Short Scion Senior
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| S.22 Scion Senior | |
|---|---|
 Short Scion Senior FB (L9786) |
|
| Type | Transport floatplane |
| Manufacturer | Short Brothers |
| Maiden flight | 1935 |
| Introduced | 1935 |
| Status | Retired |
| Number built | 6 |
| Developed from | Short S.16 Scion |
The Short S.22 Scion Senior was a 1930s British four-engined nine-passenger floatplane built by Short Brothers.
Contents |
[edit] Design and development
The Scion Senior was developed as an enlarged version of the Scion light transport for nine passengers. The first two aircraft, built as floatplanes, were shipped to Rangoon as soon as they had received their Certificate of Airworthiness; the third aircraft was built as a landplane for Shorts to use as a demonstrator; the remaining three were built as floatplanes, although one (S.835, G-AENX) was actually first flown as a landplane before being converted to its intended floatplane configuration.[1]
[edit] Operational history
The last aircraft built (serial number L9786) was acquired by the Air Ministry for testing flying boat hull designs particularly for the Short Sunderland. Redesignated the Scion Senior FB (for Flying Boat), it was fitted with a duralumin, flush-riveted central float and outrigger floats. During 1942, a series of trials by the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment (MAEE) was undertaken, determining attitude and stability characteristics of the design. The sole test example was lost at sea on 15 March 1944 off Helensburgh, Argyll, when an attempt was made to take off from the Clyde in frosty conditions. H.G. White, a Flight Test Officer at MAEE Helenburgh, died when the aircraft stalled into the water and sank. The other two members of the crew were rescued.[2]
The Scion Senior landplane was eventually sold to Palestine Air Transport in December 1938, to be based in Haifa. It was impressed into Royal Air Force service in the Middle East in February 1942 and lost in action on 22 September 1943.
[edit] Operators
Floatplane
- Irrawaddy Flotilla Co Ltd
- Palestine Airways Ltd
- Elders Colonial Airways Ltd
- Air Ministry (MAEE)
- Royal Air Force
- West of Scotland Air Services Ltd
Landplane
- Iraq Petroleum Transport Co Ltd
- Jersey Airways Ltd
- Royal Air Force
- Short Brothers (demonstrator)
[edit] Specifications (Scion Senior Floatplane)
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 42 ft (12.80 m)
- Wingspan: 55 ft (16.76 m)
- Height: ()
- Wing area: 400 ft² (37.16 m²)
- Empty weight: 3,886 lb (1,760 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 5,750 lb (2,610 kg)
- Powerplant: 4× Pobjoy Airmotors Niagara III, 90 hp (67 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 120 knots (140 mph, 225 km/h)
- Range: 420 mi (675 km)
- Service ceiling 12,000 ft (3,660 m)
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ Barnes and James, p.298
- ^ Test Flying memorial Project web site
[edit] Bibliography
- Barnes, C.H. with revisions by James, Derek N. Shorts Aircraft since 1900. London: Putnam, 1989 (revised). ISBN 0-85177-819-4.
- Green, William. Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Five: Flying Boats. London: Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd., 1962. Fifth impression 1972. ISBN 0-356-01449-5.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (part: 1982-1985). London: Orbis Publishing.
- Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919. London: Putnam & Sons, Ltd., 1974. ISBN 0-370-10014-X.
[edit] External links
[edit] See also
Related lists
|
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
