Short L.17 Scylla
Short Brothers · United Kingdom · first flew 1934 · airliner
The Short L.17 Scylla was a large British biplane airliner operated by Imperial Airways on European routes in the 1930s. Only two were built, Scylla and Syrinx, making them among the largest biplanes to enter airline service.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Fabric-covered biplane wings on metal fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- 1930s Imperial Airways biplane airliner with four radial engines
- Large fixed undercarriage with wheel spats
- Fabric-covered biplane wings on metal fuselage
An unmistakable large biplane with four Bristol Jupiter radials in individual nacelles along the lower wing, fixed spatted undercarriage, and a deep slab-sided fuselage. The dimensions provided in source data appear corrupted (likely feet recorded as metres) and have been corrected to approximately 27.7 m length and 34.1 m wingspan.
Specifications
- The Short L.17 Scylla has a length of 27.69 m (91 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 34.14 m (112 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 220 km/h (137 mph).
- Typical crew: 3 crew + up to 39 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Scylla and its sister Syrinx were ordered by Imperial Airways in 1933 to boost capacity on the London–Paris route. Derived from the Short Kent flying boat, they were landplane conversions with fixed undercarriage fitted with spats. Both aircraft served through the mid-1930s before being retired as monoplane airliners took over. One was destroyed in a landing accident, and neither survived the war.
Variants
Only two aircraft were built; Scylla and Syrinx were essentially identical, representing a unique one-off class.
Where you'll see it
Operated solely by Imperial Airways on European routes, primarily London to Paris, from 1934 until withdrawal in the late 1930s. Relevant to UK aviation heritage.
Related aircraft
- Short S.20 Mercury
- Short Sunderland
- Short S.8 Rangoon
- Stirling
- DC-2
- de Havilland DH.86 Express
- Fokker F.XXXVI
- Junkers Ju 160
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