Saro Cutty Sark

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The A17 Saro Cutty Sark was a British Amphibian aircraft from the inter war period. It was probably named after the ship Cutty Sark rather than the garment cutty-sark.

1 Development
2 Production Aircraft
3 Performance
4 Specification
5 Military Operators

[edit] Development

In 1928, Sir Alliot Verdon Roe sold Avro. He bought an interest in S. E. Saunders, flying boat manufacturers based at Cowes, who were now renamed Saunders Roe or SARO. The A17 Cutty Sark was the new company’s first design. It was a shoulder winged twin engined 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 A19 Cloud was developed from it. Only 12 Cutty Sarks were built, and none lasted long in service, but the type never the less saw service with many users in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, China, Japan and the Dominican Republic.

[edit] Production Aircraft

A17/1. The prototype G-AAIP was first flown July 4, 1929. Bought by Captain Campbell Shaw and Flight Lieutenant Tommy Rose for Isle of Man Air Services. Returned to Cowes in 1933 after being damaged by floating timber.
A17/2, VH-UNV was exported to Australia by Matthews Aviation flying the Bass Strait between Melbourne and Tasmania from May 1930. On 8 November 1931 the aircraft was driven by wind into a pier at St.Kilda, and Mr E Lloyd, a passenger who attempted to assist, was killed by a propeller. In 1935 it was sold to pioneer air services, in 1937 to New Zealand World War I fighter Ace Keith Caldwell, and on 15 October 1937. At the same time as he joined Qantas as a pilot Caldwell sold VH-UNV for £700 to the airline as a trainer. It was written off after landing on water with the undercarriage extended on 5 April 1938.
A17/3 aka L3, sold to the RNZAF. It was first flown on 3 March 1930, then shipped to New Zealand about the SS Mataroa" where it was reassembled by 28 May 1930. It operated from Hobsonville, Auckland for the next six years. After 221 hours and 5 minutes flying time it was judged worn out beyond economic repair. L3 made its last flight on 23 November 1936, serving as an instructional airframe until being scrapped in 1939.
A17/4 G-AAVX before being sold to Canada as VR-SAA in 1930.
A17/5 G-ABBC named 'Progress I’ operated out of Blackpool to the Isle of man by British Amphibious Airlines. Attempts to replace it with an A19 after 1933 were blocked due to SAROs decision to operate an airline from the Isle of Man.
A17/6 was acquired by the RAF as S1575.
A17/7 was sold to Canada as VR-HAY
A17/8 served in the Kwangsi air force in China, but was returned to Britain as G-AETI.
A17/9 was initially registered G-ABVF then exported to Japan.
A17/10 was registered G-ACDP to Air Service Training limited used by No 3 E & RFTS until 1942.
A17/11 was registered G-ACDR to Air Service Training limited, used by No 3 E & RFTS until 1942.
A17/12 was registered G-ADAF. This may be the machine exported to the Dominican Republic 1935, and written off 1942.