The Last of the Large Flying Boats

[harrysone]

Talking 'bout the last large flying boats I see MOTAT has the LAST Solent out doors again!

(By the way photo was taken by an R/C Model:) )

Attachments:

[Dave Homewood]

The last Solent IV at least, There's another earlier Solent extant at Oakland in the USA.

[kiwithrottlejockey]

Jun 13, 2010 11:12:00 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

The last Solent IV at least, There's another earlier Solent extant at Oakland in the USA.

Well....I guess SH.1559 literally was the last Solent....it was the last one to be built.

In fact, SH.1559 aka ZK-AMO was actually the very last four-engined flying-boat to be built by Shorts, although the second-to-last “new” four-engined 'boat to be delivered. SH.1556 which was held back for certification purposes was the last new 'boat to leave their premises.

[kiwithrottlejockey]

December 1963, and ML814 arrives at Rose Bay, Sydney at the end of a delivery flight from Auckland, still a military Sunderland flying-boat, but wearing VH civil registration. It is hauled out of the water, then over several months of 1964 is converted by Ansett into a civil Sunderland airliner and given the name “Islander”.

[kiwithrottlejockey]

[kiwithrottlejockey]

An interesting photograph gallery has just appeared on the Los Angeles Times website today....

• framework.latimes.com/2012/11/02/the-flight-of-the-spruce-goose

[kiwithrottlejockey]