Gemuser From Australia, joined Nov 2003, 5219 posts, RR: 6 Posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 8873 times:
With the disscussion flowing here about the QF order and the possiability & desirability on SYD-LHR non stop and the fact that I have finally settled into a decent flat and unpacked my books (Yea!!) I thought I would share with you the August 1939 timetable of the Qantas/Imperial Airways SYD-LHR service. (For the history challegened that is immediately before the outbreak of World War 2)
Sydney Tue, Thur, Sat
Brisbane
Gladstone
Townsville
Townsville Wed, Fri, Mon
Darwin
Koepang
Sourabaya
Sourabaya Fri, Sun, Tue
Batavia
Singapore
Penang
Penang Sat, Mon, Wed
Bangkok
Rangoon
Calcutta
Calcutta Sun, Tue, Thrs
Allahabad
Gwalior
Karachi
Karachi Mon, Wed, Fri
Jiwani
Dabai
Baherin
Basra
Basra Tue, Thrs, Sat
Habbaniyeb (for Baghdah)
Tiberias
Alexandria
Alexandria Wed, Fri, Sun
Athens
Brindisi
Rome
Marseilles
Marseilles Thrs, Sat, Mon
Southampton Water Arrive Thrs, Sat, Mon
Aircraft Shorts S23 C class flying boat
Connecting service offerred Bangkok - Hong Kong twice weekly
Intermediate Service Southampton Water - Calcutta on Wed & Fri returning on Wed & Sat
-------------
9 days, 26 stops compare that to 20 hours(more or less) and no stops!
Also includes are details of services Southampton Water - Durban, KLMs service Amsterdam - Bativia, the Zeppelin service Frtiedrichshafen - Rio and services Paris - Hanoi and African ports. I would be happy to post details if people are intrested.
Jush From Germany, joined Apr 2005, 1636 posts, RR: 4 Reply 4, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 8701 times:
Thanks for the graphic.
Amazing that we're so close to one stop (if desireable is questionable) but from 28 to 2 stops in under 100 years is amazing, isn't it?
The world has gotten so much smaller in the last century.
Regds
jush
There is one problem with airbus. Though their products are engineering marvels they lack passion, completely.
Cricket From India, joined Aug 2005, 2936 posts, RR: 7 Reply 7, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 8526 times:
Imagine, sixty five years ago we spoke of range in hundreds of KM, now range is dealt in tens of thousands of KM. Wow! I'm amazed, but I wonder where the plane landed in Gwalior, there are no major lakes/rivers around the fort city, or it might have landed somewhere close to the city. Anyway, did the plane also fly through the night, or did it halt the night at a city?
A319XFW From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 8508 times:
But probably the people who could afford to even fly that trip would be the people who would afford to fly it non stop now
The poor would have had to go by boat, just like now they would have to stop on the way somewhere
RP TPA From United States of America, joined Oct 1999, 829 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 8410 times:
If Southwest were to ever fly SYD-LHR, the 26-stop itinerary would sound just about right!!
Ken777 From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 7460 posts, RR: 5 Reply 10, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 8102 times:
I moved to RTW flights several years ago over TUL-SYD-TUL so I would have a chance to see the world instead of just water. What I get these days is nothing like the 26 stops on a SYD-LHR in 1939. I would love to know what those flights cost in today's dollars.
Gemuser From Australia, joined Nov 2003, 5219 posts, RR: 6 Reply 15, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 6845 times:
Quoting Timz (Reply 13): Quoting Cricket (Reply 7):
Anyway, did the plane also fly through the night, or did it halt the night at a city?
That's why it took nine days, because they stayed in hotels (?) overnight.
AFAIK there are no routine night landings in flying boats, because it is just about impossiable for the pilot to actually see the surface of the water and so flare the aircraft.
Night take offs on the other hand were routine, I have had the JOY of flying a Shorts S25 with Ansett Flying Boat Services SWA - LHI (Sydney Water Airport(Rose Bay) - Lord Howe Island) and we left SWA at 2:00am (to catch the tide at the island) Without a doubt my most increadable flying exprience.
