Phillip E Sims

Although I'm not totally raw when it comes to the topics covered in this book, it was back in 2017 when I read Robert Bluffield's "Imperial Airways," which is something of a coffee table book.

This brings us to this work, and Sims works on several different axis. One, he spends as much time on the history of British international commercial aviation, and its management and policy issues, as he does on the aircraft. During the period in question London expected a lot of Imperial Airways, and then BOAC, but weren't interested in spend serious money on a flag-ship passenger service. Whereas the actual management often seemed to be their own worst enemies. Perhaps the climax of this whole business was when, during wartime in 1942, the directors of BOAC resigned in protest over the creation of RAF Transport Command, in a striking overestimation of their own importance. Sims has lots of regrets over the British failure to square the circle when it comes to British aviation policy.

As for the service of the Shorts C-Class flying boats, while they represented a huge jump in capability over what had come before, there's an argument to be made that the specification that produced them was not ambitious enough. Though considering that the these machines were right up against the ceiling of what British aviation technology could produce that might be just as well. And yes, these machines had "adventurous" careers, particularly if you define adventure as someone in trouble a long way from home, as the safety record makes one cringe. This being a combination of a tough service environment, crews who had their skills challenged by their new ships, logistical issues, and the reality that these machines were at the mercy of the weather.

Still, these machines cut a fine figure, and one can understand the nostalgia over their passing. Their finest moments probably coming with either the evacuation of the British expeditionary force from Greece in 1941, or the evacuation of Southeast Asia in the teeth of the Japanese onslaught in 1942.

As for what was new information to me, I really wasn't aware of the use of these aircraft by Australia and New Zealand. Whereas London saw these aircraft as a tool to try and keep the empire tied together, what it mostly meant was that this provided a new arena of argument for London with the Commonwealth.

Overall, a little dense for the general reader, but still well-worth reading; particularly since Sims had contact with the surviving service personnel.… (más)