DAN SHUMAKER COLLECTION
No. 6238. Saunders-Roe A.29 Cloud Mk.I (K2894 c/n A29/1) Royal Air Force
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Saunders-Roe A.29 Cloud Mk.I

02/28/2014. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "The civil Cloud was adopted for the RAF to Air Ministry Specification 15/32, the prototype being serialed K2681. As an amphibian, the Cloud Mk.I was something of a novelty in the RAF, being used for the instruction of flying boat pilots before they passed on to bigger boats, and as a 'flying classroom' for the training of navigators.

For the latter purpose the Cloud was well suited, with its capacious cabin offering accommodation for eight students/passengers and chart tables, and the uninterrupted view of the ground afforded by the high-wing configuration. Crew comfort was, indeed, a great feature of the Cloud, which differed from most of its contemporary maritime aircraft in having a totally enclosed cockpit for the two pilots. There was provision for gun mountings in bow and aft compartments, and four 50 lb (23 kg) practice bombs beneath the wings.

The Cloud first entered service with 'B' Flight of the Seaplane Training Squadron at Calshot in August 1933. Student pilots continued their training on Clouds after first qualifying in floatplanes such as the Sea Tutors with 'A' Flight. From Clouds they went on to Service-type boats (Southamptons) with 'C' Flight and were then posted to a first-line flying boat squadron.

In addition to Calshot, the Cloud was also issued to the School of Air Pilotage at Andover, and in January 1936 to No. 48 Squadron at Manston. No. 48 Squadron retired its Clouds in June that year as it was by then receiving the RAF's first Ansons. At the annual RAF Display, Clouds were seen each year from 1933 to 1936, taking part in the traditional fly-past of miscellaneous flying boat types.

Total production of the Cloud was sixteen, the last being delivered in January 1935; their serial numbers were K2894 to K2898, K3722 to K3729 and K4300 to K4302 (c/n A.29/1 to A.29/16)."


Created March 15, 2007