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Events Marks 70th Anniversary Of Isle Of Wight-Built Flying Boat

Monday, 29 August 2022 06:00

By Oliver Dyer X @olidyer

Sandown Airport has marked 70 years since the maiden flight of the Cowes-built SaundersRoe 'Princess' Flying Boat.

To celebrate the occasion, and to allow visitors to marvel in its size, the aircraft was marked out in bright yellow paint next to the museum hangar.

Guests were able to stand on the top deck of the open top bus loaned to the Wight Aviation Museum by the Isle of Wight Bus Museum.

One of the largest all-metal flying boats ever built, the Saunders-Roe SR.45 Princess was developed and constructed by SaundersRoe at their Cowes facility on the Isle of Wight.

Of the three prototypes built, only one, G-ALUN, actually flew. It made 47 'test flights' in 1952, including two appearances at the Farnborough Airshow.

Shortly after these flight,  the project was abandoned and none of the three aircraft built survive today.

Helen Blake, chair person of WAM, said:

"The WAM team worked really hard to create an interesting and nostalgic display with the giant plan on the green, the 'Princess' display in the museum and more information, pictures and videos in the "OPS Room" which resulted in an interesting weekend out for the hundred and more visitors."

As usual the museum is open to all visitors on Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays from 10am to 3pm each day.

For more information visit - https://wightaviationmuseum.org.uk/.

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