Short S.23 Empire

1936


PASSENGER FLYING BOAT	Virtual Aircraft Museum / United Kingdom / Short

In 1935 the British government took the bold decision to carry all mail within the Empire at the ordinary surface rate (in Britain then equal to 0.625 p). Combined with.increasing passenger traffic, this called for a sudden expansion of Imperial Airways and the equally bold decision was taken to buy 28 of a totally new flying-boat 'off the drawing board' from Short Brothers. Flying-boats were then favoured because they could be more heavily loaded than landplanes, the latter being constricted by the small and rough fields available. The prototype S.23 made its very successful maiden flight on 4 July 1936. It was named Canopus and all sister-ships had names beginning with C, the boats also being known as the C class.

Features included light-alloy stressed-skin construction; a cantilever high wing with electric Gouge flaps; four 685�W Bristol Pegasus Xc radial engines driving DH Hamilton two-position propellers; and a streamlined nose incorporating an enclosed flight deck for captain, first officer, navigator and flight clerk. A steward's pantry was amidships and in the normal configuration seats were arranged in front and rear cabins for 24 passengers. On long hauls sleeping accommodation was provided for 16, with a promenade lounge. On some routes experience showed that the mail capacity had to be raised from 1.5 to 2 tonnes, reducing the passenger seats to 17.

All 28 were delivered, plus three for Qantas (Australia). Two were long-range boats with increased weight and transatlantic range. Eleven S.30s (eight for Imperial and three for Tasman Empire Airways) had 663kW Perseus XIIc sleeve-valve engines and greater range - the first four also being equipped for flight refuelling to greater weight. The final two boats were S.33s with increased weight and Pegasus engines.

During World War II most of these great aircraft served on long routes all over the world. Four were impressed for RAF use with radar (two being destroyed in Norway in May 1940) and most were re-engined with the same 752kW Pegasus 22 engines as the Sunderlands (the derived military version). Their achievements were amazing: one made 442 crossings of the Tasman Sea, two evacuated 469 troops from Crete and one was flown out of a small river in the Belgian Congo in 1940. Others maintained schedules on the North Atlantic, between Britain and Africa, the dangerous Mediterranean route from Gibraltar to Malta and Cairo, and the Horseshoe route between Australia, India and South Africa. Most were retired in 1947

Specification

MODEL	S.23
CREW	5
PASSENGERS	17-24
ENGINE	4 x Bristol Pegasus XC, 686kW
WEIGHTS
Take-off weight	18370 kg	40499 lb
Empty weight	10659 kg	23499 lb
DIMENSIONS
Wingspan	34.75 m	114 ft 0 in
Length	26.82 m	88 ft 0 in
Height	9.7 m	32 ft 10 in
Wing area	139.35 m²	1499.95 sq ft
PERFORMANCE
Max. speed	322 km/h	200 mph
Cruise speed	265 km/h	165 mph
Ceiling	6095 m	20000 ft
Range	1223 km	760 miles

3-View

A three-view drawing (602 x 779)

Comments

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Beverley Dawes, e-mail, 07.10.2013 11:48

HI, My grandfather was crew on the Canopus but thats all we know. We would really love any details, photographs etc. If anyone has anything at all we would appreciate it.
His name was Joseph Hibbs and he worked for Imperial Air.
Thank you.
Bev Dawes, Buckinghamshire, UK.

Leslie dawson, e-mail, 15.07.2021

Beverley Dawes

Hallo Beverley
Canopus was the flagship for the famous empire or C-class flyingboats operated from Southampton (Imperial Airways) and then Poole Harbour (BOAC) during the war.
My Wings Over Dorset- and more recently Fabulous Flying Boats (Pen and Sword) details their history and what they were like to pilot and to be flown by as a passenger.
The Solent Sky museum in Southampton is crammed full of historic aircraft and features- and was built for- the flyingboat operated by Charles Blair as Southern Cross. The Aussies subsequently requested it was exhibited as Beachcomber, its former name, before bought by Charles Blair, whose wife was the lovely Maureen O'Hara.
You might also be interested in my latest book - 20th Century Passenger Flying Boats- a pictorial follow up to Fabulous Flying Boats with over 100 large photographs of their history.
Regards
Leslie Dawson
Bournemouth, Dorset

Rachel Sweasey, e-mail, 15.06.2023

Leslie dawson

Hi Leslie,
I'm really interested in your books about the flying boats. I am an author currently writing a book set in Poole Harbour during WW2. My first book is also set in Poole and centres on Poole Pottery and I'm hoping it will be published soon.

