NEW FLYING BOATS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1927, Page 4

NEW FLYING BOATS

LONDON, Feb. 1

There are at last signs that the Air Ministry’s neglect of the seaplane as a unit in the development of Imperial air routes is coming to ail end. In the recently issued memorandum. “An approach to a system of Imperial air communications,” Sir Samuel lloare referred to progress having been made in the development of flying-boats for tlie passage of the Mediterranean. 'lbis followed on a reference in the “Annual report on the progress of civil aviation,” issued in the summer, to the Air -Ministry’s liming “under consideration” a three engine passengercarrying seaplane.

Both these hints refer to an order which has been placed with .Messrs Shorlt Brothers, of Rochester, who built the floats for Sir Alan Cobham’s Australian “flight machine.” for two experimental commercial flying-boats. These which are to ho known as the “Calcutta” type, will be of liiylal construction, the boat hull being made of (‘duralumin.” and will be powered by three Bristol “Jupiter O’’ (air-cooled engines, giving each machine a total of 1350 horse-power. They will be provided with accommodation for fifteen passengers, and will weight when fully loaded nine tons. Having a range of 500 miles, they will easily 'he able to cross either the Mediterranean or a tho North Sea, and will lie able to flv normally on two engines only, with the third in reserve.