspects of the flight model.

ChangeLog v1.2.0

All models Cold & Dark loading will now have the aicraft moored with the mooring lines active. Gyropilot code has been refined to offer better fidelity on altitude and heading hold. Revised various VC tooltips for better readability. Pilot and Copilot yoke hide/show clickspots repositioned. Copilot hide/show clickspot repositioned.

Added BOAC B-314A Bristol livery, the flag ship of the three Boeing B-314A flying boats of the British Overseas Airways Corporation.

ChangeLog v1.1.5

All models Animated and functional external exits added to all models. These can be controlled via the intercom panel to the left of the VC Engineer Panel. Animated and functional VC wing access doors added to all models. Seaports seperated into individual BGLs to facilitate user customization. Exterior textures now show more surface detail. New leather and metal frame textures on VC chairs. Startup sounds revised.

B-314 Manifold Pressure Gauge on Engineer Panel set to incorrect scale - Fixed. B-314 Engine RPM Gauge Needles on Cockpit Panel were swapped - Fixed.

B-314A Engine RPM Gauge Needles on Cockpit Panel had incorrect scale - Fixed. B-314A Engine RPM Gauge Needles on Cockpit Panel were swapped - Fixed. B-314A Hobbs Meter on Engineer Panel had INOP hour digits - Fixed. B-314A Manifold Pressure Gauge on Engineer Panel set to incorrect scale - Fixed. B-314A Flaps adjusted to have the same extension levels as the B-314.

ChangeLog v1.1.0

B-314 Seaports now all have water based parking positions that allow a Cold & Dark startup on water.

All models Interior texture overhaul with new colours, refining overall depth (Normals) and adding wear and tear Created functional Cold & Dark startup FLT files

Cockpit B-314A Attitude Indicator was INOP - fixed

Engineer B-314A PIONEER Temperature Needles for Engines 3 & 4 misaligned- fixed

Flight Model Contact Point compression adjustment to improve water handling Contact Point position adjustment to improve high AOA landing Contact Point steering adjustment to improve water rudder response

A big thanks to Stearman948713 for his assistance with the Contact Points!

Know Issues The Fuel Tank Selection Dials all show a visible OFF at startup, even when the engines are running. The LVars for the dials are set correctly, their position is not passed on correctly from the FLT LVar section to the visible model. This is being discussed with Asobo.

The Mooring Light Switch, which activates a mooring of the aicraft with position hold and the mooring lines appearing, is not activated upon a Cold & Dark startup. This is due to the same LVar issue as described above.

VERSION 1.0.0 RELEASED MAY 18, 2023

Initial Marketplace Release