The instructions for the Meccano Twin Engined Flying Boat were published in the 1937 No.6 Manual. (Picture shown on left). The model depicts a flying boat of the early 1930s although not based on any particular aircraft it looks like an amalgam of several types. The nearest in appearance is probably the Short Singapore. Dinky Toys produced a nice model of the Singapore and you can see the resemblance to the Meccano model in the picture at the foot of the page. These types of aircraft had a long service record for coastal patrol with the RAF and overseas Air Forces. They were eventualy replaced by such aircraft at the Short Sunderland.

The picture below shows the Short Calcutta a similar but three engined machine. Versions of these aircraft were also built as a passenger carrying craft for the "Empire routes". Large flying boats of this type were built mainly by Supermarine at Southampton and Cowes also Short Brothers of Rochester Kent.

My Meccano model is built using 1978-79 dark yellow and dark blue parts, these colours were chosen because the dark blue was a near match for two early Aero Constructor engine nacelles I wanted use. These parts are the short lived, 1932 type introduced when Meccano started producing the Aero sets but were discontinued after less than a year when  improved parts were introduced.

The instructions left quite a lot to the imagination with some vital dimensions missing. I followed the basic design as close as possible but did not build it within the confines of the No.6 set, and I used a few parts parts that were not included in the set such as triangular flexible plates .

The model I think is well proportioned and one of the better aircraft models in the pre-war manuals. The hull on the prototype would have been much wider at the keel but there are limits as to what can be done with standard parts on a fairly small model, at least by me

October 29 2007

Revised May 18 2015