This video was made possible by CuriosityStream. Watch thousands of high-quality documentaries
and get access to Nebula using the link in the description. In 1952, the first jet airliner began carrying
passengers, ushering in a new era. But it was also the same year this took to
the skies. An enormous flying boat. Both of these planes were trying to predict
the future of air travel. And one company was convinced that its flying
boat would win out in the end. Because it would be a more comfortable way
to fly, where passengers could relax in a lounge, dine in a restaurant, even sleep in
their own private suites. Flying boats were already the giants of the
skies. And there seemed to be no limit to how big
and luxurious they could get. The world just needed to be convinced that
flying boats really did have a future. By the 1930s, two distinct kinds of airplanes
had emerged land planes and seaplanes. The obvious difference was one landed on water,
and the other on a runway. But in the 1930s, that was an important distinction. Because many cities didn't even have airports. And runways were often little more than dirt
or grass fields. On the other hand, the world is covered in
water. So flying boats could land just about anywhere. Onto the Hudson River at New York came a mighty
German Dornier flying boat on its first transatlantic crossing. Another milestone in the rapid advance of
commercial aviation. While the development of land planes was constrained
by a lack of suitable runways, flying boats could grow larger, heavier, and more capable. And because they could reach parts of the
world inaccessible to other planes, flying boats opened up air travel to far flung exotic
destinations. For the lucky few who could afford it, flying
boats became the preferred way to travel earning a reputation for comfort. And even safety. Because over the middle of the ocean, the
ability to land in case something went wrong, was a reason why many thought flying boats
were superior. And it helped calm the nerves of uneasy passengers. The rapid development of flying boats lled
many to believe that they were the future of long-range air travel. And in 1943, one iconic British Aircraft builder
began designing the next generation of flying boats. An enormous plane that would redefine air
travel. But the plan would have to wait. 1943 was the middle of the Second World War. New airliners weren't a priority. But after the War, air travel would certainly
boom again. And Saunders-Roe was going to be ready with
an all-new flying boat that would put them at the forefront. And this is what they came up with. The largest, most advanced flying boat airliner
ever built. They called it the the Princess, a fitting
name for an airliner with a luxurious two-level cabin featuring lounges, an actual restaurant,
sleeper cabins, even a promenade for its 100 lucky passengers. The Princess was an odd looking bird, but
it’s unique shape helped reduce drag. Also aiding with efficiency was a new innovation. Turboprop engines. Some of the first ever on an airliner. And this plane was packed with them, eight
turboprops driving contra-rotating propellers through a gearbox and another two powering
single propellers. It was a complex design. But it meant the princess could reach speeds
of over 600 kilometres per hour, climb to 39,000 feet, and travel over 9,000 kilometres. Practically doubling the performance of earlier
flying boats. With the Princess, Saunders-Roe brought flying
boats into a new era. Just in time for the 1950s boom in air
travel. And the company was already designing the
next generation to follow the Princess. A sleek flying boat with swept wings and turbojets. And for Saunders-Roe, it was flying boats
all the way down. They were even developing the world’s first
flying boat fighter jet. But while the company seemed confident in
the future of flying boats, the rest of the world wasn’t. In 1952, the Princess took its maiden flight. And the enormous plane was a main attraction
at the Farnborough airshow. But airlines weren't interested. Because a lot had changed during the Second
World War. For starters, the War hadn’t been fought
with flying boats, but enormous land-based bombers. Proving the long-range capabilities of land
planes. And over the course of the War, thousands
of new airports were constructed around the world with long concrete runways. After the War, many of these new airports
and military aircraft using them were converted to civilian use. By 1950, all of the world’s major airlines
had abandoned their flying boats, switching to land-based airliners. It was simply a matter of economics. To land on water, flying boats need stronger,
bulkier fuselages, so they were naturally heavier, less aerodynamic, and difficult to
pressurize. And flying boats were more challenging to
fly, requiring additional training for pilots. And the plane’s exposure to corrosive salt
water meant more maintenance. All factors which made flying boats, less
profitable for airlines. Still, Saunders-Roe remained committed to
