Film footage of Short 184 and Felixstowe F2A
In the course of some research I'm doing I stumbled across a film in the IWM archives, but viewable on the net, which includes some wonderful scenes of the Short 184 seaplane and the Felixstowe F2A taxiing and at rest off the Rosyth seaplane base in 1917. Obviously the film is silent so it's not your speakers packing up!
Pigeons and Seaplanes
A Royal Engineers sergeant shows how to load two carrier pigeons into a small wicker basket for transport. At the Rosyth seaplane base Felixstowe F2A flying boats and Short 184 seaplanes ride at anchor or taxi through the water. One of the Shorts at rest on a choppy sea (filmed from a small boat which rises and falls with the waves). A carrier pigeon is released from the aircraft and flies away.
© IWM (IWM 287)
Click here to view the film on the IWM website.
Another title that the IWM has made available on the net, although the quality and content is not as good is:
Seaplanes
A Short 184 some distance away from the camera comes in to land, then takes off. A PV5 seaplane taxies through the harbour, increasing speed to keep ahead of the camera boat. A Short 184 taxies around the harbour throwing up a lot of spray, weaving between the small boats. A King Edward Class battleship and a Gem Class light cruiser are in the background. The seaplane finally takes off. The Short 184 number N1081 on trestles on land showing that it is fitted with standard floats, followed by the same machine taxiing through the water. The view from the rear cockpit of the seaplane over the tail as it taxies. The Fairey N9 seaplane (a prototype version of the Fairey FIII) is also shown taxiing, then stationary and moving off, then coming in to land.
© IWM (IWM 644)
Click here to view the film on the IWM website.
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Originally Posted by Flying Officer Kyte
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