In Australian Service – Shorts flying boats

After analysing their route structure, Imperial Airways approached Short Brothers in late 1934 to submit their answer to the specification outlined. This was for a significantly improved Kent flying boat capable of carrying 24 passengers and 1 1/2 tons of mail over an 800-mile range.

As luck would have it, Shorts had also been requested by the British Air Ministry some months earlier to tender a design for a long-range four-engined flying boat. Drawing on their past experience with the Scion and Knuckleduster and their current design work with the Scioh Senior, Shorts decided to go ahead with the design of a monoplane flying boat. This latter aircraft would have double the linear dimensions of the Scion Senior. The similarity of both the Air Ministry’s and Imperial Airways’ requirements was certainly beneficial to Shorts from a design point of view. When Imperial Airways were presented with the design they were so impressed that they progressively increased their initial order and a contract was signed for 28 aircraft. No prototype had yet flown but they were confident that the aircraft would fulfil their needs.

What emerged from the design effort were two similar aircraft tailored to. their respective customer’s needs. The civil aircraft was allocated the Short type number S. 23, No name was given to it and Imperial Airways referred to it as the “C-class” and an imaginative list of names beginning with C was given to these aircraft. Although Imperial Airways later identified the type with the class name imperial Flying Boat it was generally referred to as the Empire Boat The military aircraft was given the Shorts type number S. 25 but became more famously known as the Sunderland. Both these aircraft were the forerunners of an illustrious line of large four-engined flying boats which concluded with the post-war Solent.

The Empire Boat embodies numerous features to improve performance, maintenance and comfort. Typical of the innovative thinking were the portions of the wing leading edge adjacent to the engine cowls, which could be hinged down and then Utilised as engineer’s maintenance platforms. Powerplants were the nine-cylinder Bristol Pegasus Xe which developed 710hp at 3,500ft at 2,250rpm, empty weight was 24,000lb and gross weight 40,500lb. In service the Empire Boat carried five crew; 17 passengers and two tons of mail. For night operations there was sleeping accommodation for 12 passengers.

The first aircraft to be completed was the G-ADHL “Canopus” which was completed during June 1936 and launched on 2 July without upholstery. Test pilot John Parker, although at first only intending to carry out taxying trials the following day, became so confident that he took “Canopus” up for an unexpected 14-minute first flight. Test flights, outfitting of the interior and proving flights took place over the next few months utilising various aircraft. The type went into regular service in late October 1936. Additional orders from Imperial Airways and Qantas took the total number built to 42 aircraft. This comprised 31 bf the original S. 23 type, nine S. 30 and two S. 33 aircraft. The S. 30 was powered by the 815hp Bristol Perseus Xllc and was strengthened to allow a 46,000lb take-off weight ahd the range was extended to 1,500 miles. The S. 33 was initially fitted with the 830hp Pegasus XI and later the 890hp Pegasus XXII which allowed a gross weight of 53,000lb. Construction of the Empire Boats ceased with the launching of the two S. 33s during April 1940.

Apart from the Empire Boats’ association with the BritainAustralia route, many other routes were flown and several notable flights were made. G-ADHM “Caledonia” and G-ADUV “Cambria” had greatly increased fuel capacity from 650 gallons to 2,320 gallons, with a commensurate reduction in payload, arid made several flights across the Atlantic between Foynes on the Shannon River, Ireland and Botwood, Newfoundland. A particularly interesting development was the introduction of air-to-air refuelling onto this route. Three Handley Page Harrow bombers were converted to tankers each carrying 900 gallons of fuel One went to Rineanna (later known as Shannon Airport) and the other two by sea to Hattie’s Camp (later Gander), Newfoundland. On 5 August 1939 a regular weekly transatlantic service commenced flying Southampton, f=oyhes, Botwood, Montreal and New York. The air-to-air refuelling transfer of 800 gallons took eight minutes and the initial linkup from three to seven minutes. This service continued without incident in both directions but was discontinued on 30 September because of the war. G-AFCU “Cabot” and G-AFCV “Caribou” were the empire Boats employed on this exercise.

