h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Where did the word "range" come from?
The approved version of the article says that the Princess was the world's largest flying boat range and flew in 1952 - it was a flying boat, it flew in 1952, and the word "range" makes no sense...

Any other comments?

What was the extremely large flying boat (or possibly two) that was moored at E.Cowes in the late 1950's. As a child I remember crossing by ferry from Southampton, seeing a lot of what I now know were R.N. launches,armed ones,and on the way into the ferry landing this enormous flying boat, whcih to me seemed much larger than a Sunderland. What happened to it or them?
I also remember seeing the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and the Mauretania(I think) off the coast.
I recall we were lodged in a caravan park overlooking the sea, with a paddling pool almost on the shore, and a castle to the right at the end of a dead end road. You could see an amazing assortment of shipping going by, mainly RN warships.

I assume you mean the Saunders Roe Princess, launched in 1952 and scrapped in 1969. Three were built, but nothing really happened to them. Look at:
http://www.h2g2.com/A431272

So, were you/are you from Southampton - or just passing through on the way to the Island?

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