Re: Capt. Sundstedt transatlantic flying boat
Hello, all -- Happy New Year! Just bought two copies of a magazine called Air World on eBay, and the December 1934 issue had two articles regarding Sundstedt and his airplane projects.
One article provides some bio details. Sundstedt joined the Swedish Royal Navy Corps of Cadets in at the age of 12, became a captain in the Swedish Merchant Marine in 1907 and "began flying with Baron Cederstrom" (?) in 1909. Studied French aircraft factory practices in 1913 and made a non-stop flight from Paris to Stockholm in 1914. Entered the Swedish navy that same year and was detailed to head an aircraft factory in Stockholm. Took a leave of absence and became a French military aviator in 1915, where he taught night flying, supervised aircraft construction, designed pontoons for Farman. Moved to New York in 1916 "to build a seaplane of his own design for trans-Atlantic flying and the result was eventually sold to the [U.S.] Navy." Was with Gallaudet in 1917. Using money provided by Norwegian shipbuilder Hannevig, he began another trans-Atlantic seaplane design in 1918--"one of the largest seaplanes built up to that time, with pontoons of a new design, box beam wing spars, and the first use of balsa wood fairings." Was with Aeromarine in 1921-22, and his design of a night bomber w/an all-metal wing and steel tube fuselage won "the U.S. Government prize." [Anybody know what this refers to?] In 1930 he sold a design for a 40-passenger seaplane "to a foreign government." Here's a picture of him piloting a Farman (see pic #4)
The other article describes a 60-passenger trans-Atlantic seaplane project called the Sundstedt HS-340. The description of the propulsion arrangement is rather vague, saying only that it would use "multiple engines" totaling 4,500 hp and geared together, with each set driving a propeller. Dimensions are span 140', length 88' and height 30'. Gross weight was 62,000 lbs. Two images were included: (see pics #1 & #2)
But the niftiest image was a projected 250-passenger seaplane that would follow upon the HS-340 -- see pic #3. Unfortunately, it's not further identified.