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Aviation History
1939
1939 - 1167.PDF
406 FLIGHT. APRIL 20, 1939 The Singapore I of 1927 (below) was originally fitted with Rolls-Royce Condors, though Buzzards were event ually substituted. On the right are two developments of this machine—the Singapore II and III, each with four Rolls-Royce Kestrels. The Singapore III still forms the equipment of a number of R.A.F.General Reconnaissance Squadrons. The Valetta, shown above in landplane and seaplane forms, makes an interesting comparison with the Calcutta flying boat, which had similar power plants. A Valetta was flown to South Africa by Sir Alan Cobham in 1931, though this trip is not to be confused with his circuit of the same continent in a Singapore. Calcutta was such that the Breguet con cern acquired the licence to construct them in France, and even to-day pas sengers in the Short Empire flying boats may see these fine old craft operating from the Etang de Berre, near Mar seilles. Despite the outstanding success of the Calcutta type many people felt (and still feel) that for certain duties the twin- float seaplane was superior to the flying boat. There was also an agitation for the construction of a large commercial monoplane, so Short Bros, and the Air Ministry determined to explore the pos sibilities of a high-wing monoplane float plane which would be easily convertible to a landplane and having the same power plant as the Calcutta. In structural design the Valetta, as the big monoplane was called, followed quite closely that of the Calcutta, despite the dissimilarity of layout. More valuable experience was gained by converting the Valetta into a land- plane. Among the following figures those in brackets apply to the Valetta as fitted with a land undercarriage: Weight empty, 14,535 lb. (13.985 lb.); weight loaded, 22,400 lb. (21,850 lb.); top speed, 135 m.p.h. (138 m.p.h.) ; initial rate of climb, 850 ft/min. (880 ft/min). After a period of instructive experimental flying the Valetta was made into an aerial wireless laboratory. Smaller Landplanes It may have been inferred that since 1926 Short Bros, had been concentrating exclusively on the development of very large aircraft. This was, in fact, by no means the case, for apart from the Crusader racing monoplane already mentioned, they had tested the Sturgeon three-seater reconnaissance seaplane, the Chamois army co-operation machine and fighter, and the Gurnard fleet- fighter reconnaissance type and had developed a unique amphibian under carriage. The Sturgeon was fitted with a 450 h.p. Bristol Jupiter engine and was of classic Short construction. Similar in many respects to the Sturgeon, the Chamois was a landplane (actually a development of the Springbok) with the pilot placed beneath the centre section of the top wing, in which there was a The Short amphibian undercarriage was applied to a Gurnard, a Mussel and a D.H. Moth. The Moth installation is seen on the left. ' Flight " photographs.
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