Short Empire
The Short S.23 Empire was a British flying boat. The first flight took place in July 1936. There 31 were built, which were used from September 1936 at the Imperial Airways as postal and passenger aircraft on routes to Australia, Bermuda, Durban, Egypt, Malaya, New York and East and South Africa.
History
Mid-thirties, the company received short from the British Air Ministry contract to develop a flying boat that was to join the colonies, particularly Australia with Great Britain. The result was the Short S.23 Empire class, also known as C-Class since starting with the prototype, the " Canopus ", all flying boats were names that started with a C. The " Canopus " first flew in July 1936, as of October of the same year began more machines, the Genoa- Baghdad to use. From 1937, the S.23 was then used on the route to Australia, and later also on the route London- Durban.
Variants
The P.23 met the British demands, the United States was but criticized that their reach was not enough for a transatlantic air traffic. Four designated as S.30 machines were therefore equipped for refueling in the air. They started with full fuel load and were provided after the end of gas-guzzling starting phase of a converted tanker aircraft as bombers Handley Page Harrow by a flexible tube with new fuel. Three Harrows were distributed on the route, the P.23 were able to cover the distance between the UK and Canada. In August 1939 the first flight was successfully completed according to this pattern. Under the designation P.21 an aircraft of the Empire class was also used for a different technique of range extension: the " Maia " wore a smaller post machine piggyback on altitude, then the mailing machine coupled off and flew on its own. Thus, the routes to Canada and Alexandria could cope in the Post Office.