Realizing that major cities had harbors, Juan Trippe, the innovative chairman of Pan American Airways, surmised that long distance air travel would require flying boats. Beginning in 1931, Trippe commissioned a fleet of aircraft he called Clippers, named for the swift, topsail schooners that plied merchant trade during the 19th century.
My late father in law trained in the Cuban navy, and later became a pilot for Cubana airlines, until he defected in 1962 by diverting his transatlantic flight to Gander. Whole story too long and complicated for here, but yeah, he hijacked his own plane! Anyway, during WWII while still in the navy he was on loan to the US, and flew flying boats about the gulf of Mexico scouting for submarines. I don't think he ever spotted one, but liked the job.
ReplyDeletedo you even realize you could write a movie script out of that life story?! !
DeleteWow!
Thanks for the extra cool story!