Hello, i have been looking at a lot of RAF sunderland crashes lately some due to engine failures. I was wandering if anyone knowes what the sunderlands performance was like flying on 3 or 2 engines. I cant imagine the RAF excepting an aircraft that could not fly with at least one engine out with a full payload. surley tests were carried out after production to ensure this could be achieved. I know take-off is a critical time ie high angle of attack and low speed but even here they must have tested 1 engine out performance before making it operational. Any thoughts very welcome.Regards.
I can't imagine she was very good at all on two engines unless substantially lightened but that applies to most, if not all, four-engined aircraft of the era. While it is possible she could have taken off on three engines, I reckon she would have had to have again been fairly light and in very favourable conditions to get unstuck. Don't forget, four-engined bombers like the Lanc, Halibag and Stirling heading out on ops often got into difficulties if they lost an engine on take-off. Reference to a comprehensive book like Andrew Hendrie's Short Sunderland in World War II or even the Pilot's Notes would give the definitive answer re testing and capabilitie, I reckon. EDIT: the Sunderland of 461 Squadron RAAF that was attacked by the 8 Ju 88s over the Bay of Biscay managed to fly home on three engines. Admittedly, she was beached as soon as they made landfall but she had been pretty badly damaged (all instruments gone, little rudder control etc) elsewhere and had wounded and dead on board. The crew also lightened the aircraft and one even went round with an axe to remove what he could!
Early Sunderland engines could not be feathered and so the best advice would have been to return to base as soon as possible. Not just because of the loss of power but because of the aerodynamic impact on flying. No point risking an aircraft in a possible combat situation unneccasarily. But with more powerful engines later: Aircraft Profile #189. Short Sunderland
