Saunders-Roe Queen: Britain’s Ambitious Jet-Powered Seaplane Concept

The Saunders-Roe P.192 Queen was a British jet-powered seaplane project developed by Saunders-Roe after World War II. Designed for intercontinental passenger flights, particularly between the United Kingdom and Australia, the project never advanced to the prototype stage due to insufficient funding.

The aircraft was envisioned to cruise at 450 mph (720 km/h) at altitudes ranging from 30,000 to 39,000 feet (9,000 to 12,000 meters), with a maximum range of 2,100 miles (3,400 kilometers). Its planned route between London and Sydney included stopovers in Cairo, Karachi, Calcutta, Singapore, and Darwin.

Featuring a five-deck fuselage, the P.192 Queen was designed to offer luxurious accommodations. Passengers would travel in six-person compartments, with seats that could be converted into sleeping berths, resembling railway carriage designs. First-class passengers would have access to exclusive bars, dining rooms, and washrooms, while meals for all decks would be prepared in a galley and delivered via a freight elevator. The crew, consisting of seven flight crew members and 40 cabin crew, would also have designated rest quarters, along with a steward similar to those found on ocean liners.

To prevent engine spray ingestion during takeoff and landing, the engines were positioned away from the hull. Air was supplied through intakes located in the leading edge of the wing while in flight, with additional intakes on top of the wing for operations on the water. The aircraft’s maneuverability on water was enhanced by water rudders.