An incident involving G-ADVB “Corsair” is worthy of inclusion in an “Indiana Jones” type of epic. On 14 March 1939, a combination of weather and fuel shortage compelled “Corsair” to make a forced landing in the Belgian Congo on the River Dangu, 150 miles to the southwest of Juba. The flying-boat sank after being holed but no one was injured. Short Brothers arid Imperial Airways both sent engineers to make repairs and by the end of June all was ready for “Corsair” to take-off. Much was done to assist the take-off including the tethering of the tail mooring rope to a stake with engines running at full power before the rope was disconnected. A lack of space caused the take-off to be abandoned and “Corsair” was held on a rock while taxying back for a second take-off attempt. As the dry season was approaching the repair team enlisted local aid to dam the river to lengthen the take-off run. The engines were removed with much other equipment and “Corsair” was beached for repairs. After reassembly ”Corsair” successfully took off on 6 January 1940. A village had been established around the repair site and this area was named Corsairville in recognition of the event.

Qantas made initial investigations of the Empire flying-boat scheme during 1934. The MacRobertson Race held during October 1934 showed dramatically what speeds could be accomplished by modern monoplane land planes. The DH-88 Comet and more significantly, the DC-2 airliner which ran a most creditable race fired the public’s imagination. Certainly the existing 9 1/2 days to fly Lon. don-Brisbane looked rather lengthy compared to the 70 hours 54 minutes time of the Comet and just over 90 hours for the DC-2. Despite the DC-2’s performance, it was not suitable for the Qantas stage lengths on the Empire Route. Although there was considerable opposition in Australia to the flying-boat concept, particularly on the aspect of costs, there was no alternative. Even Pan American were using flyingboats extensively as there were simply no long range land-based aircraft available.

To add to the tide of Australian opposition, the results of a survey by RAAF Squadron Leader A. E. Hempel showed that, in his opinion, there were no bases around Australia suitable for the requirements of the Empire Flying-Boat Service. . During this period the DH-86s were in service but the gradually mounting volume of mail indicated a need for a larger aircraft. In an effort to further explore the viability of the flying boat, Qantas decided to carry out a Survey from Singapore to Sydney. A Short Singapore Ill flying boat was borrowed from the RAF for the mission and on 6 May 1936 the aircraft left Singapore under the command of Flight Lieutenant Riccard. A party of ten were on board including Hudson Fysh.

The survey route was flown from Singapore to Klabat Bay on Banka Island, Sourabaya, Bima, Koepang and Darwin. The next part of the journey was the investigation of routes around Australia. This resulted in alighting areas being recommended at Groote Eylandt, Ka. rumba, Townsville, Bowen (for emergency purposes), Brisbane, with the service terminating at Rose Bay.

During 1937, apart from the opposition from land-based aircraft supporters, the selection of Rose Bay caused much consternation in that immediate area. It even got to the stage where Botany Bay was being seriously suggested as an alternative base. A factor against Botany Bay was its exposure to swell from the· open sea. To solve this problem a breakwater would have been required at a cost of 600,000 pounds taking three years to construct. During September Hudson Fysh visited Imperial Airways. in London to clear up outstanding matters regarding Qantas· involvement and the stage was then set for the Service to commence. Qantas was to fly Sydney-Singapore with Imperial Airways operates the remainder of the route to London.

The first Qantas Empire Boat VH-ABB “Coolangatta” departed from Southampton on 18 March 1938 . under the command of Captain G. U. Allan. It was the vanguard of afleet of six for Qantas and carded two aircrews, three cabin crew and had accommodation for 15 passengers. The freight capacity was a useful 8;200Ib. Because of the emphasis placed on maximum freight load the range was. 760 miles. The need for frequent refuelling stops coupled with night stopovers resulted in an elapsed duration of 9 1. /2 days for the London-Sydney flight. This was seen as a detracting feature of the service and in fact there was a clause in the agreement signed during 1938, stating that the time should. be reduced to 7 1/2 days. During the time of preparation for the service, Qantas itself was in a state of change and gradually moved its headquarters from Brisbane to Sydney. The initial Sydney Southampton service Was operated by VHABF “Cooee” which left Rose Bay oh 5 July 1938. The pilot iri command was Captain Lynch-Blosse who was oh loan to Qantas from Imperial Airways. One of the major factors for the inception of the service was the All-up Empire Airmail Scheme which was intended to provide a speedy economical airmail service between Australia and Great Britain. This scheme was initiated by the Empire Boat G-ADUY “Capella” which ieft Southampton with 2 1/2 tons of mail on 28 July. The flying boat reached Singapore on 2 August with a flying time of four days 21 hours. It then left Singapore on the 3rd and arrived in Darwin the following day. “Capella” then departed from Darwin on the 5th and arrived at Rose Bay at 5. 45pm the following day. The time taken for the entire Southampton-Sydney journey was 8 days 21 hours 45 min.

