The Last African Flying boat full documentary

Shown many many years ago, now a classic documentary of its kind, with Alexander Frater. Deserves to be enjoyed by all.

[@paulfelixrose]

Thank you for the Upload. My Father was the Editor for this documentary. (Peter Rose) They received a Bafta for this Documentary. He passed away recently. May this upload keep his memory and the memory of the other people who worked on this film and are no longer with us alive. Dad, we miss you very much.

[@delzworld2007]

This documentary was created in 1990 by Alexander Frater (RIP). For anyone with a yearn for adventure and travel, it is a truly attention holding piece of film making. I first came across this travel writer 30 years ago when I read 2 of his books which are equally captivation. 'Beyond The Blue Horizon' is equally captivating, about the 1930's Imperial Airline's route from England to Australia.

[@vanessabryan786]

I saw this and read that book and Corsairville .. another African and Flying-boat based tale. ❤

[@stevegroombridge]

Great documentary - The Lake Victoria scenes reminded me of life in Kenya where I was born. My Dad at the end of his combat tour (19 Aug 43) as a WW2 Spitfire pilot in 154 sq Sicily was transfered from Lentini to Helipolis by DC3 (ED364 and FD858) and then - on the 18 September 1943 flew as a passenger on a Shorts C class flying boat GADUW under the command of Capt Fry from Cario > Luxur > Wadi Halfa > Khartoum > Malakal > Port Bell > Kisumu > Mombasa > Dar es Salaam > Lindi > Mozambique > Beira > Lorenco Marques > arriving at Durban on 21 Sept 43 - Then on 27 Sept 43 flew as passenger on another Shorts C class GAFKZ (Capt King) from Durban to Val Bank Dam - to then go on to become a RAF flying instructor at 33 Flying Instructors School at Norton - Southern Rhodesia. At the end of the war he and my mom and brother emigrated to Kenya where he was hired by BOAC in Kisumu to help the flyboats and their passengers - not sure he was station manager or not - but he worked there until the service stopped

[@CONNELL19511216]

One of the best documentaries about commercial aviation and aviation in general. If anyone can point me to more like this I will greatly appreciate it - and others watching this too

[@shamimehsanulhaque5244]

It was around 1987/1988 that that Alexandar Frater published his classic and much celebrated book about the glorious heyday of Imperial Airways: Beyond The Blue Horizon. It is an amazing work. If the documentary was done in 1990 then I would say that some of the atmosphere and culture in which the White inhabitants of the continent lived in the 1920s still did exist in 1990. The polo match and the garden party of the Happy Valley planters surprised me a great deal. I was fascinated to find that there were some time capsules along the flight path of Frater and his Catalina. Excellent documentary for aviation enthusiasts! He is one of the best authorities in the world on history of early airliners and flight routes.

[@malcolmclements9254]

I went to live in Kenya in May 1991. I watched this film on BBC 2 sometime before I left, I still have the taped video.

[@user-cg4pu3bv2u]

Just seen this unique glimpse of the imperial period! My partner's father Peter Horn was a wartime RAF pilot who was seconded to BOAC mid WW2. He stayed on after the war and flew C Class flying boats from UK to SA.He was the captain of the last BOAC flight from Durban in march 1947 in the Caledonia with BOAC staff and his South African wife Helen. The cine footage she took has sadly decayed over time. So this doco brings the journeys of the privileged back to life!!

[@TobShowHost]

Director David Wallace & Editor Peter Rose. They've won the BAFTA for best documentary in 1991 with this film.

[@watsonmil]

A wonderful documentary, ... thank you so very much.

[@tedhernandez5009]

Thanks for this great video! I totally enjoyed it.

[@skip4309wtf]

I really like these types of documentaries...flying boats....history...nostalgia...I would have loved to have been born in that era...what an experience it would have been...seems like life was much simpler then...they wrote letters to communicate...now everyone has a cell phone or computer...

[@ioanniszorgianos5299]

You would love to be born in that era like a black, like a poor white, or like a lord?

