By
Allan Jackson - 3 March 2004
The
era of the flying boat began in Durban on 22nd May 1937 with
the first of two survey flight when the Cambria, a Short Empire
C-Class flying boat of Imperial Airways, landed on the bay
near the Point Docks. A week later on 29 May Courtier arrived
on the second survey flight having been piloted from the UK
by Captain E.S. Alcock, the brother of John William Alcock
who, together with Arthur Whitten Brown, had been first to
fly the Atlantic.

Picture
courtesy Director: Survey,
eThekwini Municipality.
|
The
Cambria after her arrival in Durban. She was set up
at the time for survey flights and had long-range fuel
tanks and no portholes for passengers to peer out of.
<==
Click picture to view wallpaper-size enlargement. (1024x768px)
|
Courtier
left Durban on 31st May but only got as far as Lindi in Tanganyika
before being ordered to return to Durban to pick up passengers
for the first commercial flight to the UK. She finally left
Durban on Sunday morning, June 6, carrying five passengers
and 1032 pounds of mail. The aircraft used on the first commercial
flight to Durban was Canopus piloted by Captain Attwood which
left Southhampton on 2nd June and arrived on 8th June about
12:20pm.. Centurion landed in Durban on July 5 carrying the
first un-surcharged mail from Britain at the cost of a penny-and-a-half
per ordinary letter and postcards at 1one penny.
The trip
from Britain initially took six-and-a-half [later cut four-and-a-half
] days and there were twenty stops along the way for refuelling
and to allow passengers to rest. The flying boats very seldom
flew at night and their route was carefully planned so that
there was always luxurious accommodation available for the
passengers overnight.
The flying
boats were initially moored to buoys off Salisbury Island
and passengers were ferried in fast launches from there to
the Gardiner Street jetty or to the small craft harbour at
the Point. Imperial Airways began to build a hangar and slipway
in the area adjacent to the Prince Edward Graving Dock early
in 1939 and moved in on 5 April 1940 having become BOAC in
the interim.
An Imperial
Airways [later BOAC] office was located in town in Club Arcade
which could be reached in person or on the telephone numbers
20505/6/7. The closure of the Mediterranean air routes during
WWII led to Durbans becoming a major overhaul centre
for the flying boats and an engine repair and maintenance
workshop was established in Sydney Road. This was apparently
just across the road from a scrap metal merchant which later
lead to the firing of a BOAC employee for selling engine parts
as scrap.
My research
into flying boats in Durban was greatly assisted by local
surgeon John Buchan who is busy with a major book on the subject.
Paging through his files I came across a copy of a luncheon
menu which gives us a very good idea of the how passengers
must have been pampered while aboard. This particular meal
was served aboard Centurion on 3 February 1938 on one of the
days during a trip from Lake Naivasha in Kenya to Durban.
Among the delights on offer were Potage Jackson, whatever
that might be, Iced Asparagus, Fricasee of Lamb Therese, Boiled
Potatoes and a cold buffet including Roast Round of Beef,
Baked Upland Ham and a Summer Salad.

Picture
courtesy Director: Survey,
eThekwini Municipality.
|
The
Golden Hind was one of three "G" Class Short
Flying Boats which were essentially stretched versions
of the "C" Class machines. She mostly served
on the East African routes but was a fairly frequent
visitor to Durban during WWII for maintenance.
<==
Click picture to view an enlargement.
|
The passenger
flying boats gave sterling service up to and during WWII but
the emergence shortly after the war of land-based passenger
aircraft capable of flying great distances meant that their
days were numbered. Grace and beauty gave way to commercialism
when Canopus left Durban for the last time in October 1946
and was scrapped the following month. Champion, piloted by
Captain FH Perkins, took off from Durban on 5 March 1947 on
the penultimate flight to the UK and a glorious era in Durbans
history was brought to a sad close the following week on 12
March when Caledonia piloted by Captain Peter Horne took off
from the bay. None of the aircraft were spared from the scrap
yard which is a crying shame in my book.

Picture
courtesy Director: Survey,
eThekwini Municipality.
|
This
picture of Canopus was taken shortly before her last
take-off from Durban.
<==
Click picture to view enlargement.
|
Go
to Page Two
|