Chapter 1
Palace on wheels and iron roads
Chapter 2
Floating palaces of the high seas
Chapter 3
Silver wings and flying boats
Chapter 4
The art of packing and staying
Ch 3 · Silver wings and flying boats
louisvuitton Imperial Airways Desert Outposts
Fortress in the sand, / Luxury in the dust, / First hotel in the Gulf.
louisvuitton These luxury planes offered private compartments, fine china dining, and sleeping berths for the price of a new car.
Quiz
How were passenger accommodations arranged for overnight travel on the Boeing 314 Clipper?
Fun Fact
Airship music: The grand piano built for the Hindenburg airship was made of aluminum and weighed only 356 pounds, compared to a standard 800-pound piano.
louisvuitton Onboard convection ovens allowed flight attendants to prepare fresh, high-end meals in the air.
Quiz
What luxury dish was carved seat-side from a rolling cart in Pan Am's first-class cabin?
Quiz
Which legendary Parisian restaurant partnered with Pan Am to design its first-class in-flight menus?
Glossary
flying boat (noun)
A fixed-wing aircraft with a hull-shaped fuselage that allows it to float, take off, and land on water. Qantas introduced these luxury vessels in 1938, carrying passengers from Sydney to London over twelve days.
A fixed-wing aircraft with a hull-shaped fuselage that allows it to float, take off, and land on water. Qantas introduced these luxury vessels in 1938, carrying passengers from Sydney to London over twelve days.
Quiz
Why was the smoking room on the Hindenburg airship pressurized with double-doors?
Quiz
What lightweight metal was used to construct the grand piano aboard the Hindenburg airship?
Quiz
Which early British airline built the historic Al Mahatta fort outpost for overnight passenger stops?
Quiz
Why did early commercial flights between London and Australia require passengers to sleep in overnight ground hotels?