Is anyone making a Boeing 314 Clipper FsX?

[ColoKent]

I gotta agree...

...a highly detailed 314 would be AWESOME!

K

 

[CWOJackson]

At last year's fly-in at our local grass airstrip, I saw this old gentleman sitting under this small tent with pictures of flying boats. He was sitting there basically by himself with no one looking at his stuff. I had to know, so I stopped and introduced myself and started talking to him.

His name is Bill Nash and retired not far south of here. He started flying clippers for PanAm back in 1942. By the time he finally retired he was flying 727's. While driving away, after looking at the aircraft that had arrived, I couldn't help thinking about all the folks walking past living history and not even taking the time to talk to him.

BTW, Doing a search on "Bill Nash, Flying Boats, Clipper Ships" etc., will turn up some cool info on him and pictures in his youthful days as a pilot.


FAC

Fascinating man (thanks for the post).

I did the search you suggested and it sounds like he was one of the pilots who continued flying Clippers during the war.

Juan Trippe created something unique with the early Pan Am. The Long Way Home (book recommended by ViperPilot2) provides a very good explanation of the special relationship that Pan Am had with it's pilots and other employees. The exploits they had getting their people out of harms way, and seconding many of them and their aircraft/materials to the military, makes interesting ready.

Whenever I see an old timer at an air show I make sure to stop. I had the pleasure of spending some enjoyable time with George Gay at a Wright-Patt airshow in the mid 80's.

 

[Naismith]

I was going to say, then I realised I'm in the FSX forum not FS2004. Though I seem to remember "Pilots" the folk who distributed 'Global Mesh' for 9 & X did a Clipper. No clue if it is still available or even if it would work in X.

Edit found it.
its really old now so unlikely to work in FSX

http://secure.simmarket.com/pilots-boeing-b314-the-clipper-online-v2.phtml

Plus looking links it seems any support it ever had has dried up.

 

[arrowmaker]

A couple of years ago I asked Mathijis Kok, of Aerosoft, if there was any chance of Aerosoft doing a Boeing 314, in the same vein as their Catalina. He stated that although he personally loved the plane he could not foresee Aerosoft producing such a model. Most simmers he believed bought simulations of aircraft that still existed in the real world. As there are no existing 314's he did not think it made sense, at least from a business viewpoint, to produce such a model.

 

[AndyG43]

As there are no existing 314's he did not think it made sense, at least from a business viewpoint, to produce such a model.

Well, none of the originals are still intact (but that may change) but there is a very good full size replica at the Foynes Flying Boat Museum, a visit here is definitely on my to do list!

 

[Ferry_vO]

FsX would be a great platform for a new B314, with it's interior view options, realistic metal textures and more realistic engine management.

 

[OleBoy]

Sounds like someone here should consider learning Gmax. The 314 could be the subject while learning. Not that difficult. Then we would have an FSX native of the B314

 

[Bjoern]

Sounds like someone here should consider learning Gmax. The 314 could be the subject while learning. Not that difficult. Then we would have an FSX native of the B314

I'm so proud of you right now that I can't stop grinning.

 

[OleBoy]

I'm so proud of you right now that I can't stop grinning.

Whether you know this or not (I don't recall ever saying anything directly) you've been a part of the inspiration drive pool that's gotten me to where I am. Thank you for that.

 

[txnetcop]

Whether you know this or not (I don't recall ever saying anything directly) you've been a part of the inspiration drive pool that's gotten me to where I am. Thank you for that.

Like Bjoern, I am convinced you could do just about anything you put your mind to doing Amigo!
Ted

 

[Bjoern]

Whether you know this or not (I don't recall ever saying anything directly) you've been a part of the inspiration drive pool that's gotten me to where I am. Thank you for that.

Great, now I'm crying tears of joy.

 

[OleBoy]

Great, now I'm crying tears of joy.

 

[Bjoern]

Well, that would at least help against the crying.

 

[CanadaKen]

I'll bounce this to top of the thread.

I was the guy who begged Mike Stone to do his B314. I was the guy who begged Ken Mitchell to make that incredible 2D panel.
That was all for FS9. Lots of people helped with small tweaks to get the B314 flying in FSX. I even reworked the the B314
"air" file because the B314 flew too well. Back in the day as I understand it they could not carry a full passenger and fuel load.
Or if they did they flew hundreds of miles at 100' ASL to burn off fuel then slowly climbed.

Now I have moved to P3D and although the B314 flies in P3D there are some bugs.

I still think there are some "good guy" aircraft builders who may take on the project of tweaking Mike Stone's B314 for P3D.
It would mean Mike agreeing to it though. I know Mike is out there and I know a couple of guys are in touch with him.
I think Garry Smith the repainter may be in touch with Mike as that's where Mike's aircraft depository lives.

As for Aerosoft....they won't even take the time to make a P3D installer for the Catalina. I think it all comes down to "money".
I think sales of the PBY-5(a) were not as good as expected. I used the Estonian Migration tool to install the PBY-5 in P3D and
it seems to fly well.

Let's face it....FSers who like to take off and land on water only limit the market for these aircraft buiilders. :-(

Ken

 

[Bookman1960]

Pilots version of 314 works in FSX too

I've converted the old Pilots model of the Boeing 314 into FSX with minimal effort. The air file and some fiddling with contact points, prop textures, etc..but otherwise its a beautiful model.

The wonderful thing about the Pilots package was they include the early single and double tail variants.

I'm still editing the panel and interior views options but at present, I can enjoy the lovely old ladies externally.

 

[Bookman1960]

Pilots version of 314 works in FSX too (cont'd)

Here's a few more of the models (they included the entire fleet in their package)

 

[vortex]

I've converted the old Pilots model of the Boeing 314 into FSX with minimal effort. The air file and some fiddling with contact points, prop textures, etc..but otherwise its a beautiful model.

The wonderful thing about the Pilots package was they include the early single and double tail variants.

I'm still editing the panel and interior views options but at present, I can enjoy the lovely old ladies externally.

I loved the Pilot's 314 in FS9. I had heard that it couldn't be made to work in FSX. Have you got the engineers panel working? It was quite an impressive piece of gauge programming for its day. Will you be sharing the tweaks when you've finished? I'm a big flying boat fan and I'd love to get it flying again in FSX.

 

[CanadaKen]

I've converted the old Pilots model of the Boeing 314 into FSX with minimal effort. The air file and some fiddling with contact points, prop textures, etc..but otherwise its a beautiful model.

The wonderful thing about the Pilots package was they include the early single and double tail variants.

I'm still editing the panel and interior views options but at present, I can enjoy the lovely old ladies externally.

Well done, Lad!!! What do you have to change for the prop textures?

Ken

 

[Daveroo]

id love to have this as well if it can be flown from the VC?....

 

[thunder100]

I bought it recently for 10 bucks and converted to FSX as well.Apart the FDE easy to convert

And yes you can fly from VC but of course only few things are clickable.Even the Treasure Island scenery works somehow in FSX

Roland