A Flying Boat Series: Brief Details of the “Windhover” with Description of the Four‐ton “Cloud.”

Abstract

THE now well‐known Saunders‐Roe (Saro) “Cutty Sark,” which made its first appearance at the Olympia Aero Show a year ago, has proved to be only the first of a family of flying boats on similar lines, in varying sizes. It will be remembered that the prototype is a four‐seater cabin boat with a total weight of 3,600 lb. During the past year the possibilities of machines of this type up to 30 tons weight have been investigated, and, as a result, two have been constructed. The first of these is the “Windhover,” of 5,200 lb., a five seater, with three engines. It was found on investigation that to fit a third engine to the “Cutty Sark” would involve an appreciable drop in pay load, owing to the restriction imposed by the limited wing surface. The “Windhover” was therefore put in hand, to meet the demand for a 3‐engined machine carrying a good commercial load, on the same general lines as the other machine, but with each component part increased in size. The main details of this machine as a seaplane are given below, there being a slight reduction in performance when amphibian gear is fitted.

Citation

(1930), "A Flying Boat Series: Brief Details of the “Windhover” with Description of the Four‐ton “Cloud.”", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 2 No. 8, pp. 199-200. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb029299