Short p.17
| Short p.17 Kent | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Flying boat |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
February 24, 1931 |
| Production time: |
1931 |
| Number of pieces: |
3 |
The Short S.17 Kent was a four-engine, as biplane out deliberate flying boat of the British manufacturer Short Brothers from the 1930s. The three aircraft developed as the successor to the S.8 Calcutta offered space for fifteen passengers.
history
In 1929 the Italian government closed all ports in Italy and its North African colonies to British aircraft. In order to be able to maintain their regular service to India , Imperial Airways needed a flying boat that could fly from Mirabella on Crete to Alexandria without stopping . In October 1930 Short began building the S.17 Kent. It made its maiden flight on February 24, 1931 . The last of the three machines ordered was completed in May.
The aircraft were baptized with the names Scipio , Sylvanus and Satyrus and run as Scipio class by Imperial Airways. The crew consisted of two pilots, a radio navigator and a flight attendant. The airline used the Kent on the Mediterranean section of the India route as well as on the routes to South Africa and Australia .
The Sylvanus was destroyed in a fire in Brindisi in 1935 , killing everyone on board. In 1936 the Scipio capsized in the port of Mirabella, and the two pilots were killed. The Satyrus was scrapped after being decommissioned in June 1938.
In 1933 Imperial Airways ordered two land planes based on the Kent. These machines, initially designated as S.17 / L, later as L.17, were named Scylla and Syrinx and were known as Short Scylla .
construction
The Short Kent was an enlarged four-engine version of the Calcutta . The number of passenger seats remained unchanged, but the maximum payload was increased in favor of airmail. Four Bristol Jupiter XFBM radial engines were used as propulsion and were mounted between the wings.
The fuselage was made of duralumin and stainless steel, the wings had a metal structure covered with fabric. The lavishly furnished passenger cabin had a toilet, washroom and galley. The pilots were housed in a closed cockpit, behind which the radio operator's seat was.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 4th |
| Passengers | 15th |
| length | 25.60 m |
| span | 34.44 m |
| Wing area | 245 m² |
| Empty mass | 9,290 kg |
| Takeoff mass | 14,510 kg |
| Top speed | 220 km / h |
| Service ceiling | 5,940 m |
| Range | 770 km |
| Engines | four radial engines Bristol Jupiter XFBM with 414 kW (563 PS) each |
