The Saunders-Roe Princess, way up in the air, something our two previous seaplanes couldn't accomplish.
After two posts about flying boats that just did. not. work, it’s kind of refreshing to be able to do a post about one that did.
Of course, the fact that it worked did not prevent it from being a complete failure; nevertheless, from a functional standpoint, it worked! The Saunders-Roe Princess is a flying boat that was actually a perfectly functional seaplane that did everything it was supposed to, and actually did it quite well.
But oh, how it did it is the thing that is most interesting! This was a six-prop, ten-engined plane, using turboprop engines. Yes, you’re reading that right. Now, technically, it is a ten-prop plane, because the inboard four propellors are contra-rotating, with each propellor powered by its own turboprop engine; the outboard two propellors are conventional turboprops. And what do you know, but it actually worked.
The plane was stable, it flew nicely, it had ample power — although revisions were waiting in the wings to equip it with more powerful engines — and could carry over 100 passengers in spacious comfort on two decks. The problem was that during its development, advances were made in aerodromes (later “airports”) and runways became more available. In addition, long-range jetliners quickly started to show up on the scene, and the need for a large, luxurious, flying ocean liner gradually dried up.
Many companies considered buying the Princesses as cargo planes — including NASA and Airbus — but in the end they were just found to be obsolete. At one point, the USAF considered experimenting with them to outfit them with nuclear powerplants, but even this project proved fruitless. Just think: these luxury liners almost became a delightful crossover between all the different posts we’ve touched on in the last two weeks.
Instead, they simply became scrap, as happens all too often with anything truly interesting in the world of aeronautics.
[Editor's Note: Since many of our American writers are off shopping celebrating Thanksgiving a month late, content will probably be light for the next few days. We wish you all a very happy shopping experience holiday, and hope you and your loved ones have a great weekend.]
Oh Em Gee. As if AtomicToasters wasn't already right up my boulevarde, you had to go and talk about the Princess. Excellent work. Now, who's going to take on the Bristol Brabazon and TSR2 to complete the trifecta of dashed British hopes and dreams?
Happy thanksgiving, y'all.
Seeing a Brit write "y'all" made me giggle.
Hang on, we have some more Saunders Roe daring and awesome before we get to the death of the British aerospace industry. Case in point, the SR53:
<img src="http://www.letletlet-warplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/saunders-roe-sr53_7.jpg" />
You're making me tingle. But maybe we should keep the flying-boat theme running with the SRA-1, amphibious god-damn jet fighter?
<img src="http://y2ksoftware.ltd.uk/pof/Sra1___2.JPG">
Excuse me, I'm having a crisis.
Mais oui!
I had literally started writing the article on the Bristol Brabazon, and then stumbled across the Princess as an associated link. The Brabazon may have to make an appearance at some point this week, as it's an excellent story as well.
Ah, the Proteus link?
Again, contra-rotating props uber alles.
I am saddened by aircraft that are successful in every measure but sales. Many of them are bloody awesome…like the XB-70.
I miss my old 'lopnik avatar….
I maintain that the decline of the British aerospace industry was the direct result of Gerry Anderson hiring all the good engineers away to do model work for "Thunderbirds", "Captain Scarlet", "UFO", et al.
<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A7wB2gcr8lA/R7X-Ri8kDGI/AAAAAAAABwk/mCftroaOYOo/s400/cap029.jpg">
Fireflash: designed by Gerry Anderson model designer Mike Trim for Thunderbirds.
Absolutely. And all those unsane hypersonic atomic ultra-liners should be given extra credit for the thick clouds of gamma radiation they'd leave behind….
But if I need to stick to seaplanes, how about SkyDiver…?
<img src="http://www.space1999.net/catacombs/plus/dt/ufo/ufo_skydiver.jpg" width="500/">
And the physically-fit crew get to wear mesh-top uniforms…!
Please tell me that at least got an award for costume design…
Gerry Anderson's then-wife Sylvia was credited with costuming design for "UFO" (including the Moonbase female officers' silver miniskirts and go-go boots…!) Designer Rudi Gernreich was involved in the costume design for "Space:1999" a few years later. The Skydiver pilots were some of the hottest hunks on TV at the time, IMHO…
C'mon, Charles. What about the babes!?
Hm. Charles, I'm nominating you to write an article about sex (and sexiness) and Sci-Fi. On your marks, get set… GO!
Oh sweet baby Jesus, sex, sexiness and sci-fi will be so much win! Seconded nomination.
[...] a wing span of 105 feet and a height of nearly 31 feet. It’s an impressive bird. Like the Saunders-Roe Princess from this morning, the XB-70 proved to meet all design objectives. It was just too late to the [...]