Longest (Endurance) Sunderland Flight

[Warmtoast]

I posted this in another forum here on PPruNe and wonder whether anyone could say whether this was the longest flight made by an RAF Sunderland?


....Mind you at Seletar a couple of years earlier Flt. Lt. N. Bull (Norman Bull?) of 205/209 Sqn. flew a dedicated endurance flight from Seletar on 18/19th February 1958 with a Sunderland that was airborne for 20 hours 30 minutes. I left Seletar on posting in January 1958 so wasn’t present when this flight took place, but it was fairly common knowledge in FEAF.
Not sure if this was a record or not, but many years later whilst researching in the National Archives at Kew had a look at 205/209 ORB for the relevant dates and sure enough the squadron ORB records the following:

Aircraft. Sunderland ‘R’ RN303
Captain. Flt. Lt. N. Bull.
Airborne. 18th February 1958 at 14.55
Down. 19th February 1958 at 11.25
Mission. “NAVEX and Endurance Flight”

[stepwilk]

Whatever it was, it couldn't hold a candle to the PBY's records.

[forget]

stepwilk, that remark isn't apples and oranges; more like apples and ..... something that's nothing like oranges.


The Consolidated PBY-5A was never intended to be in the same class as the Short Sunderland. The PBY was a twin engined flying boat with 2500 mile range. The weight empty was only 7,600 pounds or so.

The Sunderland was a 4-engined heavy flying boat with 2600 mile range and weighed 37,000 pounds empty.

Of course they were not in the same class!

The range was similar, and the PBY happened to find MANY enemy ships at critical times. As for being rivals, the PBY-5A was never intended to BE a Sunderland.

If you want a competitor for the Sunderland, look at the Japanese Emily flying boat. 34000 pounds empty was very close to the Sunderland. The Emily was faster. The range was almost identical, with the Emily at 4,500 miles. The Emily had five 20 mm cannons.

The Sunderland had ten 7.7 mm MG plus two 12.7 mm MG. Five cannons would do a LOT more damage ... but to fewer enemy planes.

The Sunderland hauled 4,960 pounds of cargo or bombs. Not much is available on the payload of the Emily, but the performance is faster than the Sunderland with almost the same empty weight.

The max weight of the Emily was 71,650 pounds. The max weight for the Sunderland MK II was 65,000 pounds. The Mk I was 45,000 pounds.

I'd say the Emily has the edge, in SPADES, ands was the best flying boat of WWII, bar NONE.

The PBY was not in the same category, but proved to be a long range (as intended) plane that was always in the right place at the right time (the mission of the patrol flying boat).

It was smaller, slower, lighter, but had a profound effect on the U.S. fleets by virtue of being where it was needed WHEN it was needed. The Sunderland was a distinguished performer that bombed ships and U-boats, ALSO where it was needed.

Want the BEST production flying boat of WWII?

Look to Japan and Kawanishi.


PBY-5A Well Done! - The Great Planes and warbirds Community (http://warbirdsforum.com/showthread.php?t=369)

[stepwilk]

So does that mean that what I posted is wrong--"Whatever it was, it couldn't hold a candle to the PBY's records"?

I don't think so.

Oh, and by the way, the PBY's empty weight was in fact just short of 21,000 pounds.

[Proplinerman]

What was the longest flight by a Shackleton?

[tornadoken]

Coastal Command's slot in the RAF content of a Farnborough Air Show c.1965 was that about 1430 a Shackleton MR.3 took off, flew by and went off "on patrol"; c.1630 Shackleton came back, flew by and landed.

Yesterday's.

[stepwilk]

Not sure I understand. Took off at 1430 on a Tuesday (say) and landed at 1630 on a Wednesday?

[tornadoken]

Yes, Exactly.