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The "Cosmos" Seaplane
Notes from the Foundation site
nevilshute.org
FICTIONAL AIRCRAFT (AN OLD CAPTIVITY) Cosmos Floatplane This appears to be a 6 or 7 seat, single engine, monoplane on twin floats converted to arctic flying by paint scheme, extra petrol tanks and wireless radio (Morse). Also contains cutout for aerial camera for photo-mosaic work. This plane closely resembles the Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker, a standout bush plane, used extensively in Canada from 1929 probably until the present time.
A mild controversy arose among a few Shutists about which airplane Nevil Shute had in mind when he devised the Cosmos. Until May of 2003 The Fairchild 71 was considered the role model. However, a cursory inspection of the pilot's duties in the book show him closely inspecting the engine cylinders and then replacing the cowling. Unfortunately the Fairchild 71 does not have engine cowling.
Another favorite put forward was the Noorduyn Norseman, another incredible bush plane certainly flying to this date. Unfortunately for the voters for the Norseman, they failed, as I first did, to consider the time line. Our pilot, Ross, left the RAF in 1929 and spent four years flying in Canada (on the fictional Cosmos). He returned to England no later than 1934 and was soon hired to fly the expedition. In reading the story there is great importance put on rushing the expedition to start in late Spring. No matter how one views this, the expedition could not have started later than early 1935. Unfortunately the Norseman first flew in late Autumn of 1935, and went into production the next year. A research craftsman such as Nevil Shute Norway would hardly have ignored the fact that Ross flew an airplane in Canada for four years which hadn't been invented until well after the Greenland expedition left.
Of the three planes, the Fairchild 71, the Noorduyn Norseman, and the Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker, we're left with the third by default. For those eagle-eyed aviation enthusists who will rush to point out that the Bellanca also didn't have engine cowling, they would be correct for the initial production model with an unfortunate underpowered engine. Within a year or so the plane was re-engined with the U.S. Wasp Junior and that required a cowling.
Not quite so fast.
Further learned discussions have ensued on the Nevil Shute foundation's Discussion Board in this subject at:-
"Aircraft in NSN Books"
this has lead to the possibility that it was a Lochkheed Vega as used by Amelia Earhart to cross the Atlantic
See various pictures of the candidate floatplanes in a thumbnail gallery at:-
Click to see the Gallery


Left:-A Bellanca CH-300 floatplane
Which most likely was the basis
For Nevil Shute's Cosmos
Right:-
A De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Beaver
in which John Fowles flew from and
around Lac Tremblant Quebec in 1964