G-ADVD Short S-23 Empire Boat

This aircraft was the thirteenth Empire boat to be completed and flown by Short Bros at Rochester, Kent

The order was placed by Imperial Airways, London - January 24, 1935

It was completed as a Mk.1 S-23 Empire Class flying boat having 920 h.p. Bristol Pegasus Xc engines

The standard fuel capacity was 652 gallons in two tanks of 326 gallons each

It had an all-up weight of 40,500 lbs (18,380 kg)

The cruising speed was 164 m.p.h. with a standard range of 684 miles / 1,270 km

Its range against a 35 kt headwind was reduced to 517 nm / 960 km

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-ADVD (CofR 6384) - October 07, 1935

Registered to Imperial Airways Ltd, Victoria Station, London

It was allocated the Fleet Number 14 (used in all operational records to identify the aircraft)

This aircraft should have been allocated Fleet Number 13, which had inadvertently been allocated to 'G-ADVE -

Centurion' which had come off the production line after 'G-ADVD'

Launched on the Medway at Rochester - May 05, 1937

First flown as G-ADVD (John Lankester Parker - Short Bros Chief Test Pilot) - May 05, 1937

Delivered to Imperial Airways, London - May 06, 1937

Certificate of Airworthiness (#5898) issued - May 08, 1937

(NOTE: the date on the Certificate of Airworthiness although showing 'May 08, 1937' - was probably poorly

written and should have been 'May 06, 1937' - the same date it was delivered to Imperial Airways. The Certificate

of Airworthiness would not have been issued after the aircraft had been delivery to Imperial Airways)

The aircraft was named 'Challenger'

Operated its first revenue service Hythe - Alexandria as AS448 - May 15 - 16, 1937

Operated the inaugural Singapore - Sydney (Rose Bay) service (Captain G. U. Allan) as IE665 - July 02 - 06, 1937

The aircraft carried 12 passengers on this sector

It was the first time an Empire flying boat had completed the Southampton - Sydney route as a commercial service

This aircraft was damaged beyond repair when it crashed whilst alighting at Mozambique - May 01, 1939

It was operating Service Number DS191

Crew: Captain F. D. Smith; First Officer W. G. Saunders; Supernumerary First Officer Garshon;

Radio Officer F. C. Webb; Flight Clerk G. Knight; Steward J. Milland

Mr Knight and Mr Webb did not survive the crash

Three male passengers were rescued by Steward Milland

They managed to escape via a large hole in the floor of the Promenade Deck

Major components (mainplanes, tail unit, engines) were salvaged and shipped back to England

Salt water corrosion was already evident after three days and some components were deemed to be useless

Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - June 07, 1939

The aircraft had flown some 3,290 hours