PILOT’S has recently released their rendition of the Boeing 314 Clipper for Microsoft Flight Simulator, a long-range flying boat from the late 1930s with enough range to cross the Atlantic and Pacific.

The original conception dates back to 1936 when Pan American Airways requested a trans-Pacific flying boat that could carry twice as many passengers as the Martin M-130. Boeing’s project won the bid with an order for six aircraft. Sporting four 1,600 hp Wright Twin Cyclones, and a 45m wing from the canceled XB-15, the B-314 saw its first test session two years later, out of Elliot Bay in Seattle. 

The 5,930km range required a tank that could fit 16,070L of gasoline, with the 314A requiring an additional 4,500L and 1,100L of engine oil for both. It could seat 68 passengers and 5 tonnes of cargo, had a total length of 36 meters, 46 meters of wingspan, 6.2 meters of height, and weighed around 22 tonnes when empty. It could cruise at 210 miles per hour at 6,200 feet.

None of the twelve Boeing 314s survived the test of time, more so, they were all cannibalized for parts, scrapped, or written off. A non-profit oceanographic organization (Underwater Admiralty Sciences) plans to survey, photograph, and recover two sunken 314s, but nothing has been done yet (probably due to the extremely high costs of such an operation).

The virtual rendition was built from the ground up for Microsoft Flight Simulator with a study-level concept in mind. It features a complete virtual cockpit with accurately simulated navigation and radio room, a Sperry Type A Gyropilot (partial implementation, with updates to come),  authentic gauges, the inclusion of the long-range variant (314A), a custom sound package by ArezOne-Aviation Soundstudios, authentic color matching, simulated shore power when the B314 is moored, a comprehensive set of manuals, navigation aids to feed the Gyropilot, and more.

It’s available on the PILOT’S Shop for roughly $31.89, requiring at least an i5 with 2.8ghz or an AMD equivalent, 8 GB of RAM, 4 GB of VRAM, and an active internet connection.

Stay tuned to Threshold for more flight simulation news!

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