Aircraft such as this Dornier Do J Wal (Germany) represent the desire of the world powers in the 1930s to showcase their political, economic, and technological prowess with transoceanic airline service. Much like the capability to launch satellites today, successful demonstrations of overseas airline service provided nations with considerable domestic and international prestige.
Caption:
The rugged "whale" was perhaps the most internationally popular of the interwar flying boats for transoceanic flights and polar exploration.
Type: Photograph
Credit: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Origin: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
