Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat
Recreating the iconic Empire Flying Boat required meticulous attention to detail. This model is based on Short Brothers Drawing No. SC.23.5 and draws on extensive technical and historical research. The project also served as a valuable testbed for new technologies, including 3D design and printing, which proved highly effective.
Dedicated to Paul Sheehan
The one-piece wing structure was constructed using photo-etched brass for the main spars, combined with styrene sheets and polyurethane (PU) model board. The fuselage was built using a variety of materials and techniques, including photo-etching, vacuum forming, and 3D printing. The floats and tail assembly were converted from a Sanger Sunderland kit. The model features a fully detailed interior, including the mooring compartment, control deck, and smoking cabin in the nose. Below the wing center section is the mid-cabin with two sleeping berths, followed by the promenade deck and aft cabin. Completed in 2023, the model represents the aircraft in its early configuration, prior to its survey flight to New Zealand.
Historical Background
The Empire Class flying boat “Centaurus” (construction number S.811) was the third airframe built by Short Brothers in Rochester, Kent, United Kingdom. Registered as G-ADUT on the British Aircraft Register on October 7, 1935, it was subsequently delivered to Imperial Airways on December 13, 1936. “Centaurus” is notable for undertaking a pioneering survey flight to Australia and New Zealand under the command of Captain John Burgess, spanning from December 3, 1937, to February 23, 1938. This 63-day journey covered 32,498 miles and involved 237.29 flight hours. Acquired by Qantas in December 1938, the aircraft was later impressed into service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as A18-10 on September 25, 1939. During World War II, it was used for general armed reconnaissance and transport duties in the islands northeast of New Guinea. “Centaurus” was destroyed in an attack by Japanese aircraft in Broome Harbour on March 3, 1942.
Recommended Reading: Flying Empires, Short ‘C’ Class Flying Boats, Brian Cassidy, Queens Parade Press, 2004
“Centaurus” anchored in Mechanics Bay, Auckland, New Zealand in December 1937. At the time it was the largest aircraft ever to have visited New Zealand thus attracting many sightseers. (Leo White Image WA-11006-G, via Alexander Turnbull Library, NZ)