The Boeing Model 204 was an American

biplane A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...

, pusher configuration flying-boat aircraft built by

Boeing The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...

in 1929. Externally, the 204 looked identical to the Boeing Model 6E, but a number of internal changes, including increasing the passenger capacity to four, gave it a new type certificate and model number.Bowers, 1966, p. 137

Development

Construction was started on five aircraft, but only two were completed. The first, designated 204 and the second 204A. A third aircraft was built by a private owner who had bought the three incomplete machines. The 204A was a dual-control version which was later owned by Peter Barnes, who flew it on his private

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Gre ...

main run. The C-204 Thunderbird, a modified 204, was the first type produced by Boeing Aircraft of Canada. These had altered wing and tailplane incidence and a reduction in upper wing area. The prototype was first flown on 30 March 1930, the first of a batch of four. They failed to sell readily, though they were sometimes leased for work. Eventually three were sold. All worked in

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

, remaining active until 1939.Molson and Taylor pp. 113-4

Variants

;204 :Four-seat variant of the Model 6E, one built. ;204A :As the Model 204 with dual-control, one built. ;C-204 Thunderbird :Four 204s built by

Boeing Canada Boeing Canada is the Canadian subsidiary of Boeing, with operations in Winnipeg, MB, Richmond, BC, Montreal, QC and Ottawa, ON. Boeing employs more than 1600 people in Canada. Boeing Aircraft of Canada Limited was formed in 1929 by the America ...

.Bowers, 1966, pg. 139

Specifications (204)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Bowers, Peter M. ''Boeing aircraft since 1916''. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1966. *

External links

{{Aircraft manufactured in Canada 1920s United States aircraft 204 Flying boats Single-engined pusher aircraft Biplanes Aircraft first flown in 1929 Single-engined piston aircraft