Boeing’s Bizarre Half Boat Half Plane Aircraft

Video Description

It could have changed everything. A 500-foot wingspan, a 6-million-pound takeoff weight, and the ability to fly just 20 feet above the ocean at 275 mph. The Boeing Pelican ULTRA wasn’t just an aircraft: it was a new category of machine, one that blended the speed of air travel with the efficiency of sea freight. Designed by Boeing’s secretive Phantom Works, it promised to carry tanks, helicopters, and thousands of troops anywhere on Earth in a single trip. So why was it never built? In this deep dive, we uncover the story of the Pelican: from the Pentagon’s logistical nightmare that inspired it, to the wild science of ground effect flight, to the staggering size and ambition that ultimately doomed the project. Could modern technology bring the concept back? Or was the Pelican simply too far ahead of its time? This is the story of aviation's greatest “what if.” Our official social accounts: 👉🏻 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planecuriousnews 👉🏻 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@planecuriousnews 👉🏻 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/planecurious #Boeing #PelicanULTRA #MilitaryAviation #AviationHistory