The inaugural Empire Airmail carrying flight from Australia left Rose Bay on 4 August under the command of Captain Lester Brain. At a ceremony prior to the departure of G-AEUB “Camilla”, the Acting Governor-General, Lord Huntingfield officially declared the service open when he cut a ribbon linking the flying-boat with the shore. The facilities at Rose Bay were incomplete when these operations commenced with the main hangar not being completed until October the following year. This flight was the prelude to the regular three-times-a-week service which opened a few days later on 9 August with the departure of G-AETV “Coriolanus” under the command of Captain Allan with Captain R. B. Tapp.

Over the next few months the service settled down but on 12 December 1938 the vulnerability of the flying boats in exposed moorings during a storm was graphically illustrated. VH-ABE “Goorong” was moored at Darwin and during a severe storm in the evening, both the mooring rope and storm pennant were unable to cope with the strain. “Coorong” was blown onto rocks at the breakwater and suffered extensive hull damage. Prompt action by Captain Brain, who supervised attempts to secure “Coorong”, prevented further serious damage. It was subsequently dismantled and returned to Short Brothers by ship for rebuilding and an eventual return to service. However GADUY “Capella” was not so lucky. Captain Bert Hussey was taxying “Capella” close in shore at Batavia on 12 March 1939 when it was holed after hitting the submerged wreck of an old frigate. It was promptly beached but the damaged hull was full of water. It was decided to return it to Great Britain by sea for repairs, but after the extent of salt water corrosion and shipping damage had been determined as extensive, “Capella” was scrapped.

The outbreak of war on 3 September made an abrupt change to the fortunes of the Empire Boats. The All-up Airmail Scheme was suspended a few days later and over the coming months many changes were implemented to permit a revised line of communication to be kept open. This led to the opening of the Horseshoe Route from Sydney to Durban via Cairo, so called because of the shape of the Route. One service a week was flown over the 15,400 mile route in each direction and Qantas was responsible for the Singapore-Sydney sector. Qantas was later approached by BOAC to extend its crewing of aircraft from Singapore to Karachi. By negotiating with the RAAF for the return of personnel previously transferred to them, Qantas were able to comply with BOAC’s request. This now meant it was responsible for crewing on 8,698 miles of the route instead of the 4,681 miles originally flown. On arrival at Durban, the mail was then carried by sea to London. An exception to this was urgent official communications which were carried by air on this last sector.

The first service left Durban on 19 June 1940 and on arrival at Singapore on 27 June the mail was put on G-AEUH “Corio” under the command of Captain Tapp. “Corio” eventually arrived at Rose Bay on 1 July, after having visited 44 ports of call during the 13 day journey, surely calling for quite a massive amount of organisation. As a means of improving the range of the flying boats, both BOAC and Qantas installed an extra three 220-gallon fuel tanks. The tanks were manufactured in Sydney and were either fitted at Sydney or were shipped to Durban for installation by BOAC. The frequency of flights was later increased to two services a week and the service continued until Japan’s entry into the war on 8 December 1941. By late December Penang was occupied and Singapore was to come under attack a week later. This caused the closure of the Horseshoe Route with BOAC terminating their flights at Rangoon. When the situation deteriorated further ten days later BOAC withdrew its easterly terminal to Calcutta. When the Japanese later surrendered Burma and Malaya the flying-boats again flew through to Sydney. But much was to happen in the intervening period before the service was re-established.

And what of Qantas? Faced with the rapidly changing conditions the airline and its crews adapted with zeal and heroism to the difficulties which loomed ahead. During January 1941 it flew the first of the Batavia-Singapore-Batavia shuttles. This inaugurated a period of operations over several years virtually unique in civil air transport. Qantas was to find itself exposed to dangers and losses which could not have been imagined by its founders. The impending loss of Singapore meant that a rapid reorganisation of routes was necessary to keep lifelines open where possible. These shuttle flights to Singapore were carried out while that city was under constant attack. To ensure success some audacious measures were called for. One of these was the use of “Thomas’ Funkhole” named after Captain Thomas. This was a sheltered anchorage located in islands some miles from Singapore. When the flying boats knew from radio reports that a raid was in progress on Singapore they would alight at “Thomas’ Funkhole” or another area amongst the Dutch Islands to the south. When the “all clear” was advised to them they would then proceed to Singapore. When the daylight raids increased in ferocity, the flying boats timed their arrivals at dusk and after reaching Singapore would depart at dawn the following morning. The final such shuttle left Singapore at 2. 30am on 4 February under the command of Captain W. H. Crowther carrying 40 passengers. Using bright moonlight he departed from the Inner Roads and had the satisfaction of having this event reported on Tokyo Radio later that day.

