Kermit Weeks' Short Sandringham
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There's also a preserved Solent over at Oakland, CA, which could also perhaps be considered for restoration.
One of Kermit's colleagues I spoke to at Polk City a few years ago said they hoped to keep the Sandringham airworthy (it wasn't that long since it had flown) and do passenger flights... Now that would have been nice!
One of Kermit's colleagues I spoke to at Polk City a few years ago said they hoped to keep the Sandringham airworthy (it wasn't that long since it had flown) and do passenger flights... Now that would have been nice!
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It has been there since 1996/7 which is when it last flew. I had a good look around it earlier this year, and are returning in March. Its condition is a little worn to say the least, and would require some intense restoration i would imagine.
If you ever get the chance to go to the Orlando area Fantasy of Flight is a great few hours out, very little flying apart from the odd stearman giving $60 jollies, but loads to see inside, and a few outside in the Florida sun.
At least the Sandringham/Sunderland is kept in the hangar.
If you ever get the chance to go to the Orlando area Fantasy of Flight is a great few hours out, very little flying apart from the odd stearman giving $60 jollies, but loads to see inside, and a few outside in the Florida sun.
At least the Sandringham/Sunderland is kept in the hangar.
P&W or Bristols?
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Mk1`s were fitted with Bristol Pegasus XXII `s. ( 1010hp )
Kermit Weeks is a Mk5 which were fitted with P&W 1830 Twin Wasps ( 1200hp ) as used on the Catalina, Liberator, & Dak
Kermit Weeks is a Mk5 which were fitted with P&W 1830 Twin Wasps ( 1200hp ) as used on the Catalina, Liberator, & Dak
Weeks' Sunderland was sitting outside when I visited in April last year - as you say, it seems a little the worse for wear.
As for the Oakland machine, it needs quite a lot of work. I believe it is opwned by two brothers, and is loaned to the museum there. The museum themselves seem to have very limited resources, being pretty much a volunteer outfit, and many of their airframes are in need of work.
More of my photos of it here
As for the Oakland machine, it needs quite a lot of work. I believe it is opwned by two brothers, and is loaned to the museum there. The museum themselves seem to have very limited resources, being pretty much a volunteer outfit, and many of their airframes are in need of work.
More of my photos of it here
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Lovely pics, Mike. You don't realise how big it is.
Criminal to leave the last potentially airworthy example outside though. It should be flying or he should sell it to someone who will fly it.
Criminal to leave the last potentially airworthy example outside though. It should be flying or he should sell it to someone who will fly it.
I think 'criminal' is a bit strong. There was quite a bit of discussion about this aircraft here a while ago. I've stated my opinion in there as well, I think that the Sunderland is quite well off where it is now. If you look at vintage aircraft of that size the success ratio of keeping them flying isn't great, being stored in Kermit Weeks' hangar gives it a good chance of a proper restoration and a flying career which is good enough for me.
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This Sandringham/Sunderland passed through Toronto in 1995, en route, I believe to Oshkosh and then Florida. It overnighted in Toronto Harbour and I obtained good video of it taking off and performing a flypast. It was quite a sight!!
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Was this the Sandringham that Charles Blair brought over to the UK in the 70's? If it was I flew on it, we took off from the Solent and flew around the Isle of Wight while his wife who was a famous actress (Maureen O'Hara?) sold tee shirts.I have some K64 slides somewhere of the occasion, might even have the tee shirt somewhere. Later CB killed himself in another flying boat and it was found that he had been falsifying the maintenance records of his aircraft.Also there was a statue of him on top of the Queens Bldg at Heathrow.
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Prop Freak, Antilles Air Boats had two that came across several years running as I recall - I think I saw one in the distance over the Solent while I was in Southampton in 1977... Certainly saw a Catalina with a magnetometer fly low over the house I was staying at that weekend, but that's another story!
Any chance of getting your pics on here?
Both Sandringham's wound up back in the UK in the early 80s - the other one is now in the Southampton Hall of Aviation.
Re the statue of Charles Blair at Heathrow, I recall a P-51C also as part of the memorial? What happened to it?
Any chance of getting your pics on here?
Both Sandringham's wound up back in the UK in the early 80s - the other one is now in the Southampton Hall of Aviation.
Re the statue of Charles Blair at Heathrow, I recall a P-51C also as part of the memorial? What happened to it?
