Operational_history Short_S.27

no.38 perched on foredeck runway installed on hms hibernia, shortly before commander charles samson piloted on world s first aircraft take-off moving ship on 9 may 1912.



commander samson s historic take-off hms hibernia. 3 streamlined air bags used flotation visible.

the date of first flight aircraft of type not on record, issue of flight dated 4 june 1910 carried photograph of aircraft , article records several successful flights had been made cecil grace, referring aircraft no.27. both s.26 , s.27 flying 19 june 1910. s.26 flown g.c. colmore, complete novice who, after twenty minutes of taxying trials, completed 2 , half circuits of airfield before having land because of trouble engine. following day succeeded in qualifying pilot s license, fifteenth awarded royal aero club.

on 20 june grace set new british altitude record in s.27, reaching height of 1,180 ft (360 m), , later month flew @ midland aero club meeting held @ dunstall park, wolverhampton between 27 june , 2 july 1910. here made judged spectacular flight of meeting, remaining aloft half hour , reaching altitude of on 500 ft (150 m).

later, s.29 completed cecil grace 60 hp (45 kw) e.n.v. engine in order make attempt win baron de forest prize longest flight made in all-british machine united kingdom destination in mainland europe before end of 1910. grace made attempt on 22 december 1910, starting dover. succeeded in crossing english channel, landed near calais due poor visibility. later day took advantage of improvement in weather conditions attempt fly dover, after take-off encountered severe fog, , misjudged course. sighted north goodwin lightship, , coastguard @ ramsgate reported hearing sound of aircraft engine distance offshore, no further trace of grace or aircraft found.

in late 1910 mcclean, take part in expedition fiji , tasmania observe solar eclipse offered loan 2 aircraft admiralty them used train naval officers fly, , cecil grace offered services unpaid instructor. after grace s death george cockburn offered replace him. these offers accepted, , 200 volunteers lieutenants charles r. samson, r. gregory, , arthur m. longmore royal navy , lieutenant e. l. gerrard of royal marine light infantry selected. reported flight training @ eastchurch airfield on 1 march 1911 , earned wings in 6 weeks. in october 1911, royal navy purchased 2 aircraft , established naval flying school, eastchurch, @ eastchurch airfield.

besides being used training, s.27 , improved s.27 aircraft used in various naval aviation experiments. famous example 1 of 2 belonging naval flying school, eastchurch, manufacturer s number s.38, achieved number of aviation firsts on period of few months in 1911 , 1912.

in 1911, lieutenant longmore , oswald short installed streamlined air bags on undercarriage struts , under tail of improved s.27 no. 38 enable aircraft land on water. on 1 december 1911, longmore used aircraft become first person in united kingdom take off land , make successful water landing when landed in river medway off sheerness, after no.38 brought ashore , flown eastchurch. flying-off platform constructed on foredeck , forward 12-inch (305 mm) gun turret of pre-dreadnought battleship hms africa, , on 10 january 1912 samson, piloting no.38, used platform while africa anchored off sheerness make united kingdom’s first successful aeroplane take-off ship. platform later transferred battleship hms hibernia.

s.38 1 of 4 naval aircraft take part in 1912 fleet review @ weymouth, others being short s.41 tractor biplane, deperdussin monoplane , nieuport monoplane. flown samson (now promoted rank of commander) , lieut. gregory. convincing display of possibilities of naval aviation made in presence of king george v, including demonstration of use of aircraft spotting submerged submarines , dropping of 300 lb (140 kg) dummy bomb gregory. on 9 may, second day of review, samson flew no.38 off hibernia, fitted ramp, while ship under way, first time had been done. afterwards ramp again transferred, time battleship hms london, , samson repeated feat on 4 july.

another public display of aircraft made mcclean on 10 august 1912, when remembering appointment in town , flew s.33, equipped floats, eastchurch westminster, flying thames. unable gain enough height fly on tower bridge, flew between bascules , upper walkway of bridge, , flew under remaining bridges before alighting @ westminster, skimming water @ blackfriars bridge , waterloo bridge. exploit did not amuse authorities, , return journey obliged taxy aircraft down thames far shadwell basin, on attempting take off aircraft sideslipped, damaging 1 of floats: aircraft returned eastchurch road.

two examples fitted dual controls, s.43 , s.44, supplied newly established central flying school @ raf upavon in july 1912, still in service in late 1914.