Canopus
Canopus as she would have looked during her flight testing period
The Short Brothers began by selling balloons in 1902 and giving penny rides in such in by 1905. Then, as Short Bros Ltd, became the first company to supply aeroplanes on a production basis.
Notable amongst the companies designs were the flying boats they designed and were involved with through until the 1950’s.
They had considerable success with the Singapore 4 engined flying boat of 1924 and then the Calcutta which was used by Imperial Airways. Keen to expand upon their successes they designed a double decker monoplane flying boat known as the S23 but better known as the Empire Flying Boat.
The first of these named “Canopus” made her maiden flight in July of 1936 and she was the first of 42 built over a two year period. A composite configuration comprising of a smaller 4 engined passenger mail plane launched from the back of an S23 was trialed and was successful and is interesting to those that have no lives like me as is Shorts Bros Ltd history and the S23 but its always best to go find out for yourself.
Canopus was ordered by Imperial Airways in January 1935 at a cost of £37,800.00. She was powered by 4x Bristol Pegasus X radial engines of 900HP each. Although the first she was not a prototype and was always intended to enter passenger service after type flight trials were carried out.
Taxy trials were to commence on 3rd July 1936 but with the aircraft performing so well the pilot decided to make the first take off and a flight of 14 minutes was made around the Rochester area.
She was test flown with passengers during October of that year gaining her certificate and handing over to Imperial Airways the same month.
Canopus continued to be used in the early part of WW2 and flew her last commercial service in 1946 and was offered to Poole City Council for preservation which of course never happened but lets not get onto the thorny issue subject of local English councils.
Finally she was struck off, towed to Marchwood on Southampton water and scrapped.
Canopus had flown 2,000,000 miles approximately in a total of 15,200 hours.