PLACES TO GO
Fly back through time – with some excellent coffee
Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum
FLYING BOATS IN A CAR MAGAZINE? Well, surely we all enjoy looking at all sorts of fine engineering work and the flying boat is as much an icon of the glamorous days before World War Two as a fine vintage car.
In the spectacular Shannon Estuary on Ireland’s west coast, Foynes Flying Boat Museum captures the romantic era of the first flights across the Atlantic. There are wonderfully restored buildings, as well as the star turn, a replica Boeing B314 PanAm Clipper, cleverly displayed on water.
Enthusiastic guides will take the visitor through the original Terminal Building, housing an excellently arranged and lit range of exhibits, illustrations and posters. Then there’s the Radio and Weather Room and into the 1940s cinema to view Atlantic
compiled from original news film. Other displays include period newspapers, uniforms and equipment. Upstairs, the control tower has been reinstated with terrific views of the Shannon, its docks and Foynes. Then you can try your hand at flying a mighty Boeing B314, on a flight simulator.
Foynes was the starting point for finding better ways of flying the Atlantic and displays feature the Short Mayo composite, where a mother aircraft took off with a smaller float plane, fastened to it. Once airborne, the two separated and flew on, without having used fuel in the take-off. Air-to-air refuelling was also tested here, where a cable was fired from the tanker (using a rocket-propelled harpoon) to the flying boat and a hose connected for gravityfeed refuelling. Remember, this was only 70odd years ago and Foynes points out that it wasn’t until 1942 that the first passenger flight made it non-stop to New York, taking more than 25 hours.
World War Two was one of the main reasons that flying boats died. Many airfields were built during the war, so landing on water became unnecessary and the last passenger flight left Foynes in 1949.
The Flying Boat Museum was established in 1989 and was officially opened by actress Maureen O’Hara Blair, wife of a flying boat captain. The most spectacular showpiece at Foynes is that full-scale replica of the Boeing B314. None of the actual aircraft were preserved, but visitors can walk through this replica, climb up to the flightdeck, check the 14-seat dining room, view the made-up sleeping berths, and marvel at the tiny galley, which was usually manned by two stewards. At the tail of the aircraft is the deluxe compartment, a nicely fitted cabin that was often used as a honeymoon suite.
So, where does the ‘excellent coffee’ come into it? Boarding and leaving a flying boat could be a wet and cold experience and one stormy night in 1943 a flight to Newfoundland was forced to turn back to Foynes. The chef, Joe Sheridan, was told to prepare some ‘warmers’ for the returning passengers, so he put some good Irish
whiskey in the coffee. A passenger thanked him and asked if the coffee was Brazilian. Joe replied: ‘No, that was Irish coffee.’ It has become a world-famous drink, but that served at Foynes is extra special and they make no secret of the recipe.
Nextdoor is the bright new Maritime Museum, again full of surprises, including a display case of United States Civil War Confederate uniforms. Did you know that they were made in Ireland?
Foynes makes a different and probably unique day out, in good driving country.
Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum is open mid-March to mid-November, 09:30-17:00. It’s fully wheelchair accessible (except for the B314 replica). Adults €11, children €6. There is an excellent gift shop, atmospheric restaurant and that Irish Coffee Centre! Foynes’ enterprising website is at www.flyingboatmuseum.com.