4 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Boeing 314 Clipper-cropped: Boeing Aircraft· Public domain
- 2. BOAC Boeing Model 314A Clipper on Lagos Lagoon: Clark N S (F/O), Royal Air Force official photographer· Public domain
- 3. Boeing 314 Yankee Clipper 1939: Harris & Ewing, photographer· Public domain
- 4. Clipper Bristol - Shediac ca1941: Unknown photographer. Published by Photogelatine Engraving Co. Ltd.· Public domain
what is it?
The Boeing 314 Clipper was an American long-range flying boat produced by Boeing from 1938 to 1941. One of the largest aircraft of its time, it had the range to cross the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. For its wing, Boeing re-used the design from the earlier XB-15 bomber prototype.
How to recognise it: 4 piston engines with propellers · shoulder wing · 46.3 m wingspan
base stats
Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).
fun facts
- First flew 88 years ago, in 1938.
- Top speed is 2.6× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
- Wingspan of 46.3 m: about 10 cars parked nose to tail.
- Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 6 African elephants (~6 t each).
piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1938
- introduced
- 1939
- retired
- 1946
- status
- retired
- number built
- 12
- role
- flying boat airliner
- origin
- 🇺🇸 United States
- makers
- Boeing
- engines
- 4× Wright GR2600A2A / R-2600 Twin Cyclone
- crew
- 10
- passengers
- 68
- length
- 32.3 m
- wingspan
- 46.3 m
- height
- 6.2 m
- max take-off weight
- 38.1 t
- top speed
- 338 km/h
- cruise speed
- 302 km/h
- range
- —
- ceiling
- 6,000 m
- wings
- shoulder wing
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q890166, Wikipedia: Boeing 314 Clipper (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.