| A17 Cutty Sark | |
|---|---|
| |
| Role | Amphibian |
| Manufacturer | Saunders-Roe |
| First flight | 4 July 1929 |
| Introduction | 1930 |
| Number built | 12 |
The Saro A17 Cutty Sark was a British amphibious aircraft from the period between World War I and World War II, built by the British firm Saunders-Roe (also known as SARO). The aircraft was named after the ship Cutty Sark, rather than the garment or the fictional witch.
In 1928, Sir Alliot Verdon Roe sold Avro. He bought an interest in S. E. Saunders, flying boat manufacturers based at Cowes, Isle of Wight, southern England; the company was renamed Saunders-Roe. The A17 Cutty Sark was the new company's first design. It was a shoulder-winged four-seat amphibian monoplane with an all-metal hull and plywood covered wings. The above-wing pylon-mounted engines could easily be changed, and a variety of different engines were used to power Cutty Sarks, including 104 hp Cirrus Hermes Mk 1s and 120 hp de Havilland Gipsy IIs. The Saro A19 Cloud was developed from this design.
Only 12 Cutty Sarks were built, and none lasted long in service, but the type nevertheless saw service with many users in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, China, Japan and the Dominican Republic.
Data from British Civil Aircraft 1919–1972: Volume III,[2] Saunders and Saro aircraft since 1917[3]
General characteristics
Performance
