| The Solent was the civil version of the Seaford flying-boat, 18 of which were operated by BOAC as 30-passenger Solent 2s (12) and 34-passenger Solent 3s (6) before the company abandoned the use of flying-boats in 1950. Power for these was provided by Bristol Hercules 637 engines. Four Solent 4s were operated by Tasman Empire Airways with Hercules 733 engines and accommodation for 42 day passengers.
MODEL | Solent 3 |
ENGINE | 4 x Bristol Hercules 637, 1260kW |
WEIGHTS |
Take-off weight | 35650 kg | 78595 lb |
Empty weight | 21860 kg | 48193 lb |
DIMENSIONS |
Wingspan | 34.38 m | 113 ft 10 in |
Length | 26.72 m | 88 ft 8 in |
Height | 10.45 m | 34 ft 3 in |
Wing area | 156.72 m2 | 1686.92 sq ft |
PERFORMANCE |
Max. speed | 430 km/h | 267 mph |
Ceiling | 4725 m | 15500 ft |
Range | 3540 km | 2200 miles |
Alec Knight, e-mail, 13.11.2009 15:10 I worked on this aircraft when i was 16. I fitted the tieplates and stringers in the fuselage. reply | Scott Buckingham, e-mail, 03.08.2009 07:26 There is a nice Solent MkIII at the Oakland Aviation museum in Oakland, CA. It has the original mid-50's updated interior and was used in "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Check it out at oaklandaviationmuseum.org. reply | albert leonhard, e-mail, 16.06.2009 15:31 Hello! in spring 1949, I was 11 years old, my parents ad siter flew from sout hampton via augusta, cicily,(staying overnignt) to alexandria, Egypt (overnigh stay)to Bahrein Islands (afternoon tea)to Karachi, Pakistan. landing at night. When the doors opened a harbour security man entered the airplane and sprayed us wit a flit gun.. Never ever forget this trip. Some years ago I climbed into a solent in oskosh, wisconsin, and had a long talk with the owner.. Keepem flying Albert leonhard www.fliegerjacken.de reply | Bernard David Snell, e-mail, 06.05.2009 19:16 I flew in G-AKNU from Southampton to Singapore in the early 1950's the trip took eight days with stops in Bizerta, Cyprus, Karachi, Bahrain, Goa, and another Idian stop and then Colombo and finally Singapore. reply |
| Frank, e-mail, 22.03.2007 17:44 I am searching for other color photos of the Short Solent in BOAC livery.Thanks reply |
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