Sunderland questions

[lefty]

Partly interior/exterior - please excuse if these questions sound dumb.... !

Re the lovely Sunderland pic on the home page with all those fellows up on't roof - how exactly did they get there ?? Can't see any hatches....

And what are all the holes along the top of the fuselage, please ?

[dogsbody]

In answer to the first question, refer to # 3 in this drawing.

http://www.seawings.co.uk/images/Cut-Aw ... utaway.jpg


For the second question, what holes are you referring to? The round portholes?


Chris

[lefty]

Thanks, Chris - cutaway view I have (Sunderland 1) shows no such hatch - maybe not on all models ?

Yes, I suppose they are portholes - never seen any on a fuselage roof before !

thanks for your help.

[sunderlandmr5]

Hi Lefty,

Never trust drawings to be totally accurate, the drawing in the link does show the hatch,
but is missing the Astrodome/hatch porthole which is an integral part of the hatch.

The crew are post mission and are waiting for a refuelling tender to arrive, to refuel the
Sunderland (it's a Mk IIIa) prior to "Putting it to Bed" before next mission.

The crew exit the interior of aircraft via the Flight Engineers hatch. Depending on what
mark you are after the Sunderland will have a slightly different method of egressing the
hatch.
The hatch (from RNZAF MR5) Note the hatch cover is off in this photo


Hatch in place -Note the porthole, the astrodome was removeable and kept secure in a special bag



The crew used a special stand (on All Sunderland Mk's) as in this photo -1st photo stowed


Extended


On Mk I and Mk II's -Possible early Mk III production, a ladder was secured to the top of the forward spar
cover as in this photo -note the annotated red ladder showing the ladder extended


On later Makrk III's/V's where the upper Turret was deleted, a hatch was also installed as in this photo


I have been up on top of a Sunderland (while on the water) through both hatches.

Depending on what Mark of Sunderland again there are portholes on the spine of the aircraft.

Mk I/II 4 portholes
Mk III/V 3 port holes


Re-reading your question again - the holes you are referring to, are they the ones behind the main canopy, under the wing?
If so, Portholes
One of the side ports behind the main canopy


Under the wing Portside


Hope that helps you?

regards

Alan

[dogsbody]

I had tried to find a better drawing and photos but life keeps getting in the way. I still have limited access to my references after the small sewage backup into my basement at the end of June. Getting there but it's a slow process.


Chris

[lefty]

Chris, thanks again - your pics are most helpful - I haven't done the Sunderland tour at Hendon, only seen the inaccessible one at Duxford.

I was referring to the 'spinal' portholes..

Final question - now that they are all up on the roof - how do they get onto the tender ? - surely it would be easier through the side door ?

Some close friends have moved to a house at Ganavan Sands, near Oban, which was used as the maintenance centre, I believe - their house is on the exact location of the hangar - the slipway is still there.
If only we could see a Sunderland there now.....

[sunderlandmr5]

Chris, thanks again - your pics are most helpful - I haven't done the Sunderland tour at Hendon, only seen the inaccessible one at Duxford.

I was referring to the 'spinal' portholes..

Final question - now that they are all up on the roof - how do they get onto the tender ? - surely it would be easier through the side door ?

Some close friends have moved to a house at Ganavan Sands, near Oban, which was used as the maintenance centre, I believe - their house is on the exact location of the hangar - the slipway is still there.
If only we could see a Sunderland there now.....

Hi Lefty, without stating the too obvious the Photos are mine not Chris's

We here in Auckland New Zealand, have a preserved Sunderland at MOTAT, from which the photos
are from, taken by me on my many visits there


To answer your questions:

The tender would more than likely be an RAF one. when it arrived, the tender crew would throw ropes
to the Sunderland crew on top of the aircraft, which the refuelling hoses were tied to.
The Sunderland crew would haul up the fuel hoses and depending on where, either pump the fuel
directly into the wing tanks, OR use large metal funnels with Chamois inserted as a filter.
This is a photo of a RNZAF Sunderland being refuelled note tender and fuel hose


Another photo showing refuelling an RNZAF Sunderland, note tender moored with hoses to top of wings.
Note also on the starboard wing, the leading edge opening (closest to fuselage) is the APU (Aux Power unit)
which can be used to pump the fuel around the different tanks. The same can be done to empty the tanks
prior to the aircraft being beached.


I grew up on RNZAF base Hobsonville here in Auckland, my Father serving with 5 Squadron on Sunderlands


Hanger and hard area


Slipway


Regards

Alan

[lefty]

Cringeing apologies, Alan, for not reading your first post properly. The format of this forum is a new one to me and a wee bit confusing, but no excuses.
Your photos are of great interest to me and , I'm sure, many others. Thank you.

As a child, I was always fascinated by that great machine, and naively assumed it was built like a tank. Seeing one in the flesh makes one realise just how fragile they really were, and how brave the guys were that flew so many hours in them. My respects to your dad.

[sunderlandmr5]

Cringeing apologies, Alan, for not reading your first post properly. The format of this forum is a new one to me and a wee bit confusing, but no excuses.
Your photos are of great interest to me and , I'm sure, many others. Thank you.

As a child, I was always fascinated by that great machine, and naively assumed it was built like a tank. Seeing one in the flesh makes one realise just how fragile they really were, and how brave the guys were that flew so many hours in them. My respects to your dad.

Hi Lefty,

All Good

Growing up an a Sunderland Flying boat base had its perks........

As a lad on a number of occasions my Father took me on board some of the Sunderlands moored at
Hobsonville (Hobby colloquially) either out in the Mooring trot or in the Braby.
On one occasion he sat me in the postside seat as in this photo (it could well have been NZ4115 at MOTAT)
and told me to look out the window and using the starter switch, made the inner port propeller
do a complete rotation "Blipping" it


Operational things such as the refuelling, beaching, bomb rack operations etc are all 1st hand
knowledge gained from discussions with the likes of my Father and, other Sunderland crew or seeing
it happen. Stuff like that you won't find in any books......

Our Sunderland at MOTAT when set for preservation was fully functional and flyable.

One thing that I have, that is my pride and joy, is a Porthole cover from one of our Sunderlands that
was preserved up a Whangarei (eventually scrapped due to vandalism) - My Father would have workied
on that Sunderland.




If you have any more questions, just ask away

Regards

Alan

[dogsbody]

Some photos from The IWM:

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205218917

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205189201

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205208746


From the Interweb.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/or ... fb208f.jpg

http://www.aussieairliners.org/shortfb/ ... 5.491l.jpg


Chris