EMPIRE AIR LINE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22205, 4 September 1935, Page 11

EMPIRE AIR LINE

MOEE FLYING-BOATS BRITISH ENTERPRISE! A FORMATION FLIGHT By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received September >5.5 p.m.) British Wireless RDGEY, SJept. 2 A considerable extension of the use of flying-boats on the Empire air routes is foreshadowed in an announcement that Imperial Airways, Limited, has brought to England one of the Short Calcutta threeengined flying-boats for use in training pilots in handling and navigation of marine aircrait. Large new flying-boats are being built for Imperial Airways by Messrs. Short Brothers, one oi: which is a four-engined craft of ?SOOO hcirse-power capablo of Carrying 24 passengers and mails, with a top speed of abor.t 180 miles an hour. Three flying-boats belonging No. 203 Squadron of the Royal Air Force will start to-morrow on a formation flight in four long stages to Basra. The flight is in connection with "he re-equipment of the squadron with S.bort Singa.pore 111. biplanes, each powered with four Rolls Royce Kestral liquid-cooled engines and is intended to provide further experience of cruises with halts made only at places under British control. The first stage is to Gibraltar, a distance of 1100 miles and the succeeding stages are: Gibraltar to Malta, 985 miles; Malta to Aboukir, 920 miles; Aboukir to Basra, 1070 miles. 11l view of the length of the flight no stage is to be undertaken unless a favourable weather report is received. The Singapore ni. is able to cruise on one fuel load for 1000 miles at an average speed of 105 miles an hour, arid its ceiling is 15,000 feet. Built entirely of metal, with an aluminium alio*' predominant, the equipment includes cooking gear, sleeping berths and ample room for personal luggage. Three machine-gun stations are provided £»nd a big load can be carried in the Form of bombs or a large torpedo. The squadron is to resume the duties of a coastal patrol and reconnaissance in the Persian Gulf.