Aeroplane Monthly 1974-04
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B.Gunston - The Princess saga
The ten Proteus 600 turbines, providing 25,000 h.p., gave the Princess a cruising speed of 360 m.p.h.
Late in its flying life G-ALUN was finished in a handsome paint scheme, and appeared in this form at the 1953 SBAC show.
The three-quarter rear view emphasizes the "double-bubble" hull and displays the Proteus tail-pipes above the partly-lowered flaps.
First takeoff of the first Princess, Geoffrey Tyson piloting, August 22, 1952. A crew of eleven was also aboard.
The first Princess is rolled out at Cowes, October 30, 1951.
Two Cocooned Princesses at Calshot, photographed from Flight’s Miles Gemini in June 1957, when one of the nuclear-power rumours was current.
Taxying out for the maiden flight with wing-tip floats lowered.
Two of the three Princesses, G-ALUN and G-ALUO on the Cowes slipway. In the background is G-ALUO, which was never completed. Only G-ALUN flew, amassing around 97hr before it was Cocooned with its two stablemates.
A view showing the rear pressure bulkheads, 1949.
G-ALUN at the point of take-off.
G-ALUN rests on her beaching gear on the Cowes slipway.
Pioneering powered controls. The “bridge” of the first Princess, G-ALUN, showing the positions of pilot and copilot. A Mach meter is included in the instrumentation.
A cut-away diagram depicting the seating arrangement envisaged for the de luxe version.
Saunders-Roe SR.45 Princess