The Long Way Round: The Plane that Accidentally Circumnavigated the World

Medium ^ | 04/02/2018 | John Bull

[DUMBGRUNT]

WOW!

As I have found with other aircrews of the era, they seemed fully aware of what they had done, but disbelieving of the idea that any of their peers would have done anything different. I disagree. They were normal men, true, but what they achieved was far from normal.

[elcid1970]

There’s a great vid on youtube of an original 1945 film describing the odyssey of this Boeing 314 Clipper right after the crew learns of the Pearl harbor attack.

The captain changes course, orders windows blacked out & navigational lights out, orders radioman to monitor but not transmit, then orders the passengers into the lounge area in their nightclothes to inform them of the situation.

Imagine being on board a Boeing flying boat over mid ocean at midnight & America is at war and every aircraft is a Jap target. Anyway, they made it to Stateside.

And by 1950 not a single Boeing 314 flying boat remained in existence.

[BBell]

I don’t know the aviation ping list but I have seen you on it.

[BBell]

Vegas sounds better

[BBell]

Between the sealed brown envelope with his war time instructions and strapping his 38 to his hip I could not help but think of Major T. J. “King” Kong .

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

You sir, are very good.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Very good read.I love the 314.shame none exist.

[ExGeeEye]

You can see the clip here. If you can read lips you can see he said "Dallas" on film. The sound is marginally clearer during that sentence as well, indicating where the overdub was inserted.

[SunkenCiv]

Note: this topic is from 05/11/2018. Thanks Flick Lives.

[Red Badger]

Would make a great movie!.....................

[Red Badger]

Take The Long Way Home
Supertramp

Produced by Supertramp & Peter Henderson
Album Breakfast in America

[Instrumental intro]

[Verse 1]
So you think you’re a Romeo
Playing a part in a picture-show
Well, take the long way home
Take the long way home

[Verse 2]
Cause you’re the joke of the neighborhood
Why should you care if you’re feeling good
Well, take the long way home
Take the long way home

[Chorus 1]
There are times that you feel you’re part of the scenery
All the greenery
Is comin’ down, boy
And then your wife seems to think you’re part of the furniture
Oh, it’s peculiar
She used to be so nice

[Verse 3]
When lonely days turn to lonely nights
You take a trip to the city lights
And take the long way home
Take the long way home

[Verse 4]
You never see what you wanna see
Forever playing to the gallery
You take the long way home
Take the long way home

[Chorus 2]
And when you’re up on the stage it’s so unbelievable
Oh, unforgettable
How they adore you
But then your wife seems to think you’re losing your sanity
Oh, calamity
Is there no way out?
Oh yeah!

[Instrumental bridge]
Ooh s[?]
Yeah
[?]
Ooh yeah

[Chorus 3]
Does it feel that you life’s become a catastrophe?
Oh, it has to be
For you to grow, boy
When you look through the years and see what you could have been
Oh, what you might have been
If you would had more time

[Verse 5 into bridge]
So when the day comes to settle down
Who’s to blame if you’re not around?
You took the long way home
You took the long way home
You took the long way home
Do it again
You took the long way home
You took the long way home
Oh yah!
You took the long way home
You took the long way home
Ooh, yeah
You took the long way home

[Break]
Aah aah aah aah
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Aah aah aah aah

[Outro]
Long way home
Long way home
Long way home
Long way home
Long way home
Long way home
Long way home

[Red Badger]

one issue of prophylactics?................................one?.............

[1Old Pro]

It had begun with a simple government contract to run mail to Cuba,

Thus Pam Am Corporate headquarters in....Key West.

[Texas resident]

Slim Pickens the B-52 pilot.

One of the crew in that movie was James Earl Jones.

[GreyFriar]

A good article from the beginning of WWII

“excellent 3-part essay on Pan Am flight 18602. It’s the story of one of the big Pan Am clipper ships and its uncharted flight back to America from New Zealand going “the long way round” by flying west back to New York. The clipper was in New Zealand when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and the crew had to return the aircraft to America by flying west.”

[rdl6989]

I love stories like this.

[zot]

Thanks for the ping. I was aware of this flight, but had not thought of it for a long time.

[Duchess47]

Thank you so much for the link. I had to stop and read the whole story. Incredible men, incredible plane.

Many years ago I worked for Pan Am.

[colorado tanker]

Thanks for the ping. I found the story so fascinating I read all three parts. The takeoff out of the Congo was amazing. Reminded me of Sully’s feat in landing in the Hudson.

[Redcitizen]

Haha just what I was thinking.