ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 19000
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Sunday 11 May 1941 |
| Time: | night |
| Type: | Shorts S.21 Mayo Composite |
| Owner/operator: | British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) |
| Registration: | G-ADHK |
| MSN: | S.797 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Poole Harbour, Poole, Dorset -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Standing |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Poole Harbour, Poole Dorset |
Only one example of the Short-Mayo composite was built, the S.21, named "Maia" with the registration G-ADHK and the S.20 named "Mercury" with the registrstion G-ADHJ.
First registered (C of R 5880) on 17.6.35 as G-ADHK to Imperial Airways, London SW.1 (aircraft based at Hythe, Southampton, Hampshire). C of A 6302 issued. Maia first flew (without Shorts S.20 G-ADHJ "Mercury") on 27.7.37, piloted by Shorts' Chief Test Pilot, John Lankester Parker.
The first successful in-flight separation was carried out from the Shorts works at Borstal, near Rochester, Medway, on 6.2.38, "Maia" piloted by Parker and "Mercury" by Harold Piper. Following further successful tests, the first transatlantic flight was made on 21.7.38 from Foynes, on the Shannon Estuary, west coast of Ireland, to Boucherville, near Montreal, Quebec, Canada' a flight of 2,930 miles (4,714.4 km). "Maia", flown by Captain A.S. Wilcockson, took off from Southampton carrying "Mercury" piloted by Captain Don Bennett.
As well as Mercury, the launch aircraft "Maia" was also carrying 10 passengers and luggage. "Mercury" separated from her carrier at 8 pm to continue what was to become the first commercial non-stop East-to-West transatlantic flight by a heavier-than-air machine. This initial journey took 20 hrs 21 min at an average ground speed of 144 mph (232 km/h).
The Maia-Mercury composite continued in use with Imperial Airways, including Mercury flying to Alexandria, Egypt, in December 1938. After modifications to extend Mercury's range, it established a record flight for a seaplane of 6,045 miles (9,726.4 km) from Dundee in Scotland to Alexander Bay, in South Africa between 6 and 8.10.38.
Re-registered (C of R 5880/2) to British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), Clifton, Bristol from 27.8.40; aircraft remained based at Hythe, Southampton.
G-ADHK "Maia" was destroyed by German He.111 bombing whilst moored at Poole Harbour, Poole, Dorset on 11.5.1941. Registration cancelled the next day (12.5.41) due to "destruction or permanent withdrawl from use of aircraft"
(G-ADHJ Mercury was flown to Felixstowe for use by 320 (Netherlands) Squadron RAF a unit of the Royal Air Force formed from the personnel of the Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service. This squadron was based at the time at RAF Pembroke Dock. Although it was impressed into military service, it does not seem to have been issued with a military serial number, remaining as G-ADHJ. When 320 (Netherlands) Squadron RAF was re-equipped with Lockheed Hudsons, "Mercury", stall as G-ADHJ, was returned to Shorts at Rochester on 9.8.41 and broken up so that its aluminium could be recycled for use in the war effort.)
Sources:
1. Cassidy, Brian (2004). Flying Empires - Short ‘C’ class Empire flying boats. Queens Parade Press. p. 58. ISBN 0-9529298-2-1.
2. https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-ADHK.pdf
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Mayo_Composite
4. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-A6.html
5. http://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/15-aeroplanes/78-register-gb-g-ad
Media:
.jpg)
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-May-2008 11:10 | ASN archive | Added |
| 24-May-2008 16:30 | JINX | Updated |
| 24-Feb-2014 23:27 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 30-Oct-2017 18:18 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Source] |
| 07-Jan-2018 15:11 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation