Subject: SR A.1 Flying Boat Fighter Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 20:44:23 -0000 From: "Graham SALT" (email address removed) To: To: Robert Beechy Robert Responding to your web page, I can add the following information. The designation SR.44 was part of the normal succession of Saro's nomenclature, but was replaced under the common SBAC system introduced at that time, as the A.1. Colloquially, it was known as the "squirt". The SR A.1 test pilots were Geoffrey Tyson, late of Short Bros, who had done air refuelling work on the C class boats, and his protege and successor, Sqd Ldr John Booth (who later died in the SR.53). Tyson is remembered for his flying of the SR A.1 at Farnborough 1948 with an aerobatics display of distinction, culminating in an inverted flypast. His other party piece, obviously not demonstrated at Farnborough, was a rapid take off by means of early retraction of the wing floats, as soon as the aircraft had enough speed to be stabilised, thus reducing drag. Production comprised three prototypes, all of which flew, being TG263 (later being flown under B conditions as G-12-1), TG267 and TG271. The first survived to the present time, having been part of the Cranfield Inst.of Technology, then with Peter Thomas's Skyfame museum at Staverton. When he wound up Skyfame, Mr. Thomas transferred most of the collection, including the SR A.1, to the Imperial War Museum collection at Duxford. >From here, it was transferred to Southampton, to the Hall of Aviation museum, where I believe it now remains. The other two aircraft were not scrapped, both being lost. TG271 sank in the Solent in August 1949 after hitting a submerged object. The pilot, Capt. Eric Brown, famous Royal Navy test pilot, was rescued by prompt action by Tyson, who dived into the water to pull Brown clear. TG267 was lost later that year during rehearsals for an air display, the aircraft diving into the sea, killing the pilot, Sqd Ldr K A Major. One point of trivia concerning TG263 - it's starboard engine was removed and used to power Donald Campbell's jet powered speed boat "Bluebird" in which he was killed in a horrific crash on Conniston Water. The reason for the change of cockpit canopy during the life TG263 was the loss during flight of the transparent canopy. The aircraft were never acquired by either the RAF or the Royal Navy, being produced to a government (Ministry of Aircraft Production) contract and presumably owned by the Ministry of Supply. They were produced by Saro to an idea developed by Sir Arthur Gouge (who left Short Bros in 1943 to become vice-chairman of Saro), and designed by Henry Knowler. Hope the above information is of use. Graham Salt