flying boats. Convinced that their advantage in size, safety,
and their ability to operate on natural stretches of water without much infrastructure, would
soon spark their resurgence..All they had to do was convince everyone else. So the company went on an all-out marketing
offensive, asserting that flying boats could still match the performance of land planes. And boasting that the Princess would mark
the beginning of a resurgence in flying boat air travel. But desperation also seemed to be creeping
in, as the company tried to argue that the switch to land-based aircraft had been driven
by false assumptions, outdated figures, or even plain prejudice against flying boats. But the marketing seemed to fall on deaf ears. even BOAC, Britain's leading airline had no
interest in the Princess. Instead they made a bet on the world’s first
jet-powered airliner. Ordering a fleet of de Havilland Comets. And by 1954, it was clear that all the marketing
in the world wasn’t going to bring back the era of flying boats. Because Sounders-Roe hadn't sold a single
plane. After two years without a buyer, the company
was forced to put the Princess and two half-finished airframes into long term storage. The age of the flying boat was over. But not before Saunder-Roe engineers got the
chance to dream up the ultimate flying boat. Flying boats couldn't compete with modern
airliners, but maybe they didn't have to. Because in 1956, Saunder-Roe engineers came
up with this. A design for a truly colossal one thousand
passenger flying boat, Aimed squarely ocean liners, which in the 1950s were still carrying
passengers throughout the world. Over a dozen were in service between Britain
and Australia alone. And one shipping company was looking for a
better way to move a huge amount of people. It was an idea every bit as crazy as it sounds. A flying ocean liner the length of a football
field with five decks and a crew of 47. Just to get this million and a half pound
flying boat airborne, Saunders-Roe envisioned twenty-four jet engines integrated into the
enormous wings. And this plane would’ve been so big, there
would be enough room inside the wings for engineers to walk around. Even service all those jets in mid-flight. Of course, this enormous flying boat never
made it off the drawing board. Even more outrageous than its design, would’ve
been the cost to get it built. And it would be the last flying boat for Saunders-Roe. By the 1960’s they shifted to other emerging
fields. And soon Saunders-Roe disappeared altogether,
merging with another British aircraft builder. Meanwhile, the Princess Flying Boats sat in
storage for over a decade. Proposals to convert them into cargo planes,
troop transports, even experimental nuclear-powered aircraft never panned out. And by 1967, all three airframes had corroded. And the enormous planes were broken up and
sold for scrap. It was the largest and most advanced flying
boat airliner ever built. Strangely futuristic but also archaic at the
same time. A plane designed for a future that never existed. Choosing my next topic isn’t as easy as
it sounds. I have to consider whether it’ll do well
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also influences which ones I create. It’s time to do something about it. By now you’ve heard that $2.99 a month gets
you access to thousands of big budget documentaries on CuriosityStream. And to Nebula, where independent channels
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Nebula original. A video about a secret japanese World War
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24 Jet engines?!? Oof, airlines are struggling with more than 2 already. Imagine 12 times that much. The kerosene consumption would be absolutely ridiculous.
Love videos from these guys, and this one on flying boats is pretty fascinating.
The only thing that popped in my head was Tailspin the Disney cartoon with Baloo as the pilot.
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Have you ever landed on water? The necessary durability of the frame adds significant weight and this makes the flight less efficient.
Ken Follet has a book “Night Over Water” which is mainly set on a Boeing Seaplane, just before WWII. It’s pretty good, one of the main characters is the engineer, and a lot of the plot revolves around the plane. Highly recommend.
LOVE SEAPLANES!
When I was 6 went for a flight in a Republic Seabee, took off from the Columbia River. My Dad was in the forest service, we'd go to see the fire and smokejumper planes at Troutdale Airport, including a Consolidated PBY5A, used to see USCG Grumman Albatross's all the time.
Just something about seaplanes that is REALLY COOL!
Two other factors not mentioned are the development of retractable landing gear that wasn’t prohibitively heavy, and (this is important) the abrupt post WWII change to a world in which petroleum was a major commodity. Burning through oceans of liquid dinosaurs is fine if nobody wants that gas to begin with, but when absolutely everyone wants it then suddenly it becomes very important to make aircraft fuel efficient.