I grew up in Poole and for this current book I'm looking for as much information as possible for that WW2 period, and particularly what it was like for passengers travelling on the flying boats, staying at the Harbour Heights Hotel etc, going through customs at the Pottery showrooms on Poole Quay and so on.

Which of your books would you recommend as being the best one to buy for the information I need please?

Many thanks for your help,
Rachel

leslie dawson, 27.09.2023

Rachel Sweasey

Hi Rachel

Just happened to see your email re Poole Flying Boats.

Fabulous Flying Boats- A History of the worlds passenger flying boats - should do the trick.

When I first moved here from the family home in North London, I was able to meet some of the senior pilots who had retired to the area whose experiences I was able to incorporate within the research for both books.

Shame we are unable to meet at the bar of the Salterns Way hotel, the former Marine Terminal, which has now been demolished.

Kind regards

Leslie Dawson

lesliedawson5@aol.com

Brian Tilley, e-mail, 27.01.2013 13:36
I was in the RAF and flew in th Canopus flying boat from Cairo in Spring 1946 to Dubai landing to refuel on the Dead Sea and on lake Habbaniyah for an overnight stop then Kuwait & Bahrain Onto Dubai. For duty at RAF Sharjah It truly was a wonderful experience for a young man of 18 . Canopus was the first C Class to be built and was dismantled in December 1946 the year in which I flew in her.
reply
David Gurney, e-mail, 21.11.2012 22:17
My father Captain 'Mack" Gurney was a senior captain flying these aircraft from Durban to England. He also ran the Imperial Airways Flyingb Training School at Vaal Dam. Have some literature and history about thewse wonderful machines.
reply

Leslie Dawson, e-mail, 26.04.2022

David Gurney

Hallo David,

One of the flying boat captains I had met and included within my earlier hardback Fabulous Flying Boats - A History Of The Worlds Passenger Flying Boats - had been a former tour-expired bomber pilot with No 70 Squadron flying Wellingtons out of Kabrit and had converted at the Imperial Airways school at Vaal Dam.

Now writing about the life and times of a pilot from Hampshire who had been flown to Vaal Dam on his way to a South African EFTS, I have just come across your email to aviation /org.

If you have the time, I would be very interested to hear about your father who started the Vaal Dam flying boat school.

With Best Wishes

Leslie Dawson

Bournemouth.

Barry Slatter, e-mail, 14.10.2021

David Gurney

Hello David,
My Australian father Captain John (Jack) Slatter was also a senior captain with BOAC flying several of the Short Flying Boats from Durban to Cairo from 1941 to 1945. I know your father was connected to mine and I seem to remember he may have been in my parents wedding party in Durban in February 1942. I know he spent time at Vaal Dam as it may have been either training or his honeymoon.
I would love to hear about your literature and /or history.
I have a copy of his log book detailing his flights however BOAC unfortunately do not have very much information about those days.

Tom Heald, e-mail, 26.06.2012 17:25
I also servrd my apprenticeship in Shorts 1951 /56 and had many flights on the Sunderland as ballast?? We had 2015 Air Training Squadron and apprentice supervisor was Squadron Leader that's why we got the flights. Even had one landing in bomb aimers position. Quite an experience landing in Belfast Lough
reply

John White, e-mail, 05.03.2012 11:55
I served on the last of the R.A.F. Sunderlands of 205 /209 Sqdrn in the Far East from 1956
to 1959 when they were finished . They were wonderful aircraft to work on, and fly in.
reply
Doug Rodrigues, e-mail, 06.07.2011 21:37
I don't know if Shorts made more than one type of Flying Boat, but there is a Shorts flying boat on display at the Air Museum located next to the Oakland International Airport in Oakland, California, USA. I got to walk through the plane a couple of years ago. It's still there.
reply
Jeff Renshaw, e-mail, 27.09.2010 18:26
My father, E. W. "Ted" Renshaw, was navigator /radioman on the Canopus and other "C" class flying boats. Used to enjoy listening to him tell of flights throughout Africa and the east. I believe there is a front section, including cockpit, of a Short Brothers flying boat at the museum in Southampton, not sure which model.
reply
Yoel Sher, e-mail, 16.03.2010 03:52
I have wonderful memories from a five day flight as a child on both the oldest boat Canopus and the newest one Cleopatra in January 1941, from Lourenco-Marques (Maputo, today) to Tiberias. Part of the trip was a fantastic safari, flying probably not higher than one thousand feet.We "landed" wherever there was some water, and stayed overnught at Mombassa, on Victoria Lake at Kisume, on the Nile at Khartoum and then in Cairo.
Would it be possible to find photos and the names of the crew members operating at that time?
reply

Anonymous, 28.11.2020

Yoel Sher

My father flew home from his army service in Kenya at the end of the war in a C-Class, he flew the same route as you did from Kisumu to Khartoum and thence to Cairo.

