A round-trip ticket from San Francisco to Hong Kong aboard the luxurious

Published 8:00 am Tuesday, February 15, 2011

A round-trip ticket from San Francisco to Hong Kong aboard the luxurious Boeing 314 Clipper would have run about $1,368. That’s not a bad price today, but in the 1930s and ’40s when the Clipper was flying, it would have equaled about $22,000. This small fortune did buy plenty of perks, however; and some new vintage photos of the rich snobs who enjoyed them and the flight crews who provided them have surfaced.These come via Air Show Buzz.Stats on the Clipper:Boeing 314 Technical Details* Length: 106?* Wingspan: 152? (3/4 that of a Boeing 747!)* Max Gross Takeoff Weight: 82,500 lb B-314, 84,000 lb B-314A* Engines: Four Wright GR-2600 Twin Cyclone, 14 cylinder radial engines (1,500 hp B-314, 1,600 hp B-314A)* Propellers: Hamilton-Standard 3-blade, full-feathering constant speed (variable pitch), 14? diameter* Fuel capacity: 4,246 gallons B-314, 5,446 B-314A* Crew: 10* Passengers: 74 in seated configuration, 40 when sleeping* Maximum Speed: 199 mph* Cruising Speed: 183 mph* Service Ceiling: 13,400 ft B-314, 19,600 ft B-314A* Range: 3,500 miles B-314, 5,200 miles B-314A