[@philsooty5421]

Superb video, what would I do without KZbin and the people who take the time out to upload, thank you, with your help I learn so much

[@loosebelt]

Highly enjoyable documentary. The navigator guy is a legendary Canadian pilot still flying after all these years, although the routes and conditions are not always so exotic these days. :)

[@osatoo98]

Do you know the pilots name?

[@swinderby]

@@osatoo98 Who cares? Oliver something.

[@waffles6548smile]

He is a legend for sure !

[@tonnywildweasel8138]

Fantastic docu on a Fantastic plane ! Thanks for sharing man, T.

[@1944Devon]

Thanks for uploading this Aeronco; my VHS tape is a bit of a fiddle to watch nowadays! Evokes fond memories of my late father, who was a passenger in a Short flying boat, from Southampton to Southern Rhodesia , in the late 1940s. I still have a few photos and ephemera! Regards. Ian

[@1944Devon]

Opps - sorry : should have referred to 227beau rather than Aeronco - but thanks also to Aeronco via whose Playlist I found this video. Ian

[@allandavis8201]

Wow, it’s only taken 7 years for this to appear in my recommend list, and I watch enough aircraft documentaries to sink the “Spruce Goose”. Thanks for sharing this interesting and informative video, very enjoyable. Entrepreneurs “take risks” that might be a slightly less than realistic description, calculated risks being closure to the mark, otherwise there wouldn’t be many entrepreneurs around, just failures. The Catalina looks as good now as it did when it was first built, a wonderful aircraft, part of a fantastic era of flight and/or shipping depending on your point of view, and the finest flying boat to ever fly was, in my opinion, the Short Sunderland, not just as a coastal command aircraft but as an airmail/freight carrier and passenger aircraft as well, but in RAF and other nations airforces costal commands was phenomenal, a pity that there aren’t any flying today, or at least there wasn’t last time I heard. The other great flying boat that I am glad to say is still flying is the Martin Mars water bomber, now that’s a big beast. It’s no wonder that the Middle Eastern/African/Asian nations are still in the Middle Ages if they can’t even get permissions for flights sorted out, to many chiefs and not enough Indians around. Wasn’t very impressed with Jim the pilot, one of the first things a pilot needs to have is good communication skills, especially if you are dealing with countries who’s first language isn’t your own, and not having a second pilot seems a little to risky, a pilot must be able to navigate, but a navigator doesn’t need to be a pilot, recipe for disaster. I wonder, given the unrest in the “happy valley “ regions, if the snobs are still living the life of the “colonial empire “ aristocracy, with their polo matches, Harrods accounts, and Pims party’s?, oh how the other half live/lived, it’s still true that somewhere in the world, for some, the sun is always over the yardarm, whether or not that’s a good thing I don’t know, but it could be more of a burden than a measure of pride. 😀👍🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@strangeclouds]

Great movie... thanks very much for posting it !!

[@ioanniszorgianos5299]

If you where rich it was a beautiful era to live.

[@P61guy61]

Thanks for posting

[@bazza945]

I have flown twice in the same Catalina PBY5A that is featured in this documentary. It is currently in NZ, arriving here sometime in the early '90s. It reminded me of flights in the Douglas DC3 Dakota in the '50s, last flight Q4 1968.

[@melted_cheetah]

They renovated that PBY super nicely! It'd be awesome to fly low with all those windows and especially the 2 waist blisters to look out of.

[@tomkjellstrand4020]

Thanks for the very fine video !!!!!!

[@granskare]

I saw this film on PBS, I think, so no computers or internet at that time..Pleased to see it once again. I believe conditions in Africa have improved somewhat. Thanks much for uploading it....! :)

[@BobJones-dq9mx]

Excellent documentary which reminded me of my bush flying in Laos 53 years ago.

[@klausbmj]

very nice. Thank you.

[@227beau]

thanks for the comment strangeclouds, glad you enjoyed it.

[@malcolmclements9254]

When I arrived to live in Kenya 1991, I was informed by a pilot who I knew that Bill Cragg had been shot down by a missile doing exactly what he was warning about in this film. Uncanny.

