Variants Short_S.27

1 variants

1.1 s.38
1.2 short triple twin
1.3 short tandem twin
1.4 short s.32 (modified)

variants
s.38

airframe number s.38 improved s.27, used rnas. on 9 july 1912, damaged while being hoisted aboard hms london. returned shorts, , rebuilt extensive modifications. modified aircraft became basis of new type, short s.38.

short triple twin

the triple twin

shorts airframe number s.39 given experimental twin-engined aircraft based on type s.27, triple twin. powered 2 50 hp gnome omega engines, 1 in front of nacelle driving pair of tractor propellers mounted on interplane struts, chain drive left-hand propeller crossed front propellers revolved in opposite directions, , second engine mounted behind trailing edge of lower wing driving pusher propeller. first built , flown wings of equal span, trailing edge ailerons fitted both upper , lower wings. first flown mcclean on 18 september 1911 , bought admiralty in june 1912, being given serial number t.3.

a number of modifications subsequently made aircraft. in december 1911 upper wings extended , fuel capacity increased: extensions removed in february, , fitted tandem twin. in october both upper , lower wings extended, giving wingspan of 50 ft (15 m), , top wing later further extended, giving upper span of 64 ft (20 m).

in 1913 s.39 rebuilt single-engined pusher without front elevator , similar tail unit production short s.38, balanced rudders. in form referred admiralty type 3, , had rather better performance standard type 38. top speed 65 miles per hour (105 km/h) , ceiling on 9,000 ft (2,700 m). among aircraft used in france rnas in months of first world war, being used communications aircraft.

short tandem twin

tandem twin

the tandem twin example of twin engine aircraft. built francis mcclean, using parts of s.27. fitted short nacelle on top of lower wing 50 hp (37 kw) gnome omega @ either end, access cockpit being via hole in nacelle floor. tail surfaces modified addition of pair of rectangular rudders above tailplane. first flown mcclean on 29 october 1911. equal-span wings: extensions later fitted upper wing. aircraft suffered stability problems due insufficient aileron control , unpredictable variations caused rear propeller working in wake of front one. lent rnas pilot training , crashed samson. aircraft given nicknames vacuum cleaner , gnome sandwich.

short s.32 (modified)

in 1913 frank mcclean , j.h. spottiswoode determined undertake aerial expedition nile. realising require aircraft low wing loading mcclean got shorts build him aircraft largely rebuild of s.32 possibly incorporated components s.33 , s.34. resultant machine had bay added wings , overhanging extensions enlarged, bringing wingspan 70 ft 6 in (21.49 m). aircraft given elongated nacelle front elevator mounted on upswept outrigger on nose , paired rudders fitted. aircraft retained original 70 hp (52 kw) gnome lambda. performance disappointing , mcclean had new design, short s.80, built. airframe subsequently further modified, principally removing extended wings, convert type 38.