Graceful Princess - BOAC - SARO Princess


SARO Princess Flying Boat Airliner Aviation Art Print by Aviation Artist Charles J. Thompson GAvA


Despite being the pre-eminent form of air transport in pre-war days, the flying-boat was to have very little commercial success after WWII. Despite this, several attempts were made to build on the success of aircraft such as the Short C Class and Boeing 314.


One of the most interesting is the SARO Princess, the largest all-metal aircraft made in Britain. Development of civil aircraft had been organised under the Brabazon committee during 1942-43 and SARO began development work on the large flying boat shortly before the end of hostilities in response to an Air Ministry requirement for BOAC. The first of three aircraft flew in May 1952 but by this time prop-liners such as the Douglas DC-6 and Lockheed Constellation and the jet De Havilland Comet had rendered the aircraft obsolete.


Despite this, several opportunities arose to complete and sell all three aircraft but they were eventually broken up after a last-ditch attempt to buy them fell through when the aircraft were found to be suffering from corrosion.


It has always been and will remain one of a long list of aircraft that appeared just that little too late. 

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