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I'm sure this has been talked about on another thread, but it's great fun.. I was the Air Controller for 09L at Heathrow when G-BJHS did a low run and go-around one day in September 1991. In the left turn out it crossed the M4 so low I knew we'd get some serious stick! Most stick came from the AFS - the fire station was north of 09L in those days and the Duty Officer rang up and harangued me for not warning them "as my boys would loved to have seen it"..
As for a Catalina with a magnetometer in 1977... sounds mega interesting and I wonder which one it was? I saw N610FF at Heathrow in 1965, picture here:
http://www.brendan-mccartney.fotopic.net/p22382311.html
The P51 replica was on a plinth on the roof gardens at Heathrow for many years but I've no idea of its fate when the roof gardens closed.
As for a Catalina with a magnetometer in 1977... sounds mega interesting and I wonder which one it was? I saw N610FF at Heathrow in 1965, picture here:
http://www.brendan-mccartney.fotopic.net/p22382311.html
The P51 replica was on a plinth on the roof gardens at Heathrow for many years but I've no idea of its fate when the roof gardens closed.
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Good story always stands telling twice HD!
OK, arm twisted, it was N4760C... The Jack Cousteau Cat was also around at that time, but N4760C had been into Eastleigh that day. All I can remember was the sound of approaching radials and expecting to see a DC-3 appear over the trees - its was quite a shock to see a Cat instead! I was about a mile from Hamble Aerodrome at the time...
N610FF was not so lucky...
OK, arm twisted, it was N4760C... The Jack Cousteau Cat was also around at that time, but N4760C had been into Eastleigh that day. All I can remember was the sound of approaching radials and expecting to see a DC-3 appear over the trees - its was quite a shock to see a Cat instead! I was about a mile from Hamble Aerodrome at the time...
N610FF was not so lucky...
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Q1 for real oldies... Does anyone recall, or have any information about, a Sunderland/Sandringham on the Pool of London in the early 50s? My dad took me to see the flying boat when I was a nipper... it could have been during the Festival of Britain in 1951?? I can still visualise it moored on the Thames somewhere near Tower Bridge.
Second Q... getting a bit technical. Anyone know why "ATC" at flying boat bases used the callsign "Pinnace"? I thought a pinnace was a small boat or tender so how did it become used as a callsign?
Thanks all (as Captain French of BEA used to say!!)
Second Q... getting a bit technical. Anyone know why "ATC" at flying boat bases used the callsign "Pinnace"? I thought a pinnace was a small boat or tender so how did it become used as a callsign?
Thanks all (as Captain French of BEA used to say!!)
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Heathrow Director:
That struck a chord somewhere in the cranium......found it! I have a copy of Aircraft Annual 1967 (Ian Allen). There is an article within which some London related photos; one being that of a Sunderland taxying under the open Tower Bridge. The caption says that it was during Battle of Britain week celebrations. Unfortunately it does not say which year.
That struck a chord somewhere in the cranium......found it! I have a copy of Aircraft Annual 1967 (Ian Allen). There is an article within which some London related photos; one being that of a Sunderland taxying under the open Tower Bridge. The caption says that it was during Battle of Britain week celebrations. Unfortunately it does not say which year.
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Thanks for that clue Loki. It wouldn't have been '67 when I saw it as I was "grown up" by then (physically if not mentally) and was busy frightening pilots in darkest Africa.. When I saw it I would have been about 5-6-7ish, around 49-50-51ish. I'll see what I can find about BoB celebrations back then.
Cheers..
Cheers..
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No, certainly not `67....the article entitled "London`s Aeronautical Centenary" was an overview of 100 years of aviation in the capital; from the Aero exhibition in The Crystal Palace in 1868 to the then present. It also contains an image of the Saunders Roe SR A1; the jet powered flying boat fighter moored on the Thames at Westminster.
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OK Loki.. I'm getting a bit closer. Try searching Google for this (spelling as is):
Raf Suderland Flying-Boat Moored Next to Tower Bridge, Thames River, September 1950
I reckon that might have been it, but Lord knows how I find the originator of the pic!
Raf Suderland Flying-Boat Moored Next to Tower Bridge, Thames River, September 1950
I reckon that might have been it, but Lord knows how I find the originator of the pic!
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That's Kermit's Sandringham as G-BJHS when owned by Ed Hulton - made a pass or two at West Malling - I think 1985 sounds about right - accompanied by the B-17? I seem to recall it also wore Ryan Air titles at one point.