NC 18602 "Pacific Clipper" by Briney
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Description
this is Digimation's so-called "Trans-Atlantic Clipper" re textured in wartime camouflague. And true, in the Thirties, before all hell-broke loose in Europe, Pan-Am wanted to open routes to Europe from the United States using their new Boeing 314 flying boats. But nobody over there was ready for trans-Atlantic tourism... (Ironically, a few years later, the Brits couldn't possibly see enough planes loaded with Americans. But I digress.)
Sniffing around, I see that in the lead-up to the war, some of the big 314s twiddled their propellors on other Pan-Am routes, including Pan-Am's more traditional "China Clipper" territory out here in the Pacific. One, NC18602, was indeed trapped in New Zealand by the Pearl Harbor attack, and became the "Pacific Clipper." It's civilian crew took to their ship with a paintbrush or two and went all covert, setting off on an improvised, seat of your pants circumnavigation of the world to get back to the 'States. What that impromptu "camouflague" might have looked like I don't know. Reading about that journey now, its hard to tell where the reality stops and the legend takes over. But hey, its a flying boat... Funnily enough, that's probably something like what the Dutch fighter pilots said when they drew a bead on her flying without clear markings over Java later in December 1941. Ooops!
Luckily they asked first...
Comments (4)
neiwil
Cool image Brian, and neat bit of history, I like the sort of history that blends fact and legend, the 'real deal' with fuzzy edges..........
EternalAprentice
Great realistic render!
bigbraader
Excellent!
jac204
Great image and historical reference. This has triggered my memory of the TV series "Victory at Sea" and in particular the stirring song "Beneath the Southern Cross" from the soundtrack.