Saro London

The Saunders-Roe A.27 London was a British military biplane flying boat built for the Royal Air Force in the mid-1930s. It was designed to Air Ministry Specification R.24/31 for a general purpose open sea patrol flying boat and was based on the Saro A.7 Severn, with an all-metal corrugated hull, fabric-covered wings and tail and two Bristol Pegasus radial engines mounted on the upper wing to keep them clear of spray. Only 31 were built. The first prototype flew in March 1934, production aircraft reached 201, 202, 204 and other squadrons from 1936, and the later aircraft had more powerful Pegasus X engines as the Mk.II. With the Supermarine Stranraer it was one of the last multi-engine biplane flying boats in RAF service, flew North Sea and Mediterranean patrols in 1939, and was withdrawn from front-line duties by mid-1941 as the Sunderland took over.