Short Solent

Short Solent
Country	UK
Role	Passenger flying boat
First flight	11 November 1946
Built	16

The Short Solent is a passenger flying boat that was produced by Short Brothers in the late 1940s. It was developed from the Short Seaford, itself a development of the Short Sunderland military flying boat design, which was too late to serve in World War II. The first Solent flew in 1946. New Solents were used by BOAC and TEAL, production ending in 1949. Second-hand aircraft were operated until 1958 by a number of small airlines such as Aquila Airways.

Source: Short Solent on Wikipedia

Short Solent 3 Walk
Photographer	Cees Hendriks
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	70

Short Solent 3 01

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Short Solent 3 04

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Short Solent 3 07

Short Solent 3 09

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Short Solent Mk III
Photographer	Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	Western Aerospace Museum, Oakland
Photos	82

General Characteristics and Role

The Short Solent was a large, four-engined passenger flying boat developed and manufactured by Short Brothers in the United Kingdom. It was derived from the earlier Short Shetland and the military Short Seaford (which itself was based on the famous Short Sunderland). The Solent, specifically the Solent 3 variant, was a post-war version optimized for civilian air travel, offering luxurious accommodations for long-haul intercontinental routes. It played a major role in restoring British prestige and connectivity on Empire routes, particularly the “Kangaroo Route” from the UK to Australia and the routes across the Atlantic and Pacific, where it provided a spacious, comfortable, and elegant travel experience.

Property	Typical Value (Solent 3)
Type	Four-Engine Civilian Passenger Flying Boat
National Origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Short Brothers
Entered Service (Solent)	1946
Crew	7–11 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Navigator, Flight Engineer, Radio Operator, Cabin Crew)
Passenger Capacity	Up to 34 passengers (often fewer for luxury overnight flights)
Max Takeoff Weight	Approx. 34,927 kg (77,000 lb)

Powerplant and Cabin Features

Engines: 4 x Bristol Hercules 637 14-cylinder radial engines.
Engine Power: 1,690 hp (1,260 kW) each.
Maximum Cruising Speed: Approx. 396 km/h (246 mph).
Range: Approx. 2,900 km (1,800 miles).
Interior: The Solent 3 was famous for its spacious, two-deck interior featuring sleeping berths, a dining area, a lounge, and separate restrooms for men and women. The flight was often described as being like a cruise ship.
Construction: Traditional all-metal hull design optimized for high-drag takeoff and low-drag cruise flight.
Operational Base: Required water runways (lakes, harbors, or sheltered bays) and specialized docking/tender facilities.

Service History and Legacy

Primary Users: British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and Trans Oceanic Airways (TOA).
TEAL Service: The Solent 3 was notably used by Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL) (later Air New Zealand) on the “Coral Route” across the Pacific until the mid-1950s, linking Auckland, Fiji, and Tahiti.
Retirement: The Solent’s era was relatively short, primarily due to the rapid post-war development of long-range, pressurized landplanes (like the Lockheed Constellation) which negated the need for large water-based aircraft. Landplanes offered faster and more frequent service without the weather limitations imposed by water operations.
Preservation: The last flying boat service in New Zealand ended in 1960. The only surviving Solent 3 in the world is G-AOBL, preserved at the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) in Auckland, New Zealand.