NEW FLYING BOAT

Hokitika Guardian, 1 February 1930, Page 3

NEW FLYING BOAT

ORDERED FOR NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE. WELLINGTON, January 27. A “Cutty Saik” flying boat, similar to that which is being ouikl for Dominion Airlines, Limited, has been ordered for the New Zealand Air Force from Messrs Saunders and Roe, Limited. “V inspected a Cutty Sark myself before I left England,’ stated WingComniander S. Grant Dalton to-day, “an(l it is a. very \fine machine.” The machine, which was designed primarily as a. flying boat, has an entirely enclosed cabin, accommodating four passengeres situated in the hull, and. forward of Oie. wing, the arrangements' being .similar to those of a saloon car. The hull is built of protected duralumin, which is very resistant to corrossion, and this has been constructed so that with a few sheets of plate and a handful of rivets fairly extensive repaid .am be carried out. The wing is built on the cantilever principle, and of wooden construction. The wing is divided into a large number of compartments, thus giving bouyanc-y in the event of descent into the sea. Should the floats tail, the buoyant wing tips will make the salving of the machine .a comparatively simple matter, as a member of the crew, by standing on the mounting on the opposite side to the damaged float, can keep the machine down on that float while it taxies to safety. Petrol is stored in the wing, the tank holding 40 gallons, though 36 gallons is the normal load. A novel feature of the boat is that it can be powered by a single engine of 200 h.p., two engines, each of 105 h.p., or three having a capacity of 80 horse power. The span of the maheine is 45ft, and the length 34ft 4in, the height being lift 2in. The area of the wing is 320 square feet, and the weight with normal load 3200 pounds.