Adventurous Empires (Airlife 1840371307)

Adventurous Empires (Airlife 1840371307)

This is a story from a bygone age, recalling the most successful flying-boat airliner ever built. Designed to a specification for Imperial Airways, then Britain's national airline, it carried passengers and more importantly, mail throughout the British Empire. Short Brothers built forty-two Empire Flying-boats at their factory in Rochester during the late 1930s. When compared with other aircraft of that era, they were extremely large and luxurious and even by today's standards passengers were handsomely catered to with ample space to exercise or relax during the many airborne hours. Imperial Airways were extending their route network to the furthest outposts of the British Empire. It was a steep learning curve for all concerned with those early pioneering flights when long-distance flights were measured in days rather than hours. This is the tale of the realization of a dream and the efforts of those who made it possible. Alas the world moved on, at a pace accelerated by the Second World War and the flying-boat was forced from the air routes. No more will adventurous Empires grace the skies.

Published by Airlife 2000 - author: Phillip E Sims - hard cover - 256 pages - pre-owned - condition: very good