Double-decker jetliners have been present in the world of commercial aviation for more than half a century. The Boeing 747 entered commercial service in 1970, followed by the Airbus A380 in 2007. However, multi-deck planes pre-date the jet age, in the form of aircraft like the Boeing 314 Clipper flying boat. However, in the 1920s, a nine-deck concept emerged.
Seen as a replacement for sea travel
Commercial aviation in the interwar period was nothing like the far-reaching industry that we know today. While we now think nothing of flying non-stop across oceans like the Pacific and Atlantic, this was a distant dream for the lucky few who could afford to fly.
As such, sea travel was the main option when it came to making long journeys over the water. The huge ocean liners that crossed the Atlantic could accommodate huge numbers of people, and, with it, a diverse public. Indeed, while it was a luxurious way to travel for the elite, less well-off citizens could also make such trips in less glamorous onboard conditions.
However, if there’s one thing that boats aren’t known for, it’s speed. This was key for Boeing when it came to flying its aircraft parts in its ‘Dreamlifter‘ outsize freighters instead of shipping them. Interwar airships were also rather slow, and had limited passenger capacity. As such, Norman Bel Geddes designed an aircraft to solve both these issues.
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Airliner Number 4
Born in April 1983, Norman Bel Geddes began his career in theatre set design, working in Los Angeles and even on New York’s Broadway. However, in the mid-to-late 1920s, his designs took on a more industrial form, with streamlining being a key feature in his work. This is evident in his concept for a teardrop-shaped car, as seen in the photograph below.
Quirky planes: Airliner Number 4 was a project for a 9-deck amphibious passenger aircraft intended to replace the transatlantic liners that traveled between Europe and North America. It was never built.#aviation #aviationphotography #aviationdaily #aviationgeek pic.twitter.com/BaobycJ4I3
— XB-70 Aviation (@il_wheels) June 5, 2020
Towards the end of the decade, Bel Geddes had his next big idea – a multi-deck transatlantic airliner to compete with sea traffic. The V-shaped design would have had an unbelievable nine passenger decks, making it comparable in this regard to the ocean liners it was looking to replace. It had a planned capacity of 451 passengers and 155 crew members.
Never reached production
Airliner Number 4 had a proposed wingspan of 161 meters, which would have made it the widest plane ever built. The amphibious design featured a row of propellers atop the aircraft’s main body. It had a total of 20 engines, with a further six in reserve.
The sheer size of the design meant that passengers would have had sufficient space to enjoy the amenities that they were used to on ocean liners. It was even large enough to feature two internal hangars for smaller planes. It was thought that Airliner Number 4 would be able to fly from Chicago to London in 42 hours, with aerial refueling in Newfoundland.
However, Airliner Number 4 never made it to commercial production. Despite widespread publicity and the promise of luxury, it didn’t even reach the prototype phase. It was perhaps too ambitious for the time, which serves as a testament to Bel Geddes’ innovative mind.
What do you make of this intriguing design concept? Would you have liked to have flown on such an aircraft? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
