SCA Aircraft Carried Complete
Page 39
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A DIFFICULT transport operation in. was completed without mishap when the Short. SC.1 research aircraft was taken by road and sea from Belfast to Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, for its first flight trials. Extreme care was necessary throughout the operation, for the SC.!, an important project in the field of vertical take-off and landing, was crated as a complete airfaame.
The crate exceeded by several feet the statutory width of 20 ft. for a load moved by road, and special permission had to be obtained from the Ministry of Transport. The operation was handled throughout by the transport department of Short Bros. and Harland, Ltd.
The crated aircraft was first taken by .lorry from Short's Queen's Island works to the Belfast docks and transferred to the S.S. " Copeland," one of the Clyde Shipping company's steamers. One member of the transport crew accompanied the aircraft on board the steamer in order to handle any problems which arose during the voyage. The remainder of the party travelled to England to ensure that all arrangements were in hand for offloading, and to make a final check of the route from Southampton to Boscombe.
This stage of the aircraft's journey began at 6 a.m. on a Sunday. The 38-mite route had for several weeks been the subject of planning and surveying by the department. Liaison had been established with the Hams and Wilts police, as over the greater part of the route it was not possible for other vehicles to pass from the front or the rear.
Average speed of the convoy was about 5 m.p.h. The SC.1 was finally uncrated after a sea and road journey which had lasted more than 100 hours. Short's transport party was headed by Mr. L. B. Morton, transport co-ordinator.