The Short Solway: last of the RAF flying boats

[Rheged]

Here you are, people, another backstory in search of a modeller.   

The Short Solway: last of the RAF flying boats.

The Short S25 Sunderland, designed in parallel with the Empire flying boats, was not a single substantive design, but was subject to numerous improvements and modifications throughout its life.  There were five marks of Sunderland, the Mark IV  being sufficiently different to warrant a  new identity  as the S45 Seaford.  Civilian versions;  the Hythe and the Sandringham also existed.  In the immediate post Second World War  period, there were aircraft companies within the UK  felt that there was still a market for flying boats.  These designs were in fact well engineered concepts at the wrong time. The Saro Princess (1)  was in design and engineering terms a most impressive machine but economically a non-starter.   Other proposals such as the Blackburn B49 Clydesman,  the Saro P131  Duchess and  Saro P192 Queen  never left the drawing board.  However, a much more conservative flying boat proposal did reach service.

Originally identified as the Sunderland Mark VII (the Mark VI being only a design exercise involving a twin tail  and six engines) the Short Solway evolved out of an Air Ministry suggestion that the new turbine engines being developed might be successfully adopted.  Rolls Royce Clyde (2) and Dart (3), Napier Naiad (4), Armstrong Siddeley Mamba (5)  and  Bristol  Theseus (6) were all potential turbo-prop engines being tested or in advanced development at this time.  Short took the basic Sunderland airframe and stretched it by five feet whilst maintaining the hull form and wing structure. This stretch permitted  improvements  in crew comfort and increased fuel tankage.   The first Short Solway, a much modified Sunderland Mark V airframe, took to the air in December 1946 with four derated Rolls Royce Clyde engines each developing 1300 hp. The Clyde was potentially  a powerful engine, but difficulties with engine gearing led to its abandonment.  A production order for 12 of the Solway, with Dart Da3s was manufactured during 1949 and placed into  service with 209 squadron in a mixed Sunderland and Solway outfit.
Crews were most impressed with the Solway.  The Dart engine meant much less vibration, a quieter working environment and an extended range. 20 hour sorties were usual, the 10 man crew having  bunks, a flushing toilet and small galley. Aircraft were initially fitted for but not with 4 fixed 20mm cannon  in the nose, and an array of 0.5 inch Brownings. Two in the nose turret, four in the tail and two to either beam. A dorsal turret was not mounted but was available, with a further two Brownings. Up to 6,000 pounds of  bombs, mines or depth charges could be carried, or a reduced offensive load and up to twelves life-raft packs, each capable of supporting 12 people.

The Korean War saw Solways acting as ASR units, based at Iwakuni, Japan until October 1954.   By this time, the value of this aircraft had been recognised and 25 of the the Solway mark 2 had been ordered.the RAAF saw the aircraft as a useful addition to their inventory, and 16 were supplied. Further RAF aircraft were acquired  in small numbers as attrition replacements.  The RNZAF took 8, the French Aeronavale ordered 12 to operate around the islands of French Polynesia and 4 were supplied to the Swedish Flygvapnet as Tp49 Sundsval.  These aircraft were used to monitor events in the Baltic, and in 1959 Sundsval 03 was "on patrol" (actually monitoring a Soviet exercise) near the entrance to Gulf of Finland when it was repeatedly harassed by a MiG 17.  The MiG repeatedly made head on  attacking manoeuvres towards the  Swedish aircraft.  Mindful of the 1952 "Catalina Incident" of 1952 (7) and having obtained clearance from the Swedish Defence Ministry, Sundsval 03  unleashed  a blast from the  four 20mm cannon and both 0.5 inch Brownings in the nose turret .  The damaged MiG crashed in International waters with the pilot ejecting safely, sustaining only minor injuries.  Sundsval 03 landed,  picked up the pilot and returned undamaged to its base, where the Soviet pilot sought  political asylum.


The RAF  operated Solways  with 88, 205 and 209 squadrons from Milford Haven, Ganavan near Oban,  Cattewater Plymouth and the fresh water sites at Whitecross Bay Windemere, Lough Erne in Northern Ireland and Loch Ness. The Whitecross Bay site was manned until 1962, despite loud and continuous protests from the "Friends of the Lake District" pressure group.   Operations from fresh water bases aided the process of clearing the aircraft hulls   of marine growths.

Piracy in the Straits of Malacca has always been a problem, but in 1957  matters came to a head with vessels of all nations coming under attack. A detachment of Solways operating out of Singapore was tasked with sorting out the problem.  Most pirate attacks happened at night.  The anti surface vessel radar   and Leigh Light equipment made identifying suspect vessels easy and since 209 Squadron was "weapons free" in these circumstances, piracy was rapidly stopped in its tracks.

During the period of the "Indonesian Confrontation" from 1963 to 1966, Short Solways patrolled the coast of Borneo, acting as gunships to dissuade Indonesian irregulars from infiltration by sea.  On these operations, nose, dorsal, beam and tail guns were installed and a full compliment of 250 lb bombs carried.

By 1959, the Short Solway had been supplanted by the Avro Shackleton as the primary maritime reconnaissance aircraft, but detachments of 209 Squadron were operating from RAF Gan,  Aden and several bases around the Caribbean .   In November 1960,  two Cuban patrol vessels collided about 80 miles north west of Havana.   A Solway in the area observed to collision and landed on open water, taking a total of 36 crew from the sinking vessels.   They were flown to Havana and landed safely.  During 1961, five further rescues of Cuban fishermen were undertaken by Short Solway aircraft operating out of Freeport in the Bahamas.   The Cuban revolutionary authorities became used to Solways bumbling around the Caribbean, and raised no objection to occasional overflights, which were attributed to navigational errors.    In October 1962 , coastal flights by detachments of 209  squadron along the Cuban coast were regarded as air-sea rescue operations and as a result, a great deal of vital photographic information was shared with the US Defense Department.  The USAF operated 6 Solways on lease from the RAF for a short period in the Caribbean in the early 1960's but no information is yet available  about their operations (8) 

Despite regular upgrading, Short Solway flying boats were  increasingly regarded as an anachronism by the RAF, and 1967 saw the final withdrawal of this aircraft.  Sundsval 03 is currently under restoration by the Swedish Air Force    Australia and New Zealand each have a Solway in museum reserve stocks, the Aeronavale have a single Solway in store at Lann Bihoue airfield near Lorient and the RAF have a total of four airframes, held at Wroughton, Duxford and Cosford.

This aircraft had a remarkably low accident rate.  The RNZAF lost one aircraft during bad weather near Tauranga, Bay of Plenty; the RAAF had two airframes damaged beyond repair during storms near Darwin, and one  with hull damage deliberately  landed on Whitehaven Beach , Whitsunday Island, Queensland and the Aeronavale lost three aircraft in total around Tahiti.   RAF losses include one aircraft sunk at its moorings at Ganavan near Oban, three damaged beyond repair by hurricanes in the Caribbean and one sunk in Windemere after striking a submerged rock.

(1)   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f906Sy79hA
(2)   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Clyde
(3)   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Dart
(4)   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napier_Naiad
(5)   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armstrong_Siddeley_Mamba
(6)   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Theseus
(7)   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalina_affair
(8)   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Missile_Crisis


Should anyone wish to adjust, amend or add to this orphan backstory  I would be delighted to read your material.