[@duckpuddles]

My father trained on Catalinas at Pensacola on the Empire training scheme in WW2. When I managed to pass my flying test father told me i was not a proper pilot until I won my water wings. So I checked into Jack Brown's Seaplane Base in Florida and had a great time flying Piper Cub Floatplanes. Chuck Brown I think thought I was becoming a bit too overconfident so on the final flying test he asked me if I thought that I could put it down in a small lake below. "Sure" I said, brimming with confidence, and put it down easily with much room to spare. "That was real nice," he said " real nice landing" bit of a pause "Had Y'all thought about how you are going to fly outa here?!" I looked ahead and realised my error, like the Catalina you need a long take off run compared to the water landing which is like ABS brakes "O K Chuck ,you got me, I suppose that I shall have to pay for a recovery truck to teach me a lesson" Another long pause while I was calculating how little money I had left and then he said "I have control" and we proceeded to go round the lake in a circle, faster and faster and then on to one float until we picked up enough speed, turned into the wind and took off easily! Now that was a first for me!

[@MarcvanExel]

Marvelous, great history!

[@electronicsafrica]

fabulous documentary ... fabulous plane

[@albertogarciaarango2411]

beutiful video thanks

[@sek153]

just searched up Alexander Frater on Wikipedia and apparently he passed away early this year. RIP

[@mercedesbenzformula1]

Thank you

[@ebenezer1690]

Jolly good thanks

[@johnward9626]

Loved it!

[@johnblythe5731]

the music to this is really mejestic

[@cmtemoacirsilva]

Great!! 👏👏👏👏👏

[@mercedesbenzformula1]

Do they still do these "flying cruises"? They look like a blast!

[@mikecrees159]

I saw this film 30 years ago...

[@miriamrodriguez99]

MY TOO

[@miriamrodriguez99]

YEAR 1990

[@malcolmclements9254]

In those days it was a smooth water landing on Lake Naivasha then a 60 mile safari to the Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi for dinner and a good night's sleep.

[@cliveclerkenville2637]

I had an Arab friend who showed me a receipt of his grandfather from Imperial for a flight from Cairo to Basra, the cost being five pounds. English or Egyptian I know not.

[@paulkoomen5262]

This film is not that old,even though it looks that way, as the registration of this aircraft changed from, CF-JCV to C-FJCV Some time after, Aero Trades Western Ltd, out of Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada owned it and, Change the registration to comply with the new rules, Some time between 1976-1982. That is one aircraft I enjoyed working on.

[@paulkoomen5262]

@Sean NZ nice to know the old girl is still going,

[@ron54ist]

Does anyone know the title of the music at 56.42?..

[@user-yc9by7yp4p]

Superb

[@johnster1964]

If you are interested in life in old Alex, read "Out of Egypt" by Andre Aciman.

[@warnerhaldane743]

I flew in these flying boats in the late 1940s between Southampton and Lake Naivasha in Kenya.

[@BillJulieGriffith]

NIce!

[@stewartw.9151]

Copyright notice says 1990 but when was this filmed I wonder? looks like early 1980s or so to judge by the cars at about 00:47:40. Also later they mention the signing of the new Constitution of Kenya. This was the 1963 independence constitution, so that confirms the "20 years on" mentioned date of 1983.

[@paulkoomen5262]

I just noticed the registration on the PBY5A , And I have worked on this aircraft in 1969-1970. When it was owned by Austin Airways, When I worked out of Hamilton Ontario. And it worked along the east and west side of James Bay and also went into Attawapiskat, Moosonee, And Ivujivik And other places along this route.

[@ryan0peck]

nice bit of history there paul! good to hear your story!

[@atomage2006]

It's in the credits - MCMXC - 1990

[@phillipsmith6756]

"At least ten hours of flying" from Karthoum to the next stop ... the 'double sunrise' flights from Perth to Ceylon were almost 24hrs. I'm sure the Catalina was going to be OK.

[@apexxxx10]

kiitos

[@paulreilly3904]

Africa is so beautiful and so are the people. Individually. But look at South Africa, murder rape, corruption. It was ever thus. And I don't see it changing anytime this century. That fills me with great sadness. And yes I have been to many parts of it, and many times.

