Short Singapore

The Short Singapore was a two, later four -engined flying boat of the aircraft manufacturer Short Brothers from the 1920s. It was the last flying boat company in double-deck design.

History

Short began in 1925, the Singapore (Short S. 5) to develop, the first flight took place on August 17, 1926. Both wings have a different size and were covered with fabric, while the fuselage was made of duralumin. Although the aircraft performed well, no production contract was awarded by the Ministry.

Instead, it was awarded to the British aviation pioneer Sir Alan Cobham, who thus in the years 1927-1928 Africa circled ( 37,000 km ). He left Rochester (Kent) on November 17, 1927 from Benghazi he followed upstream the Nile, reached the Cape of Good Hope on 30 March 1928, returned to Rochester on 4 June 1928.

In 1927, Short, who had insisted stubbornly it was now but a production order and then built the Singapore II (Short p. 12), with a similar hull but with four engines. These were located at each of two in the two engine nacelles. Instead of a rudder were now three at the stern, and the cockpit was now closed. The first flight took place on 27 March 1930.

However, this model did not reach production, because in August 1933, the contract for four patterns of Singapore III (Short p. 19) has been granted and then extended to 33 additional aircraft. These aircraft were delivered also from August 1933 to June 1937. In April 1935, the first machines were put into service. Areas were the English coastal areas, Singapore, Iraq and Egypt. Some did their service until 1945.

Specifications

Short Singapore III