Short S.25 Hythe

[McColm]

As you know,  I have always wanted to build the Short S.25 Sandringham using the Airfix or Italeri 1/72 kits. There's an article in The Airfix Magazine dated November 1969 which shows you how to build one  and there have been one or two conversion sets produced over the years but they are becoming very difficult to find.
However there is an alternative the Short S.25 Hythe the less glamorous option which is the civilian version of the Sunderland Mk III,  with all the guns  and upper turret removed.
The next dilemma is the windows along the fuselage,  do you keep the existing ones which is more in keeping with the transport version or opt for a combination of round and rectangular? In both cases the bomb doors will need to be plugged.
You can go to town on the interior details either by scratch building or there's a few etched metal sets available. My only concern is will you be able to see this through the windows?
Now comes the engines,  do you modify the ones in the kit or replace them with Pratt and Whitney Wasps which have the reverse pitch or add your own? There's an aftermarket rigging set for the installation of the floats. These might have to be reshaped depending on which kit you are using.
The paint scheme and decals,  the Hythe was used by several airlines or you could opt for a military operator. There's another option of a water bomber. This was a feasibility study undertaken by Airlines of New South Wales, Australia for two of their Sandringhams to be converted unfortunately nothing further was forthcoming but to the Whiffing world this could be achieved.
I would suggest that you build the beaching  gear first as this will be useful during the construction process.

I have a 1/72 Italeri Short Sunderland Mk III in the stash which will be the donor for this build. I will be adding extra round windows to the fuselage .I will be changing the engines, my first thought was Rolls-Royce Griffons,  I do have a few options available in the stash. Upto a point this will be a straight out of the box construction.

[Nick]

There is one built on the Airfix forum which looks rather good but he doesn't go into the conversion details.

https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/forum/short-s-25-hythe-a-sunderland-but-not-as-you-know-it/?p=1/

[McColm]

Thanks Nick

[dogsbody]

This: https://archive.org/details/Airfix_Magazine_1969-11



Chris

[McColm]

This: https://archive.org/details/Airfix_Magazine_1969-11



Chris

I'm going to need a pair of glasses or a magnifying glass to read the print. I have that issue of the magazine in my library.