Q&A ยท 4:18:39-4:22:25

A 1935 Saunders-Roe Princess and the Atlantic patrol gap

A Princess flying boat available in 1935 would give Britain the range, carrying capacity, and turbine technology to transform maritime patrol.

Question

How would completing the Saunders-Roe Princess and its associated technology in 1935 change maritime patrol and World War II?

Short answer

Its range and carrying capacity could close the mid-Atlantic patrol gap, carry early radar, and give Britain powerful turbine engines years before the war.

Notes

The counterfactual brings the Saunders-Roe Princess and its associated technology into service in 1935. Its coupled turboprops would give Britain an enormous advantage in aircraft power, although adapting those engines to small fighters raises questions about throttle response. The quoted disposable load of roughly 62 tons leaves room for substantial equipment and supplies. Its long range could replace the Sunderland's patrol role and remove the mid-Atlantic gap as a refuge for U-boats. The airframe is large enough to carry bulky early radar equipment, extending the argument beyond endurance alone. The same range also suggests much stronger transport links across the British Empire.