The QF wartime service PER-CMB also used night take offs to avoid day time heat.
On the QF/IA service the pax stayed at hotels overnight where they existed, in a few locations the airlines actually built guest houses because suitable accommodations were not available. Sourabaya rings a bell and I am sure there was at least one in India and some in the Midle East.
Pzurita1 From Greenland, joined Sep 2002, 1384 posts, RR: 16 Reply 17, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 4 hours ago) and read 3321 times:
Gmuser,
Some times those timetables also included tickets costs. could you post them in case they were included? If in Sterlings I could post them in current terms.
I am quite very sure that ticket would cost much more than a first class tickets on the some route nowadas.
Timz From United States of America, joined Sep 1999, 6468 posts, RR: 8 Reply 18, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 3110 times:
In 1939 KLM/KNILM charged 160 pounds London to Sydney; likely Imperial was the same. The DC-3s got there a bit faster than the Shorts.
Richierich From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 4024 posts, RR: 6 Reply 19, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 3025 times:
How long would LHR-SYD have taken in Concorde, and how many stops would it have taken?
I know I am ignoring little things like noise pollution and sonic booms, etc. but just curious.
Gemuser From Australia, joined Nov 2003, 5219 posts, RR: 6 Reply 20, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 3014 times:
Quoting Aircellist (Reply 16): Yes, please, show us the other routes... Do you have AF's South American routes as well, and PanAm's first transatlantic service?
Sorry nothing for the North Atlantic and the only South American service is :
"Timetable of the "Zeppelin" Airships"
South America:
Friedrichshafen/Frankfort Dep Wednesday evening
Pernambuco/Recife Arr Saturday evening
Rio de Janerio Arr Sunday evening
Buenos Aires Arr Tuesday [via aeroplane connection of Syndicato Condor Ltda from Pernambuco.]
Return
Buenos Aires Dep Tuesday [via aeroplane connection of Syndicato Condor Ltda to Pernambuco.]
Rio Dep Wednesday evening
Pernambuco/Recife Dep Thursday evening
Frankfort Arr Monday evening
North American Service (Lakehurst)
Suspended until further notice
I will post the KLM/KNILM service to Batavia/Sydney and the Air France service to Saigon etc in seperate messages shortly.
Pzurita1 - Sorry there is no fare info included.
I should have mentioned it before, all timetables are from faxsimile reprint of the August 1939 edition of Cooks Continental Timetable published in 1987 by David & Charles Publishers plc.
Pzurita1 From Greenland, joined Sep 2002, 1384 posts, RR: 16 Reply 23, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 2730 times:
Quoting Timz (Reply 18): In 1939 KLM/KNILM charged 160 pounds London to Sydney;
if that price is correct, then in current terms that tix would cost 6,615 sterling, or US$11,578 . Not bad considering that you can get a First Class ticket flyign CX for less than US$9,500.
Here a good link if you want to know how much is worth anything in current terms since 13th century: http://eh.net/hmit/ppowerbp/
Timz From United States of America, joined Sep 1999, 6468 posts, RR: 8 Reply 24, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 2691 times:
In 1947 London-Sydney fare was 260 pounds on the flying boats, or 300 pounds on the converted Lancasters, which took something less than half the time. (London-Singapore was a 2-stop for them.)
25 RichardJF: Not far off the fare's EK is talking about now
26 Pzurita1: Or 6,598 pounds of 2004.... Which seems rather consistent with 1939 KL services from London-Sydney.
27 Gemuser: Guy I have moved all non Oz-UK timetables to a more appriprately titled thread "Long Haul Timetables In August 1939" Pe@rson I'll be posting Southampt
28 Gemuser: The plan was LHR-BAH-CMB-SIN-MEL and about 12 hours, BUT I can not remember if that was total or flight time. A special SuperSonic Flight corridor wa
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