Short Sealand?

Do elaborate……..

In my experience, as long as the aircraft are operated in accordance with the relevant Rules of the Air, there are no requirements likely to be a show stopper for waterborne ops. Even the requirement for licensed water aerodromes was thrown out about 10 years ago….

In England & Wales, as long as you have the water owners permission, fill your boots……(Not literally of course). In a much more liberated Scotland, land anywhere….:D

Ah, the rules seem to have changed then as I seem to recall reading about 15 years back that any area of water intended to be used for seaplanes in England and Wales had to be approved by the CAA but in Scotland the ruling you mention was the case. Aha! Just reread your post and it seems I was getting confused with private and licenced operations. Cheers for clearing that up. I’m pleased they’ve got their act together.

I have attached pictures of the Ulster Folk Museum Sealand, as she was about a Year or so ago.

Regards

WF

(G-AKLV) AP-AFM operated riverine in, I think, what is now Bangladesh, came back to be surveyed for a major (I saw it 5/58 at Rochester). Too dear, abandoned, bought by Hants&Sussex/Pompey for the engines, and junked.

The Sealand is an interesting, if flawed, little plane. It seems it was hindered by its hydrodynamics. First they found it couldn’t be used safely in the open sea – which cost an order from British West Indian Airways, and then its handling limited use in narrow waterways until a modification was added to the hull.

In theory it shouldn’t have happened, not with the Short Brother’s previous experience in sucessful flying boats but the company had changed a lot during the war.

Anyway, the Sealand is a really pretty little plane so here’s a couple of pics of the prototype G-AIVX.

Short Sealand

The Ulster Transport Museum has one to be, or being, renovated to display standards. I last saw it there about a couple of years ago. Their web site http://www.uftm.org.uk/collections_and_research/transport_collections/air_transport/ does not say much about it. Try the Ulster Aviation Society.

The one in Belgrade appears to have its outer wings on, although there is no date attached to the photo….

http://www.pbase.com/vmarinkovic/image/24084364

My first visit to Portsmouth Airport would have been in July/August 62. As I recollect the only the fuselage was present, stood outside by the aeroclub hangar. It had been stripped back to bare metal, with no registration being visible. Do not remember there being any wings with it. The adjacent hangar contained a couple of Tillings Stevens Petrol Electric buses.

I don’t think it lasted for long after that, went there through 63 & 64 but do not remember seeing it.

Planemike

the CAA rules on waterborne ops are far too restrictive

Do elaborate……..

In my experience, as long as the aircraft are operated in accordance with the relevant Rules of the Air, there are no requirements likely to be a show stopper for waterborne ops. Even the requirement for licensed water aerodromes was thrown out about 10 years ago….

In England & Wales, as long as you have the water owners permission, fill your boots……(Not literally of course). In a much more liberated Scotland, land anywhere….:D

I remember a derelict Sealand fuselage being present at Portsmouth Airport, stored next to the Aero Club hangar in 1962/3. It was unpainted with no visible marks. Does anyone have any info on this a/c, in particular what may have happened to it?

Planemike

I have a note of a visit made to Portsmouth Airport on 3/2/1962, when I recorded a Short Sealand being present as G-AKLV.

Unfortunately, other than it was ‘outside’, there was no indication of its condition or state of completeness made at the time.

Wicked Willip :diablo:

My memory obviously wasn’t as good as I thought. I could have sworn the engines were only about 250hp. About the only thing I got right was the engine manufacturer.

I remember a derelict Sealand fuselage being present at Portsmouth Airport, stored next to the Aero Club hangar in 1962/3. It was unpainted with no visible marks. Does anyone have any info on this a/c, in particular what may have happened to it?

Planemike

I’m impressed and can only wish them well. I’m pleased to see they’ve changed the cockpit windscreens to something alonng the lines of the Widgeon as the original ones looked like Mickey Mouses’ eyes. I doubt we’ll see many this side of the pond though as the CAA rules on waterborne ops are far too restrictive (sorry I should clarify that with ‘in England and Wales as in Scotland if the area of water is large enough to fly in and out of you can do so)

READ the link, NEW build!:D

Who’s leg are you trying to pull? I’d have thought the Widgeon or maybe the Mallard but not the Goose. By resurrected do you mean restoration of existing airframes or new build?

Interesting that the Grumman G-21 Goose may be the next antique plane to be resurrected!:)

http://www.antillesseaplanes.com/

A bit of checking has revealed that 24 of these amphibians were produced, 14 of which were British registered.

The aircraft were powered by a pair of Gipsy Queen 70-3 or 70-4s delivering 340 h.p. I would suggest not especially underpowered, but a modern turbo prop would have improved the aircraft no end……..as it did for a number of Grumman amphibs in the 60s & 70s.

There are certainly none flying. I can think of three, all in museums, Belfast N.I.(sadly stored, would be a great a/c to see restored, money better spent on this rare a/c than duplicate Concordes….IMHO), Belgrade and India (Goa, I think). The Indian Navy operated ten in the 50s….

Planemike

Completely agree that Grumman were the death of these beautiful looking little machines. Of course the fact that they were under powered couldn’t have helped at all. As far as I remember the power was 2x250hp deH Gipsy sixes, de Havilland anyway, pretty certain about the power but not the particular engine.

Two left, One in The UK (Nick Grace swapsies?) and one in India

IIRC

Cheers

Cees

What happened to them?

Grumman.

Any still flying?

No.

See: http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17746

And:
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=67165

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=29808

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=37514