Jun 11, 2025
When Giants Flew: The Lost World of WWII's Massive Seaplanes (documentary)
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When Giants Flew: The Lost World of WWII's Massive Seaplanes (documentary)
The Saunders Roe SR.45 Princess, the largest all metal flying boat ever built, was designed to transform long range air travel between London and New York. Developed by the Saunders Roe company, it was intended to build on the success of earlier transatlantic flying boat services and take them to a new level of size, range, and comfort.Powered by ten turboprop engines, it represented the peak of flying boat technology. But engine problems, rising costs and the rapid rise of land-based jet airliners made the concept obsolete. Only one prototype flew before the program was canceled in the mid-1950s.
Bristol Brabazon
... "Elastic airfield" as said by this advertising ! ...
@Flydeck60 via X
The SR.45 Princess was a British flying boat aircraft, developed and built by Saunders-Roe on the Isle of Wight. Claimed as the largest all-metal flying boat ever produced, its development was cancelled after three prototypes (only one of which ever flew) were constructed. By the mid-1950s, large commercial flying boats were overshadowed by faster and more economically viable, land-based jet airliners.
Saunders-Roe subsequently concentrated its efforts on producing passenger and freight carrying helicopters and hovercraft.
The three Princess aircraft were laid up, one at Cowes and two at Calshot Spit where for many years they remained a familiar landmark to those crossing the Solent. All were scrapped by 1967.[
Saunders-Roe SARO (1951). Overfly a King George V Battelship
Not a usual vessel frequenting the River Thames! An SRN4 Hovercraft passes The Tower of London on a river cruise circa 1970s. Notable, would have been the noise level in the city from the four propulsion units, as these were before ducted fans and the pressure for quieter modes of transport. 🇬🇧
Old school: SRN 6 - Canadian Coastguard