However all was not plain sailing as the loss of G-ARUH “Corio” happened during this period. On 30 January “Corio” left Darwin under the command of Captain A. A. Koch on a special flight to pick up women and children evacuees at Sourabaya. While approaching Koepang, “Corio” was attacked by seven zeros and suffered considerable damage from machine-gun fire. With two engines on fire, “Corio” made an emergency alighting in the open sea about five miles off the Timor coast. The planning surface of the hull was so badly damaged that it caused “Corio” to almost turn over on its nose as it touched the water. The severe impact broke the back of the flying boat at the centre section. Spilling petrol from the ruptured fuel tanks caught alight creating an additional hazard for the survivors. Of the 18 occupants on board only seven survived the attack. Captain Koch had a bullet wound to the left arm and despite the loss of blood was able to swim the five miles to the shore in about three hours. He was joined by four others who succeeded in covering. the distance to the shore. The survivors received help from friendly natives and were eventually transported by a Dutch flying boat to Koepang. After a well-earned rest they returned to Australia.

Another series of shuttles were flown between Broome and Tjilatjap to rescue evacuees during February 1942. For these operations, the payload was reduced to 1,800Ib to allow the flying-boats to carry additional fuel to cover the 1,100 mile sector. A total of seven shuttles were carried out between 16 and 28 February in addition to three one way flights into Broome by Empire Boats earlier in the month.

As the Japanese invasion of Java seemed imminent “Coriolanus” left from Broome on 28 February for Tjilatjap on what was supposed to be the last flight. The Civil Aviation Department ordered the cancellation of the flight and “Coriolanus” returned to Broome. A message was transmitted soon after from Captain W. B. Purton on board “Circe” that both he and Captain Howard on “Corinthian” had departed Tjilatjap for Broome. He also stated that Tjilatjap was still a safe destination for “Coriolanus”. However unknown to him that mission had been cancelled. Captain Howard later landed at Broome but no trace of “Circe” was ever found. Her disappearance remains a mystery to this day although it has been presumed that “Circe” was lost to enemy action. A crew of four and 18 passengers were on board at the time of the loss. Enquiries to the Japanese authorities after the war failed to establish any conclusive evidence about the disappearance. They did reveal that several flying-boats, which could not be identified, had been shot down around that date but there was nothing to link any of the encounters positively with “Circe”.

The outbreak of the war had caused some changes to the ownership of some of the Empire Boats. When the Empire Route was severed by the outbreak of hostilities, BOAC’s G-AETV, GAEUB and G-AFPZ were in Australia and Qantas’ VH-ABA, VHABE and VH-ABF were in India. Ownership of the Qantas aircraft was exchanged for that of the BOAC Empire Boats. During 1942 the RAAF impressed five of the flying-boats and VH-ABB, VHABC, VH-ACD, G-ADUT and G-AEUA became A18-13, A18-12 A18-14, A18-10 and A18-11 respectively. Two of these aircraft were later returned to Qantas.

These RAAF aircraft operated around Australia and also served in New Guinea with A18-10 and A18-11 being based at Port Moresby after impressment. They were used as coastal reconnaissance aircraft until Lockheed Hudsons became available and also for general transport duties. Racks were fitted to enable 4X500Ib bombs to be carried but in practice that meant was rarely installed. The Empire Boats were attached various times to Number 11, 13, 20, 33 and 41 squadrons.

During January 1942 A18-11 and A18-12 assisted in the evacuation of Rabaul. Numerous other rescue missions were carried out during this period from areas north of Australia. Three of the RAAF Empire Boats were lost during 1942. On 27 February A18-12 crashed at Townsville while alighting after carrying out a test flight with the loss of the entire crew. A few days later A18-10 was destroyed at Broome. While making a landing in rough sea on 8 August at Daru, New Guinea, A18-11 was destroyed when the hull collapsed. With the return of the two other aircraft A18-13 and A18-14 to Qantas, the RAAF had ceased Empire Boat operations.

NEXT ISSUE: In Australian Service examines the fate of the remaining Qantas Empire flying boats. We also include a comprehensive ready reference listing of all the boats operated by Qantas, Imperial Airways and BOAC including those flown for a time by the RAAF during WWII. The next issue of Australian Aviation will be the November edition, don’t miss it.