Short p.26
| Short p.26 | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Flying boat |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
July 21, 1939 |
| Production time: |
1939/1940 |
| Number of pieces: |
3 |
The Short S.26 was a four-engine flying boat made by the British manufacturer Short Brothers in the late 1930s. The aircraft developed for transatlantic traffic could carry up to forty passengers. Only one of the three copies built survived the Second World War .
history
The S.26 was commissioned by Imperial Airways and, with a view to military use, with the support of the British government. The planes were able to cross the Atlantic without stopping. The airline also planned to operate on other main international routes.
The prototype completed its maiden flight on July 21, 1939. The other two machines followed in 1940. Originally the proper names were "Golden Hind" ( aircraft registration G-AFCI), "Grenadier" (G-AFCJ) and "Grenville" (G-AFCK) was awarded, but at the request of the BOAC the last two were changed to "Golden Fleece" and "Golden Horn" as a tribute to Greece and Turkey before completion. The designation G-class or G-Boats was derived from these baptismal names . Two of the planes came into temporary possession of the airline BOAC in order to train the pilots. Subsequently, all three machines including the crews of the Royal Air Force were placed under and converted to military aircraft.
The flying boats served in Gibraltar and the Middle East from early 1941 . The Golden Fleece was destroyed in an accident during a mission . At the end of the year, the two surviving aircraft came into the possession of the BOAC, which equipped them with 40 passenger seats and operated between Great Britain and Nigeria . In 1943 the Golden Horn was lost due to an engine fire. The Golden Hind served in West Africa until the end of the war and remained in service with the BOAC until 1947. In 1954 it was scrapped.
construction
The S.26 was an enlarged version of the Short Empire using components from the Short Sunderland . Four Bristol Hercules engines served as drive . The aircraft was constructed in all-metal construction and designed as a cantilever high- wing aircraft .
The armament during World War II consisted of three Boulton Paul -BPA Mk II quadruple machine-gun stands. In addition, two 500-pound bombs could be carried under the wings. The planes received additional armor and search radar .
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 7th |
| Passengers | 28-40 |
| length | 30.90 m |
| span | 40.90 m |
| Wing area | 201 m² |
| Wing extension | 8.3 |
| Empty mass | 17,100 kg |
| Takeoff mass | 33,800 kg |
| Top speed | 336 km / h |
| Range | 5,120 km |
| Engines | four radial engines Bristol Hercules IV , each with 1,030 kW (1,400 PS) |
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Aircraft in the News, in: The Airplane Spotter, October 9, 1941