LARGE AIR LINERS.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 398, 3 April 1937, Page 6

LARGE AIR LINERS.

Imperial Airways Plans. .1 (British Official Wireless). '' Rugby, April 1. The largest liand plane air liner in the world, the first &£ a new class for Imperial Airv.ays, for whom 14 are on. order at the A.rm£.trong Whitworth aircraft/works near Southampton* is now nearing completion. It should be ready to fly in two or three months’ time. Some of the new liners are intended for Continentil air routes. Others will operate Empire land plane services. which are to supplement flying boat services. The first machine will be named Ensign. The five which* are now in various stages of manufacture are impressive structures. Fully ’oaded they will weigh 20 tons, or 11 tons more fhian the Empire flying boats. They have a wing spread of 127 fest in length. On European services ?hey will carry 42 passengers and a crew of five. On Empire routes they will carry 27 passengers by day, or 26 in si. eping berths by night. Fuel tanks built into tho wings will make it possible for the planes to fly 1000 miles non-stop agaipst a 40 miles an hour head y.'ind.