Lyle Beavers, e-mail, 23.06.2020

Yoel Sher

I have two certificates of contemporary travel from the Canopus dated 14 /1 /1939. The commander George C. Bults. Would be happy to send you a picture if you are still around and interested.

Martin Holmes, e-mail, 12.09.2009 22:30
What a way to travel. How I wish it were still possible! My Dad worked on these beautiful machines up and down Africa and along the Nile during the War with Imperial Air /BOAC...Cairo, Khartoum, Wadi-Halfa, Durban,and other places. At one time, both he (Stanley) and his elder brother (Dick), were "web-footers".
reply
JACK CAIRNS, e-mail, 18.04.2009 04:42
HI - I SERVED APPRENTISHIP IN SHORT BROS + HARLAND IN BELFAST IN 52-57 - ON SUNDERLANDS ETC. THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET - TRY ENTERING SHORTS FLYING BOATS - THANX J.C.
reply
Geoff Gurr, e-mail, 30.10.2008 23:38
I flew as passenger in a C Class 'boat from Cairo to Nairobi, then later from Mombasa to Diego Suarez in Madagascar in 1944. Is there any way to trace the names of these 'boats, please?
reply

Leslie dawson, e-mail, 15.07.2021

Geoff Gurr

Hi Geoff
Following on from my earlier Wings Over Dorset, my Fabulous Flying Boats (Pen and Sword) details the history of the Empire or C-class flying boats and what it was like to pilot or be flown by these superb aircraft. It also has a comprehensive Appendix which lists every single flying boat operated throught the world.
My 20th Century Passenger Flying Boats is now available (Pen and Sword) as a pictorial follow up, and features over 100 large photographs while including the same detailed list of every commerical flying boat.
Regards
Leslie Dawson
Bournemouth, Dorset

Paul Sheehan, e-mail, 29.10.2020

Geoff Gurr

Hi there Geoff. If you can give me the dates of your travel, I can give you all the details. Please feel free to email me.
Cheers
Paul Sheehan

Yoel Sher, e-mail, 13.12.2020

Paul Sheehan

Hi, I flew 80 years ago (10-15.1.1941) from Lourenço-Marques to Tiberias on Canopus and Cleopatra, but cannot remember which was first and which second. and if we changed planes in Khartoum or Cairo.
We "landed" on the lake of Tiberias either near the Lido Beach in town or at Tsemach, on the southern shore of the lake. The crew was two charming gentlemen. Do you have any details?
I still have my air ticket...

(Message to Paul Sheehan)

sandra.walters, e-mail, 31.10.2007 12:30
Can you please give details of which flying boats were used on the Southampton - Vaal Dam South Africa route. Also what speed did she travel, how many passengers and the exact route (with stops) many thanks
reply

Leslie dawson, e-mail, 15.07.2021

sandra.walters

Hallo Sandra
As a follow up to my earlier Wings Over Dorset, Fabulous Flying Boats (Pen and Sword) details what it was like to pilot or be flown by these superb aircraft. The services mentioned include the Vaal-Dam route.
My 20th Century Passenger Flying Boats is now available as a pictorial follow up, with over 100 large photographs. Both titles include an Index listing every single flying boat that was operated commercially.
A lot of research with enjoyable interviews with the pilots that flew them that had retired- fortunately for me- to the very attractive Poole harbour area .
Regards
Leslie Dawson
Bournemouth, Dorset

Trevor More, e-mail, 05.08.2007 10:37
The last S23 Empire boat was broken up in 1954. So, sadly, none survive and you cannot fly in one.
reply
John Haggman, e-mail, 25.04.2007 13:32
Where can I fly one? Can you please advise where any S.23's presently operate?
Thanks,
John
Sydney, Australia
reply
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