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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1354.PDF
•nS F LI G HI AUGUST 4TH, 1949 A PRINCESS ADVANCES Moving the Hull of the First 140-ton Saro for New Constructional Steps Illustrated by "Flight" photographs ON the occasion, last Tuesday week, of withdrawingthe first Princess Class flying-boat hull from itsbuilding stocks, to allow erection to proceed, Sir Arthur Gouge, vice-chairman and chief executive of Saunders-Roe, Ltd., summed up progress with these 140- ton double-deckers for B.O.A.C. The first Princess—"the world's largest practical flying boat," as he described it— was being moved, as near as made no difference, at the time envisaged eighteen months ago. Sir Arthur is emphatic that Saunders-Roe have more than faith in these craft—they have knowledge. The engines are in sight of being ready and the first launching date can almost be foretold. During the three years since the Class was planned, nothing has shaken the faith of the firm and Sir Arthur is confident that, irrespective of class, these great boats will put Great Britain in the forefront of long-range aircraft development. The substance behind these pronouncements can be seen by anyone fortunate enough to be afloat off Saro's enviably situated Medina works. Until recently, No. 1 hull, as seen from the river through the open doors of the erecting shop, was in its stocks on the right-hand side, with hull No. 2 (only four or five months behind, in terms of structural completeness) and No. 3 (some ten months behind), lying parallel on the opposite side. The first hull having been largely built, and having the wing centre-section, but not the rear body and tail unit, in place, it was transferred last Tuesday week to the centre of the shop for the fitting of the inner wings (housing the ten Bristol Proteus turboprops), the after-end of the hull, and the main tail-unit assembly. Even now, little enough room appears to be available for these major undertakings. Finally, the aircraft will be moved into the open for the attachment of the outer planes and the tip of the fin, prior to being launched, it is hoped, towards the end of next Sir Arthur Gouge, vice-chair- wan and chief executive of Saunders-Roe (left) and Mr. Henry Knowler, chief designer, well content with the progress of the move of Princess hull No. I. A IO
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