1 engine

Short 184 / 225

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A three bay biplane with two spar wooden wngs and wooden fuselage, all fabric covered. Conventional control surfaces with ailerons on all four wings. There were two main, flat bottomed, floats with a small float at each wingtip and under the tail. The wings folded for storage.

First entering service with the RNAS in early 1915, the Short 184 had a long career and remained fully active until the Armistice – more than 900 being completed. Its initial power plant of a 167kW / 225 hp Sunbeam gave rise to the often quoted designation Short 225. Several different engines were fitted during the production run.

The 184/225 was the first aircraft to sink a ship by torpedo when it attacked a Turkish troopship during the Gallipoli campaign.

This naval aircraft was the only floatplane to take part in the battle of Jutland in 1916, when one was used for reconnaissance. An official letter written to Messrs Short Bros with regard to the work performed by a Short 184 in spotting enemy ships during the Battle of Jutland in May 1916 stated: ‘ . . . the flight made by Flight Lieut Rutland, with Assistant Paymaster Trewin, as observer, which Sir David Beatty praises so highly, was carried out on a 225hp Short Seaplane.’

A number of Short 184s were taken on charge post-war by other countries.

At its Norwich factory Mann, Egerton & Co built 12 Short 184 or Mann, Egerton Type A seaplanes

Gallery

Engine: One 225 hp / 194kW Sunbeam Maori
Length 40.6 ft. (12.37 m)
Wing span 63.5 ft (19.35 m)
Height: 4.11 m / 14 ft 6 in
Wing area: 63.92 sq.m / 688.03 sq ft
Weight empty 3,703 lb (1,679 kg)
Max take-off weight: 2433 kg / 5364 lb
Max speed: 88 mph (142 kmph)
Ceiling 9,000 ft (2,740 m) fully loaded
Endurance 2.75 hr
Seats: 2
Armament: One 7.7mm machine gun, in rear cockpit
Bombload: One 14 in: (35 cm) torpedo, or 520 lb. (240 kg.) bombs

Engine: One Sunbeam 260 hp
Wing span 63 ft 6 in (19.35 m)
Wing area: 63.92 sq.m / 688.03 sq ft
Length 40 ft 7.5 in (12.37 m)
Height: 4.11 m / 13 ft 6 in
Weight empty 3,703 lb (1,679 kg)
Max take-off weight: 2433 kg / 5364 lb
Max speed: 88 mph (142 kmph) at 2000 ft
Service ceiling 9,000 ft (2,740 m) fully loaded
Endurance 2.75 hr
Armament: One 7.7mm machine gun, in rear cockpit
Bombload: One 14 in: (35 cm) torpedo, or 520 lb. (240 kg.) bombs
Seats: 2

Short S.42

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Short No. 42 converted to a landplane. This machine commenced its career in the Naval Wing of the R.F.C. (as it was then known) at the Seaplane Station, Leven, Fifeshire, in July 1913 under Maj. R. Gordon, R.M.L.I., and was converted to a landplane at Dundee in the summer of 1914 and flown from a small strip at the Seaplane Station, Dundee, by.Maj. Gordon.

A small party left Eastchurch in July 1913 to open the seaplane base at Leven, the complement of machines being Short seaplane No. 42, one Borel monoplane on floats and later one Henri Farman seaplane.

Short S.27

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In 1912 Cdr. Samson made the first flight from a moving ship in a Shorts S.38. The S.38 was fitted with air-bags so that it could alight on the water, if necessary.

Cdr. C.R. Samson flew a Short biplane from a platform on HMS Africa in 1912

The Admiralty erected a runway on HMS Hibernia in 1912 and Cdr. Samson made the first flight from a moving vessel while steaming at 10.5 knots.

Cdr. Samson on HMS Hibernia in 1912

The S.27 was fitted with air-bags so it could land on water, if necessary. Samson landed ashore at Lodmoor.

Frank McClean caused a sensation on 10 August 1912 by flying his Short biplane through the Tower Bridge, and then hopping and taxying under the remaining bridges to Westminster, where he alighted. Reprimanded by the Police, he promised not to leave the water again until he had taxied down-river, past Tower Bridge. When he attempted to take off, he crashed.

Short No.2

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The Short Brothers moved their factory from Battersea to Leysdown in 1909 and completed a tailess biplane of their own design. The biplane was for Frank McClean. The No.2 resembled the Wright biplane but had improved controls and a 60 hp Green engine.

The biplane No. 2 flew for the first time in 1909.

1909 Short No. 2 biplane

It was with this plane Moore-Brabazon won the Daily Mail prize for a circular flight of 1 mile.

Engine: Green, 60 hp
Span: 48’4″
Length: 32′
Weight allup: 1485 lb
Speed: 45 mph.

Shoemaker No. 3 flying boat

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The Herring-Burgess airplane was sold to Joseph C. Shoemaker sometime in 1910 or early 1911. Shoemaker, along with Fred C. Chanonhouse, modified the Herring-Burgess design by eliminating the fins on the upper wing and removing the forward elevator. The landing gear was also rebuilt.

