The Saunders-Roe SARO, Secret Flying Boat Site at Beaumaris, Nr Anglesey C1941, F876c

A short film showing the Saunders-Roe (shortened to SARO) war time aircraft site at the Fryars Estate near Beaumaris Nr. Anglesey. Staff began arriving in late 1940, with buildings and hangars being built to house and work on flying boats. The original house at Fryars was used for offices. Early the next year SARO began converting Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boats to RAF specifications. In all, over 300 Catalina's were converted (by 1944), with the location proving perfect for launching and testing this form of aircraft. The purpose of the base was kept secret...but I guess this means generally so, as it would be hard for locals not to guess what was going on! The Fryar's house exists today, as do many of the outbuildings...though looking somewhat unused now. The film was silent, and seems to be a tour of the site showing the people and activities undertaken. Both men and women are at work converting flying boats in one way or another, and it seems almost everyone has made it onto the film. I believe some of this footage is already available on YT, but not all of it, or with this level of resolution. An important base given the very valuable contribution which Catalina's made to the war effort. Music: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Title: Inspired. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...