Sunderland Flying Boat

[chris poyser]

Hi all

i,m not sure if i dreamed this or not but is there one of the above being built by one of the members.

cheers

chris

[ian redshaw]

Don Billingham is building one, with scale flaps and all. Had a butchers at Gaydon. Its also detailed in the journal.

Ian.

[Jonathan Pelham]

Sadly not intended for amphibious operation. Dry land only

[James Stewart]

So does it have a trolley or removeable undercarriage?

[Don Billingham]

It is a Sandringham I, converted from Sunderland III ML788 in 1945 for use by BOAC. I will not fly it off water because its all salty where I live and dissolves electronics! The undercarriage retracts and hopefully will be hidden in flight. Weight is over 20kg, engines 15cc RCGF petrol. Hope to finish it soon. Read about the build in the LMA magazine.

[Don Billingham]

My Sunderland is a Sandringham, modelled on the first conversion which was still in RAF colours. You saw it at Gaydon several times and I wrote about it it the LMA journal. It still has not flown and although it is flight ready, that is because it weighs very close to 24kg, dry, and I cannot face the weight reduction exercise needed to reduce it to below the 25kg limit. I am also getting a bit frail now, unfortunately the years are having their revenge. If anyone is interested in taking the model through to flight then I will willingly pass it on, at a very sensible cost! You can telephone me on 01305 760037. Don Billingham November 2023