Short Sunderland Mk II
Short Brothers / Blackburn · United Kingdom · first flew 1941 · transport aircraft
The Short Sunderland Mk II introduced ASV (Air to Surface Vessel) Mk II radar and Bristol Pegasus XVIII engines, significantly improving the flying boat's ability to locate surfaced U-boats at night or in poor visibility. Only 43 were built before the superior Mk III superseded it.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Sunderland variant with ASV Mk II radar aerials along fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Sunderland variant with ASV Mk II radar aerials along fuselage
- Bristol Pegasus XVIII engines replacing Pegasus XXII
- Four-gun dorsal turret replacing earlier single-gun position
Distinguished from Mk I by the Yagi ASV radar aerials along the fuselage sides and under the wings, and the revised dorsal turret; hull form unchanged from Mk I.
Specifications
- The Short Sunderland Mk II has a length of 26 m (85 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 34.36 m (113 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 336 km/h (209 mph).
- Typical crew: 10.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Mk II entered service in 1941 with the addition of ASV Mk II radar as the Battle of the Atlantic intensified. The aerials were mounted in distinctive arrays along the fuselage spine and under the wings. The type was quickly overtaken in production by the Mk III, which resolved the hull hydrodynamic drag issue.
Variants
The Mk II bridges the Pegasus XXII-powered Mk I and the flush-hulled Mk III; some Mk IIs were later retrofitted with Mk III hull modifications.
Where you'll see it
Operated by RAF Coastal Command from 1941, with small numbers serving in the South Atlantic and Mediterranean theatres before replacement by the Mk III.
Related aircraft
- Short Sunderland Mk III
- Short Sunderland Mk I
- Arado Ar 232
- Beechcraft GB-1
- Beechcraft JB-1 Traveller
- Beechcraft JRB-1 Voyager
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