Short Type 184
Short Brothers · United Kingdom · first flew 1915 · bomber
The Short Type 184 was a British WWI two-seat torpedo bomber seaplane, notable as the first aircraft to sink a ship with an air-launched torpedo in combat.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 12.38 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- WWI two-seat biplane torpedo bomber and seaplane
- Large central float with smaller wing-tip floats
- Single inline engine with distinctive radiators
A large, ungainly biplane seaplane with a single central main float and underwing stabilising floats; the torpedo or bomb load slung under the fuselage is a key identifier.
Specifications
- The Short Type 184 has a length of 12.38 m (41 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 19.36 m (64 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 142 km/h (88 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Entering service in 1915, the Type 184 was used at the Dardanelles and in the Battle of Jutland (1916), where it flew the first ever air-launched torpedo attack that sank an enemy vessel. It was built by several contractors in large numbers.
Variants
Production aircraft varied in engine fit, with the Sunbeam Maori and other engines; deck-launching variants were also trialled.
Where you'll see it
Served with the RNAS throughout WWI; succeeded by more capable torpedo bombers by the war's end.
Related aircraft
- Short S.80
- Short S.38
- Short P.5 Kingston
- Short S.8 Calcutta
- AEG G.I
- Caudron G.4
- Caudron R.4
- Friedrichshafen FF.31
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