Sensational stuff and far more personal than Frater's story!! :)

As to Karachi: when was "Speedbird House" built, or could it have been a converted hotel? The one in which you stayed sounds a bit like the descriptions I've heard.

Had a thought some time ago of purchasing a Sandringham and attempting to re-create to UK-Aust trip by boat. A dream only. The major drawback I saw would be that those who kept the lake and river landing paths clear of debris and so adeptly handled the tenders would have long gone. I could envisage my asset full of rich pax sinking to the bottom of a harbour having struck a log or similar!! <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

This really is a great forum. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

G'day <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

[ 02 February 2002: Message edited by: Feather #3 ]</p>

Mr. V:

Awesome reading, I was born about twenty years to late as I would have loved to fly the Big Flying Boats.

But all is not lost as I did get to fly the Airline Routes in Northern Canada up to the high Arctic in PBY's. As far as I know I am now the only one left that still flys PBY's for a living out side of a few waterbomber pilots still flying in the North West Territories, but that is not really the same as using them for transportation.

If you get to Southhampton you must go to Lee on Solent and have a look at the two Cats that Super Catalina Restorations have. I delivered the Greenpeace Cat from Duxford to Lee on Solent in November and we plan on using it in the airshow circuit this year.

Anyhow I truly enjoyed your story and envy the experience you lived.

You can have a look at the Cats and an article from Aeroplane about the delivery at <a href="http://www.supercatalina.com" target="_blank">www.supercatalina.com</a>

................. . :) The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no. :)

Thank you Cat Driver. I hope the "alighting" technique that I described would not be too suicidal! :)

Mr. V:

The technique you described is correct. To not use this technique in a flying boat when landing on a smooth water surface would be suicdal.

Very simply...the aircraft must contact the water in the correct attitude, this is accomplished by assuming the landing attitude well above the surface of the water then rate of descent is controlled by power, 150 to 200 feet per. minute is ideal. Once contact with the water is made the throttles are gently closed and the airplane will lose speed and fall off the step.

A flying boat " must " be kept in the correct attitude when on the water, if not it will either porporise or dig the nose either of which if not corrected quickly will lead to loss of the airplane due to catastrophic break up of the aircraft.

The loss of the Super Cat at Southampton several years ago is a vivid example of a large flying boat breaking up due to a to nose low attitude at high speed when landing.

We lost a PBY waterbomber in Canada this past summer due to breakup after loss of attitude on the water at high speed. It has heppened far to often over the years. It is very sad to see a perfectly airworthy airplane wrecked due to improper pilot technique during water operations.

By the way the last time we stayed in Alexandria we did not find the whore house in your story, do you remember its location so we can visit it on the next ferry flight?

Keep writing:

Chuck E.

.................. . :) The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no. :)

Cat Driver

I am sorry I cannot help. My mother was fairly liberal-minded, but well short of allowing me (at age 11) to explore the Alexandrian brothels. When I was on a squadron in the Canal Zone in the '50s the Delta was off limits to us. Good luck! I wold love to see a Cat next time you are this way.

I have just spent a very happy 45 minutes savouring this once again.

FV it is a truly wonderful piece of writing.

Its bit early but when considering wat to put in an archive on this site, this must surely be the first in.

Wonderful

M-o-t-F

Thank you for your kind words. My sister, now returned from her hols, has read my piece and gives it her general nod of approval. Our memories of minor events differ (eg, she believes it was the steward who used to wind her up, not the Captain). However, she has reminded me that no true Brit Memsahib would have taken her children (and an Aussie girl) for a stroll in the streets of Calcutta. We went by "gharry" - a small carriage drawn by decrepit and dispirited horse.

Dead but not quite buried, Chickenhawk! I know I have some work to do on the flying boat thread. I am a bit tied up at the moment but will get to it as soon as I can. Meanwhile thanks to all those who have contributed links and bibliography. The Bermuda Sky Queen info was super. Maybe the skipper screwed up the fuel plan, but what a superlative piece of airmanship when he brought off a successful landing in those conditions. I try to imagine a runway with 30ft lumps in it - moving lumps at that!

For FV, and others who have enjoyed his great reminiscences:. .There's an interesting book about an Empress class flying boat ( Corsair, G-ADVB) which made an unscheduled landing after losing its way over the Congo in early 1939; the story describes the efforts to salvage it and fly it out.. .It's called Corsairville, by Graham Coster,. .ISBN 0-140 25348-3, Penguin Books.. . . . <small>[ 18 March 2002, 15:27: Message edited by: chippy63 ]</small>

Flatus Veteranus,. .I just edited a previous post on your thread to give details of a book about an Empire class flying boat stranded in Africa in 1939: you may find it interesting- it's the post just before this one .

Thanks FV, very well done, thanks for the memory.. .I have just managed to get a copy of "Corsairville" sent to the colony and it brings out a lot of the life with Imperial Airways and the flying boats.. .I missed that time period, but have been to most of the places mentioned and they did not get better with age!!

Thanks "Speedbud"! I have just edited the 1 May 40 entry. "Big Sis" has just corrected me. It was, of course, The Haven hotel at Sandbanks, overlooking the entrance to Poole Harbour, that was used by BOAC.

Brilliant read FV! There is a Sandringham in Auckland's Museum of Transport and Technology [MoTaT]. It is ex-TEAL [now ANZ], and of course the RNZAF were still operating Sunderlands in the late 1960's, and I recall being totally stunned by a take-off into a southerly in Wellington Harbour one day.

Excellent stuff FV. Any more memories waiting to be aired?