Short S.26 G-class
Short Brothers · United Kingdom · first flew 1939 · transport aircraft
The Short S.26 G-class was a large transport flying boat designed and built by Short Brothers. It was designed for a non-stop transatlantic capability.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 30.89 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Large four-engined flying boat with a high wing and a deep hull
- Four Bristol Hercules radial engines mounted on the wing
- Armed military versions carried two dorsal turrets and a tail turret
Look for a very large high-wing flying boat with four radial engines, a single tail and, on military examples, gun turrets above the hull and in the tail.
Specifications
- The Short S.26 G-class has a length of 30.89 m (101 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 40.94 m (134 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 336 km/h (209 mph).
- Typical crew: 7.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was developed from the Short Empire at the request of Imperial Airways and with the encouragement of the Air Ministry, which saw potential in it as a maritime patrol aircraft. It was larger than the Empire and had a longer range, and the first aircraft, Golden Hind, made its maiden flight on 21 July 1939.
Variants
Three were built for Imperial Airways, each powered by four 1,380 hp Bristol Hercules IV engines and able to carry 38 passengers. After impressment in 1940 they were fitted with defensive armament of two dorsal and one tail turret, each with four .303 in guns.
Where you'll see it
The outbreak of the Second World War meant Imperial Airways used them only briefly for training. They served the Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force as transports around the Mediterranean and Middle East, and from December 1941 two flew for BOAC between the UK and Nigeria. The type fell out of use in the late 1940s.
Related aircraft
- Stirling
- Short S.20 Mercury
- Short Sunderland
- Short Empire
- Lockheed Lodestar
- Showa/Nakajima L2D
- SIAI-Marchetti SM.82 Marsupiale
- Weserflug We 271
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