Dave Fleming Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 The caption says This hydroplane is part of the R.A.F. rescue service in the Middle East. It operates on the lakes of the Nile Delta for the assistance of pilots who may make forced landings in the water. Consisting of a cabin mounted on seaplane flats it is driven by an aircraft engine and propeller mounted in the stern and steered by an aircraft rudder. There are also rudders on each of the floats. The top speed of the craft is about fifteen knots. Photo taken on March 11, 1942. http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/09...ampaign/100140/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lufbramatt Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 (edited) brilliant photo! i think- floats- swordfish engine- supemarine walrus not sure on rudder . . Edited September 8, 2011 by lufbramatt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 rudder looks like Hind Wez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lufbramatt Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 haha you beat me! was just coming back to say hawker hind for the rudder! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 (edited) Could the engine be from one of those big-old inter war Vickers or Handley-Page transports? Wez Edited September 8, 2011 by Wez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lufbramatt Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 yeah, looking at it, the engine isnt a bristol pegasus, looks older than that. If it was a pegasus (~700bhp!) i'd expect it would do a lot more than 15 knots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killingholme Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Shows the craft skills that were around at that time- I'd wager whoever built that hull had some coachbuilding experience. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Might it be the engine nacelle from a Walrus? Floats from a Fairey Seafox or Tiger Moth floatplane? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Jones Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Looks like a bit of Morris 1000 Traveller in there as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penfold Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 So, who's going to be first with the diorama project ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted September 8, 2011 Author Share Posted September 8, 2011 (edited) I'd agree with the Hind rudder, the floats could be a number of things, but the engine is intruiging - the exhaust (?) ring might help identify it, IIRC the Walrus did not have that arrangement. I should know what it might be, but I'm a long way from home and my books!! EDIT - Could it be an Armstrong Siddely Serval/Double Mongoose from a SARO Cloud? Edited September 8, 2011 by Dave Fleming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okdoky Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 No need to worry about getting the cockpit glazing to stick or masking it for painting. Don't think the wood is painted even (maybe just sealed with a varnish). Someone should be able to knock a model of this up jildy !!!!!! The downed pilots are likely to have heard that coming to get them from a good distance. Nige Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Could it be an Armstrong Siddely Serval/Double Mongoose from a SARO Cloud? Dave, Funnily enough, I was looking at the Saro Cloud as a potential source for the engine. It looks quite small, certainly much smaller than would be employed on a transport aircraft, and the pod just shouts "maritime" to me, hence my original Walrus proposal. However, it looks too small for the Walrus - too short and the wrong shape, including that odd exhaust ring. Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darby Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 My guess is Walrus engine, Swordfish floats and looks like a Beaufighter shaped tail, or pssibly a Rapide as it's fabric covered by the looks of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek burton Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 If that had been German, Dragon or Trumpeter would have had it on the shelves by now. Dek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad 10 Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 If that had been German, Dragon or Trumpeter would have had it on the shelves by now. Dek. Ho Ho Ho.....Dragon AND Trumpeter you mean. The 'cabin' is quite smart looking considering the Heath Robinson nature of the rest of it. A would have thought ANY aero engine unleashed would push it along at more than 15 knots! Richard McC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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