Design and development
The origins of the Empire boats lay in an Air Ministry requirement for passenger and mail carriers that could service the colonies particularly to make the connection to Australia.
The Empire was officially known as the C-class and each aircraft was christened with a name beginning with C. The first aircraft, G-ADHL Canopus, was completed in June 1936 and launched on 3 July. A total of 42 Empires were built, all at Short’s Rochester factory.
Imperial Airways (and its successor BOAC), Qantas and TEAL operated the Short Empire.
The first series of the Short Empires, the S23, could carry 5 crew, 17 passengers, and 4,480 lb (2,035 kg) of cargo at a maximum speed of 174 knots (320 km/h).
The range of the S.23 was less than that of the US Sikorsky “Clipper” flying boats and as such they could not provide a trans-Atlantic service. Two boats (Caledonia and Cambria) were lightened and given long range tanks so they could make the trip but that meant they could carry fewer passengers and less cargo. In an attempt to manage the Altantic crossing a piggy-back approach was tried. Using a built up S.23 design as the main carrier and a smaller four-engined floatplane design, the Short S.20, mounted on its back. Only a single example was built of a carrier aircraft, the S.21 (Maia) and one S.20 (Mercury) together known as the Short Mayo Composite A successful mid-air launch of Mercury was made in 1938.
The S30 series were fitted with Bristol Perseus sleeve valve engines and had a strengthened airframe allowing the take off weight to be increased to 46,000 pounds and giving a range of 1,500 miles. Cabot, Caribou, Clyde and Connemara were fitted with in-flight refuelling equipment and extra fuel tanks so they could be used for a trans-atlantic airmail service. The idea behind this was for the aircraft to take off and once airborne take on extra fuel to an all up weight of 53,000 pounds giving a range of over 2,500 miles. The extra fuel did reduce the payload to 4,270 pounds against the 6,250 pounds of the standard craft. The refuelling was by 3 converted Handley Page Harrow bombers operating out of Ireland and Newfoundland.
In addition to the C class flying boats there were also three S.26 type built; these were known as the “G class” and had names starting with “G”: Golden Hind, Golden Fleece and Golden Horn. They were a scaled up version of the C class, with a wing span of 134 ft (40.9 m) and a length of 101 ft. (30.9 m).
General characteristics
Length: 88 ft (26.82m)
Wingspan: 114 ft (34.75 m)
Height: 31 ft 9¾ in (9.70 m)
Wing area: 1,500 ft² (139.35 m²)
Empty weight: 23,500 lb (10,659 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 40,500 lb (18,370 kg)
Powerplant: 4× Bristol Pegasus radial engines, 920 hp (696 kW) each
Performance
Maximum speed: 200 mph (322 km/h)
Range: 760 miles (1,223 km)
Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
Duration : 0:9:55
[youtube n9CVbDaXWnY]
´´THE GOLD YEARS´´
´´THE GOLD YEARS´´
The success of the …
The success of the S23 Mk II ‘Bermuda’ boats led to the development of the first trans-Atlantic S23 boats of July 1937.
But the inability to carry a meaningful payload across the Pond led to the investigation on in-flight re-fuelling, championed by the legendary Sir Alan Cobham.
A derivative of the S23, called S33, had an AUW of 46,000 lbs but an in-flight over-weight of 53,000 lbs approved, to allow for inflight fuelling. Equipped with slightly less-powerful but more efficient engines …
Although the …
Although the increased fuel capacity gave the S23 nominal range of 3,300 miles, they cruised at only 164 mph. A strong headwind (common, flying westbound) could more than halve the still-air range, and even so, 600 lbs was not a commercially viable payload.
Earlier, in November 1936, two S23 Mk IIs had been built with 1,010 gallon fuel capacity for the Bermuda-New York run (inaugurated 16 June 1937 with 14 passengers).
Ok for the Bermuda run, but this was still not enough for the Atlantic.
The Empire (or ‘C- …
The Empire (or ‘C- ‘) Class flying boats were optimised for what were called the Empire routes. Apart from crossing the Atlantic, all other routes had a structure which meant that 800 nm was the maximum needed range.
To cross the Atlantic , first the S23 had its fuel capacity increased from 650 gallons to 2,320 gallons by the addition of six more tanks, and AUW was improved to 45,000 lbs. The first S.23 trans-Atlantic flight was from Foynes to Botwood with 600 lbs ballast on 5/6 July 1937.
Also, if it had a …
Also, if it had a range no more than 800 miles, how did it cross the Atlantic? Thank you to anyone who may answer these queries.
How many times did …
How many times did they need to refuel during a journey? Say if they flew from Singapore to London, how many stops did one need to make? During the 1930s was it possible to make a non-stop intercontinental flight like today?
lovely plane, why …
lovely plane, why can’t we make planes ike this now-a-days?
I was too young to …
I was too young to have any memories of these aircraft. However, in the early 1980′s I read a book entitled, “Imperial 109″, in which the Short C23 plays an important role. Loved the story, the period, and that aircraft!!! Thank you for the Post.
5*****!
5*****!
This Music is Name …
This Music is Name “Stealin’ Apples”
But I Don’t The Name Of The Artist
Where do you get this music from ?
In this website ( …
In this website (Jazz-On-Line) Has over 20000 music I can’t find it.
Can you tell me the artist name and song name ,please
Music in this video
-Short Empire Part 1
-First In Flight Movie
-Blackburn Iris
-De Havilland Moth 1925
-Vickers Vanguard
-Short S.17 Kent
Thank You Very Much
In this website ( …
In this website (Jazz-On-Line) Has over 20000 music I can’t find it.
Can you tell me the artist name and song name ,please.
I loved watching …
I loved watching these newsreels at the movies on Saturday afternoon when I was a little boy.
I loved airplanes so much I got my private pilots license in 1984 and flew a Piper Cherokee 140 out of Somerville, NJ.
Love those old prop driven airplanes.
My imagination
I flew in these …
I flew in these flying boats out of Seletar in Singapore in 1949-50. I went on several bombing missions over Malaya in these great aircraft. My job was loading the bomb racks after each bombing run.
I Like this Music
…
I Like this Music
What is this Music , Please ?
Magical stuff! What …
Magical stuff! What a shame that the Golden Age of these beauties is past!
Mike
Great footage! I am …
Great footage! I am lucky to live in a part of the world where you can still routinely see a water bombing run by a Martin Mars and were small communities are still linked by a de Havilland Beaver on floats. If you are lucky you get to sit in the co-pilot seat but only to discover that the pilot looks to be barely 14 and that the manufacturer’s plate on the dash announces the age of the plane to be well in excess of your own. There is nothing like flying at 500′ at 120 with a snarling P&W R-985
To think they did …
To think they did so much on just 3600 bhp! I would love to fly on one!
kaç bee böle kuşmu …
kaç bee böle kuşmu olur
As a kid I sailed …
As a kid I sailed on Sydney Harbour in the 1960s and 1970s. The images of the Flying Boat landing on the Harbour you see at the end of this posting were being repeated until late 60s. Shark Island is visible in the shot and the aeroplane is seen taking off with Point Piper in the background. The Water Airport was at Rose Bay nearby. By the 60s Ansett was using later versions of these planes to fly to Lord Howe Island, which then had no airstrip
cool thanks for …
cool thanks for posting!
Keep ‘em coming, …
Keep ‘em coming, Bomberguy!
I love your stuff …
I love your stuff on flying boats. I seriously think that if somebody were to develop and build a prop driven boat in todays world, that they world hit a home run. Would love to fly a Boeing Clipper from S.F.O. to Honolulu.