[@johnblythe5731]

a great shame to have left it would have been a good thing to have stayed on

[@brookbilney761]

pretty sad, things have not improved much in many of those places. Great old video though.

[@MrFlava1982]

Kenyan music at 51:00 is so much like Zimbabwean music!

[@chanctonbury63]

When was this filmed?

[@wayinfront1]

The film was shown in 1990. When it was shot I do not know, probably same year or previous.

[@johnrobinson5156]

Rockwell had daily flights on a Catalina for employees, Long Beach- Palmdale for Space Shuttle. Had to circle several times to clear mountains, low/ slow. Good ol days, not realized at time.

[@dreamdiction]

57:30 The British abolished slavery 50 years before the interior of Africa was colonized, that's why there was never slavery in any British African colony, the narrator is describing how David Livingstone fought against the Arab slave trade which still continues today.

[@k.s.3748]

The Marlboro Man can Fly too!

[@9traktor]

Those were the (better?) days...

[@stevenhoman2253]

He then asked my why I was shaking his hand. I told him that all politics aside, he should be proud of his service. He suddenly burst Into tears. Then told me that nobody had thanked

[@stevenhoman2253]

Him ever before after all these years.

[@carolechevalier6619]

Tellement JAUNET...

[@semsemeini7905]

Scary

[@VancouverIsland1]

Cool Video Man LINK BELOW Martin Mars Water Bomber Tribute

[@malcolmclements9254]

I presume they didnt use cartridges to start the engines as in Flight of the Phoenix!

[@MsClyde57]

Papua New Guinea had an airforce?

[@kurtmuller1861]

Interesting to see that Alexander Frater can't get bacon and eggs at the Cecil, when in fact they were readily available under the original owners who were Jewish.

[@duckpuddles]

Pilot's name is at 5.00 minutes if anyone has better hearing than me

[@xetalq]

"Jim Ledegaard", I think ...

[@paulreilly3904]

Jim Ledogard.

[@paulreilly3904]

Bit late I know.

[@MrAmericanworkmule]

and still leaking oil.

[@swinderby]

Fascinating....what a shame the young American pilot was such a misery. He must have spoiled the adventure for everybody.

[@nejsig]

Due to the africans curly hairstyle, the cars, clothes and the guy relentlessly smoking in the cockpit, I would say around 1977-78 !!!

[@alexanderrosales7675]

nejsig filmed in 1990

[@thegreatujo]

@39:45 How is stress a thing in a traditional tribal village on an island ? It goes against all we know in psychology.

[@resistradio4489]

2:42 flicks cig ash out window!! Struck me as funny for some reason.

[@michaelgostas4485]

Get rid of the crappy music

[@jmuld1]

Nice PBY and hisriry but all get is current Africa , what a disappointment .

[@johnk.lindgren5940]

Catalina's fuel economy 80 gallons/hour. In metric litres please!

[@ameagher2]

+John K. Lindgren. Come on Johnny K., it's not a difficult calculation ... you can do it.

[@frankglover1554]

80 x 4 =320 +/- .....

[@ottokueng4236]

Week nerves of the pilots..... needs to smoke.

[@johnk.lindgren5940]

"There was Lord Ramston and Lady Delamere big land owners, around here" says the smiling woman in waring a Havana hat. The "land" they he had stolen from the rightful African land owners. Are they still alive, these people?

[@dashercronin]

+John K. Lindgren if they are not alive their descendants are and going strong. Check out the Cousinhood. They own half of the landmass of the UK. about 3,000 families. Land stolen from the Church in 15th century by Henry VIII and distributed to his supporters. They have been running the show ever since.God knows what they own in Africa and the ex dominions.

[@frankglover1554]

And look what happened once the white British and Portuguese governments' left the colonies .. Dust to Dust ..

[@malcolmclements9254]

Actually, I lived in Kenya for 10years. Ask any older Kenyan if life was better under the British and you'll be surprised by the answer.

[@johnsometimeswrong8742]

Dem white folks be havin a great time...