G-ADUV Short S-23 Empire Boat

This aircraft was the sixth Empire boat to be completed and flown by Short Bros at Rochester, Kent

The order was placed by Imperial Airways, London - January 24, 1935

The official written order shows the cost of the aircraft at UKP 37,800 - February 19, 1935

Converted to present day values this would be approximately UKP 3,417,876

Built as an S-23 Empire Class Mk.III flying boat having 920 h.p. Bristol Pegasus Xc poppet-valve radial engines

It was the 2nd 'long-range' S.23 boat and was often referred to as a 'Atlantic' boat

It was fitted with the 'Type M1B' fuel system - consisting of two fuel tanks of 326 and 2 tanks of 179 gallons mounted

within the wings plus 2 hull-mounted tanks of 280 gallons each - for a total fuel capacity of 2,330 gallons

This provided a flight duration of approximately 17 hours 40 minutes

Its range in still air was 2,754 nm (5,110 km) or against a 35 kt headwind the range was 1,911 nm (3,545 km)

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-ADUV (CofR 6376) - October 07, 1935

Registered to Imperial Airways Ltd, Victoria Station, London

It was allocated a 'Fleet Number' (No. 5) which was used in all operational records to identify the aircraft

This aircraft should have been allocated 'Fleet No. 6' as 'G-ADUW - Castor' was launched 27 days before

this aircraft, but it was never corrected

Launched on the Medway River at Rochester without cabin fittings - January 11, 1937

The aircraft was named 'Cambria'

First flown at Rochester by the Short Brothers' Chief Test Pilot, John Lankester Parker - January 11, 1937

Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA No. 5750) issued - January 15, 1937

Delivered to Imperial Airways, London - January 21, 1937

It was immediately pressed into service operating Hythe - Alexandria - January 21, 1937

It carried engineers, a spare engine and other associated equipment in order that repairs could be carried out on

G-AHDL 'Canopus' that had suffered an engine fire near Crete

It operated a special long-distance non-stop flight Hythe - Hythe - February 22, 1937

Route: Hythe - South London (08:30) - Colchester (09:05) - Great Yarmouth (09:35) - Grimsby (10:05) -

South Shields (10:30) - Berwick (11:00) - Edinburgh (12:05) - Glasgow (12:45) - Belfast (13:30) -

Kingsdown / Dublin (14:35) - St. David's Head, Pembrokeshire (15:05) - Worm's Head, Swansea (15:35) -

Taunton (16:05) - Bournemouth (16:35) - Hythe (16:47)

The aircraft was under the command of Captains G. J. Powell and E. N. Gurney

'Cambria' operated a special flight Hythe - Foynes (Ireland) - February 25, 1937

From Foynes it then made several short flights to test this location's suitability as the new 'Atlantic Airport' on the

mouth of the Shannon River

Wireless, meteorological and general 'ground' organisation and handling was tested

These 'technical' tests were intended to be a preliminary run for the 'experimental' flights that would be

carried out later between Ireland and Newfoundland

'Cambria' carried six crew under the command of Capt. G. J. Powell; acting F/O Capt. E. M. Gurney; 4 passengers

It departed Hythe on a special survey flight to South Africa (Durban) - April 26, 1937

It arrived South Africa (Durban) - May 29, 1937

Route flown: Hythe - Marseilles - Alexandria - Cairo - Luxor - Wadi Halfa - Kareima - Khartoum - Kosti - Malakal -

Laropi - Butiaba (Lake Albert) - Port Bell - Kisumu (Kenya) - Mombasa - Dar-Es-Salaam - Lindi - Mozambique -

Quelimane - Beira - Durban

Radio equipment that was carried on this flight was installed at the various coastal towns as the flight progressed

'Cambria' returned to Hythe after making the non-stop flight from Alexandria - June 04, 1937

Non-stop distance: 2,300 miles; flight time: 15 hours 35 minutes

'Cambria' operated a special flight Hythe - Lisbon to survey the first leg of the proposed route to

Horta (The Azores) - July 06 - 11, 1937

It operated its first experimental flight to New York (Port Washington) as 'Experimental Flight 2' - July 1937

Departed Hythe (14:58) on the first leg to Foynes (Ireland) - July 27, 1937

Crew: Capt. G. J. Powell; F/O C. F. Elder; R/Os P. A. Woods; J. M. Lewis

Departed Foynes (18:00) on the flight to New York - July 29, 1937

Flight time Foynes - Botwood: 17 hours 35 minutes

It arrived at New York (Port Washington - 15:55 GMT) - August 02, 1937

Route: Hythe - Foynes - Botwood - Montreal - New York

It departed New York (Port Washington - 15:14 GMT) on the return flight to Hythe - August 06, 1937

It arrived at Hythe (16:01 GMT) on completion of this experimental flight - August 09, 1937

Route: New York - Montreal - Botwood - Foynes - Hythe

Flight time Botwood - Foynes: 11 hours 55 minutes

It operated its second experimental flight Foynes - New York (Port Washington) - August 26, 1937

Crew: Capt. G. J. Powell; F/O C. F. Elder; R/Os P. A. Woods; H. Dangerfield

It was damaged whilst alighting at Toronto when it struck an unknown submerged object

This happened during the special 'Goodwill Tour of Canada' during this 2nd trip

Engineers and replacement parts were were shipped to New York then transported to Toronto to repair the damage

It returned New York (Port Washington) - Foynes - September 28, 1937

Flight time: 10 hours 38 minutes

Following the second successful experimental flight to New York 'Cambria' was fitted with 'in-flight refuelling'

equipment and carried out a comprehensive program of 'in-flight' refuelling tests in conjunction with the

Armstrong Whitworth AW.23 aircraft (K3585)

Fuel was first successfully transferred between the two aircraft - January 20, 1938

'Cambria' was converted to full 'Mk I' Empire Flying Boat configuration at the Folland Aircraft Factory at Hamble in

preparation for its commencement of commercial operations

It officially entered commercial service operating service DS93 - May 18, 1938

Route: Southampton - Kisumu (Kenya)

Due to fuel starvation 'Cambria' was force landed at Kroosi Bay (Mozambique) - March 08, 1939

It was then towed some 26 miles to Mozambique Island for repairs

Imperial Airways and the original British Airways were merged to form

British Overseas Airways Corporation - April 01, 1940

'Cambria' arrived at Alexandria having operated Service SW246 from Sydney - June 10, 1940

Following Italy's entry into World War II, air routes across the Mediterranean Sea were closed - June 10, 1940

'Cambria' was ferried Alexandria - Durban (South Africa) - June 19 - 23, 1940

It was then based at Durban for the remainder of its operational life

It operated 6 round trips Cairo - Suda Bay (Crete) - April 24 - May 01, 1941

These flights were to rescue and evacuate troops from the area due to the advancing German army

Operated its last cammercial service Cairo - Durban as Flight SE645X - December 26, 1946

It departed Durban on its final flight to Poole (England) - January 11, 1947

It was carrying BOAC staff and equipment

On its arrival back at Poole, it was the first time that this aircraft had been in the United Kingdom since May 12, 1940

Ferried Poole - Hythe - January 16, 1947

All useful equipment was then removed from the aircraft at Hythe

'Cambria' was towed to Marchwood on Southampton Water - ? 1947

It was broken up at Marchwood by R. J. Coley and Son, Ltd

Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - January 23, 1947

'Cambria' had flown a total of 13,892 hours