The plane enthusiasts thread

[DaveReading]

The name of the plane, Severn?? I was told there was no type called the 'Severn'.

Maybe it was a name given to that specific aircraft?

The latter. "Severn" was the name of one of BOAC's Short Solent flying boats.

This one, in fact:

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

The latter. "Severn" was the name of one of BOAC's Short Solent flying boats.

This one, in fact:

COOOOLL!!! Thanks!!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

The latter. "Severn" was the name of one of BOAC's Short Solent flying boats.

This one, in fact:

G - AHIH??

EDIT: Found it, it was G - AHIT, 'Severn', scrapped in Belfast in 1956 apparently

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Only 16 Short Solents were built apparently, and at the time, they must have been quite well known for them to simply be referred to by their names, a bit like ships (they were sea planes after all).

That certificate is truly a glimpse into the past anyway and is a tantalising glimpse into flight when it was a glamourous, but expensive adventure for the lucky few, worthy of being in a film!

 

[DaveReading]

Only 16 Short Solents were built apparently, and at the time, they must have been quite well known for them to simply be referred to by their names, a bit like ships (they were sea planes after all).

In those days, British airlines usually gave their aircraft individual names (BA still do, for most of theirs). BOAC usually started all their names with the same letter as the aircraft type or class name.

The 16 Solents were named, all with vaguely watery connections, as follows: Salcombe, Salisbury, Sark, Scapa, Scarborough, Seaforth, Selkirk, Severn, Sheerness, Solway, Somerset, Southampton, Southsea, Stornoway, Sussex and Sutherland

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

WOOF!!:

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

2 survive.

One Solent is preserved in Aukland, NZ, and flew for Tasman Empire Airline Limited (TEAL), but the other preserved example, 'City of Cardiff' is a former BOAC one at a museum in Oakland, California.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Solent

This second aircraft is apparently a big draw as it was used in the filming of the Indiana Jones film, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, deputising as a Pan Am Boeing 314 'China Clipper'* and is restored to the point that you can book a seat and have a meal in the style of if you were an actual passenger back in the day (for $125 though).

http://www.oaklandaviationmuseum.org/solent_flying_boat_32.html

http://www.oaklandaviationmuseum.org/solent_experience_22.html

Since it is former BOAC, I think I would most likely give them the certificate, but, alas, I would like to go and see the plane in person in the process, so it wont happen any time soon!

* - If I had the money, I would help them recover the last two surviving Boeing '314s':

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_314_Clipper#

 

[DaveReading]

the other preserved example, 'City of Cardiff' is a former BOAC one at a museum in Oakland, California.

The Solent at the Oakland museum is the former "Sutherland" from my list - it and several other BOAC aircraft subsequently went to Aquila Airways (the UK's last commercial flying boat operator), variously named as "City of ... "

 

[pubrunner]

View attachment 115369

I saw one these do the vertical climb in the late 60s, at RAF Finningley, it was a most amazing thing to see.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

The Solent at the Oakland museum is the former "Sutherland" from my list - it and several other BOAC aircraft subsequently went to Aquila Airways (the UK's last commercial flying boat operator), variously named as "City of ... "

Yes, I saw it was a Sunderland after writing that, but still, better than nowt!

I was wondering about the 'S' connections in the name, but read that it has been used by the RAF first.... Then I read that Solents hadn't been used by the RAF...... I was tired, so never looked it up any further....

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

City of Cardiff was originally meant to be a Sunderland III, but.....:

In 30 August 1944, the prototype (MZ269) first flew from the River Medway at Rochester. The increased engine power caused aerodynamic stability problems, and a new fin was designed with greater height with forward dorsal extension, plus a new tailplane with increased span and area.[3] Changes were so extensive, that the new aircraft was given the name Seaford.[4] Thirty production aircraft were ordered, but the first of these flew in April 1945, well after the introduction of the Sunderland Mark V, and too late to see combat in Europe. The prototypes were powered by Hercules XVII engines of 1,680 hp (1,253 kW), but production aircraft used 1,720 hp (1,283 kW) Hercules XIX engines. The planned Glenn Martin tail turrets were never installed. Eight production Seafords were completed; the first (NJ200) was used for trials at MAEE Felixstowe. The second production Seaford (NJ201) was evaluated by RAF Transport Command, then in December 1945 it was loaned without armament to BOAC as G-AGWU, then returned to MAEE as NJ201 in February 1946. In April 1946, the other six production Seafords were delivered to No. 201 Squadron RAF for brief operational trials. In 1948, those six aircraft were modified as civilian airliners at Belfast, then leased to BOAC with the designation Solent 3.[5]

It is NJ203 at the Oakland Museum.

So, it was a Sunderland 3, then a Seaford, and finally a Solent 3!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

The other preserved one is a Solent 4, seemigly built at the same time as the BOAC Solent 2s', so there were 16 'real' Solents' (12 mk2s' and 4 mk4s') and 7 converted Sunderlands'/Seafords' (mk3):


SurvivorsEdit

• Short Solent ZK-AMO Aranui, a Mk IV formerly used by TEAL firstly between Mechanics Bay on Auckland Harbour and Rose Bay Sydney Australia until superseded on scheduled services by the land based propliners. ZK-AMO was then redeployed on the iconic Coral Route, from Auckland New Zealand to Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands, Tonga and Tahiti, until once again superseded by propliners in September 1960. ZK-AMO has been fully restored and preserved at the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland. Briefly overhauled outside when the Keith Park Memorial Aviation Display at MOTAT was enlarged 2010/2011.
• An ex-BOAC Solent 3, later owned by Howard Hughes, has been rescued and is in the United States at the Oakland Aviation Museum in Oakland, California.;[6] it is this Solent which appears briefly (and anachronistically) in the film Raiders of the Lost Ark, though through matte effects is made to resemble a more historically accurate Boeing 314 Clipper.[7]

VariantsEdit

• Solent 2

civilian version for BOAC of the Short Seaford, 12 aircraft built at Rochester[8]

• Solent 3

converted S.45 Seaford. 7 aircraft - 6 at Queen's Island, Belfast, 1 at Hamble[8]

• Solent 4

powered by Bristol Hercules 733, four aircraft built at Belfast[8]

 

[DaveReading]

So, it was a Sunderland 3, then a Seaford, and finally a Solent 3!

The Seaford was originally designated the Sunderland IV, substantially different from the Mark III (hence the new name). The two prototypes were built as such.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

The Seaford was originally designated the Sunderland IV, substantially different from the Mark III (hence the new name). The two prototypes were built as such.

Ah, my mistake, thanks!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Anyway, regardless of all of this, I have just been plunged into a part of Aviation History I knew very little about (I didn't even know of Seafords' and Solents'), so thanks!