The mighty Flying Boat would alight on estuaries in Borneo to visit Dyak communities by motoring up the rivers.... On their return the beast was fired up and allowed to drift downriver using differential power till the water was suitably wide and straight for take-off.
In his post #9779 Dougie M paints a lovely picture of the Sunderland moving downstream using bursts of power to steer a zig-zag course. Gives a new meaning to the term “outboard motor” doesn't it?
In fact the Sunderland seems to have been a popular mode of transport when visiting primitive tribes in remote locations. In these fine photos from the Parkhouse collection, on September 14 1949 the majestic machine has alighted on the River Thames, taxied upstream and negotiated Tower Bridge on its outboard engines and is being secured to a buoy before visiting the Parliamentary tribe in their Great Longhouse farther up the river. I wouldn't fancy the bowman's job!
