Saro Cloud
| A.19 Cloud | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| A Saro Cloud of the Royal Air Force | |
| Role | Flying boat |
| Manufacturer | Saunders-Roe |
| First flight | 1930 |
| Primary user | Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 22 |
The Saro Cloud was a British passenger amphibian flying boat designed and built by Saunders-Roe as the A.19 and later produced as the A.29 for the Royal Air Force for pilot and navigator training.
Following on from the success of the A.17 Cutty Sark the company designed an enlarged version designated the A.19 Cloud. It had room for a crew of two and eight passengers and like the Cutty Sark was a twin-engined monoplane flying boat with two engines strut-mounted above the wing. The design allowed for flexibility in engine fits and four aircraft were sold to private operators with different engines fitted.
First flown in 1930 the prototype was fitted with two 300 hp (224 kW) Wright J-6 radial engines.
The Air Ministry ordered one aircraft for evaluation as a trainer, it was first flown in June 1930. After evaluation the Air Ministry ordered a total of sixteen aircraft for pilot and navigator training (in three batches) to Air Ministry Specification 15/32. Designated the A.29 the Serval-powered aircraft had room for six students, it had provision to fit gun mountings in the bow and aft compartments, it could also carry four 50 lb practice bombs.
The first production A.29 Cloud was delivered to the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment for test and evaluation. Following modifications to the hull and steps, the aircraft was delivered to the Seaplane Training Squadron at RAF Calshot in August 1933. During its career, the Cloud served as training aircraft for both pilots, destined to train on larger flying boats after graduating from the Cloud before being assigned to frontline RAF flying boat units, and navigators, as the cabin was large enough to house several map tables. The final Cloud was delivered to the RAF in 1935 and after only a few years' service as trainers the last operational aircraft were withdrawn from service in July 1939.
Private individuals in Canada and the United Kingdom and the following commercial operators:
Data from The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). Orbis Publishing. p. 2879.
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