Short S.8 Rangoon
Short Brothers · United Kingdom · first flew 1930 · transport aircraft
The Short S.8 Rangoon was a British military flying boat developed for the Royal Air Force in the late 1920s as a general-purpose and troop transport flying boat. It was a militarised version of the Short Calcutta.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 3 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 20.35 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- 1930s British trimotor flying boat for RAF
- Biplane flying boat with three pusher/tractor engines
- Based on Short Calcutta civil flying boat
A large biplane flying boat with three engines mounted between the wings in a pusher/tractor arrangement and a characteristic Short Brothers stepped hull.
Specifications
- The Short S.8 Rangoon has a length of 20.35 m (67 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 28.35 m (93 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 185 km/h (115 mph).
- Typical crew: 5, up to 16 passengers/troops.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed from the Short Calcutta civil flying boat, the Rangoon entered RAF service in 1931 with 203 Squadron in the Middle East. Six aircraft were built, serving on imperial routes and colonial policing duties.
Variants
The Rangoon was essentially a military adaptation of the Calcutta; no distinct sub-variants were produced.
Where you'll see it
Served with RAF 203 Squadron from 1931 in the Middle East and Indian Ocean regions until replaced in the mid-1930s.
Related aircraft
- Short S.8 Calcutta
- Short L.17 Scylla
- Short P.5 Kingston
- Short S.20 Mercury
- Avro 624 Six
- Boeing Monomail
- Burnelli UB-20
- Douglas Dolphin
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