Shoemaker soloed his modified Herring-Burgess Model A on June 3, 1911, and by August the airplane was capable of executing basic flight manoeuvres, including circles and figure 8s, in addition to achieving distances up to 14.5 km (9 mi), altitudes up to 30 m (100 ft), and flight durations of ten minutes.

After a crash on September 2, 1911, which resulted in slight damage, the airplane does not appear to have been flown again. The Herring-Burgess biplane was donated to the Smithsonian Institution by the Shoemaker estate in February 1961.

Shober Willie II

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Marshall Collins N602CB, Lycoming O-320 150 hp

The Shober Willie II is an American two-seat sporting or aerobatic aircraft designed and built by Shober Aircraft Enterprises.

The Willie II is a braced single-bay biplane with a fabric covered welded steel fuselage. The two-spar wooden wings are fabric covered with wide-span ailerons on the lower wing and a fabric covered wired-braced welded steel tail unit. The prototype is powered by a 180 hp (134 kW) Lycoming O-360-A3A engine. It has two open cockpits in tandem and a fixed conventional landing gear with a tailwheel.

First flying in 1971, the aircraft was designed to be sold as plans for amateur construction.

Suited for engines in the 150 to 200 hp range, at least four further aircraft were completed. Further development was halted in 1976 when the type was withdrawn from the market.

The Willie II has the M-6 airfoil and two ailerons. The Skybolt Biplane with symmetrical airfoils and four ailerons came out shortly after the Willie II, possibly that is why the Willie II plans were withdrawn from the market.

There appears to have been five Willie II biplanes built;

N7919 – the prototype built by William Shober

N113BT

N113BT Lycoming O-360 engine

N—- built by Richard Fox in Frederick Maryland.

N602CB

N6RB

N5RB

Willie II Prototype N7919
Engine: 1 × Lycoming O-360-A3A, 180 hp (134 kW)
Wingspan: 6.10 m (20 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 13.75 sq.m (148 sq ft)
Length: 5.79 m (19 ft 0 in)
Empty weight: 388 kg (856 lb)
Gross weight: 612 kg (1,350 lb)
Cruise speed: 241 km/h (150 mph, 130 kn)
Stall speed: 96 km/h (60 mph, 52 kn)
Range: 603 km (375 mi, 326 nmi)
Service ceiling: 4,570 m (15,000 ft)
g limits: +9 -9g
Rate of climb: 15 m/s (3,000 ft/min)
Seats: 2

Willie II N602CB
Engine: 1 × Lycoming O-320 150 hp
Wingspan: 6.10 m (20 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 13.75 sq.m (148 sq ft)
Gross weight: 1276 lb
Empty weight: 907 lb
g limits: +6 -5g

Shneider I / II

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The 1909 Shneider I and II were direct copies of Wright A for exhibition work. The were two-place, open biplanes powered by a 30hp 3-cyl Eldbridge with two chain-driven pusher propellers.

The Model I was destroyed in a crash on 12 July 1909. Following the subsequent crash of Model II, Shneider concentrated on building Curtiss pushers.

Shirlen Big Cootie

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The Big Cootie is a modernized version of the Powell PH Racer biplane for homebuilt construction. The aircraft is a single seat biplane with conventional landing gear, designed for mild aerobatics. The fuselage is welded steel tube construction with aircraft fabric covering. The cowling is fiberglass. The ailerons are controlled with push-pull tubes. The wings use wooden spars with plywood leading edges.

The prototype, N84Z, survived an in-flight impact with powerlines during its initial testing. It was rebuilt at the Piedmont Aerospace Institute at Smith Reynolds Airport in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. A Continental A-80 80 hp (60 kW) engine replaced the Lycoming O-145 65 hp (48 kW) engine installed in the prototype.

The kits included all premolded composite parts. All metal parts and fuselage are welded. The wings and tail are attached like a glider and a removed in 5 minutes.

Shirlen Big Cootie
Engine: 1 × Lycoming O-145, 65 hp (48 kW)
Propeller: 2-bladed
Length: 15 ft 9 in (4.80 m)
Wingspan: 15 ft (4.6 m)
Airfoil: RAF 15
Empty weight: 467 lb (212 kg)
Gross weight: 750 lb (340 kg)
Fuel capacity: 12 U.S. gallons (45 L; 10.0 imp gal)
Maximum speed: 122 kn; 225 km/h (140 mph)
Cruise speed: 104 kn; 193 km/h (120 mph)
Stall speed: 55 kn; 101 km/h (63 mph)
G limits: -4g
Crew: 1

Gross Wt. 750 lb
Empty Wt. 467 lb
Fuel capacity 12 USG
Wingspan 18’9”
Length 14’
Top speed 140 mph
Cruise 120 mph
Stall 63 mph
Takeoff run 500 ft
Landing roll 500 ft
Range 300 sm

Engine: Rotax 912, 80 hp
HP range: 80-120
Height: 6.4 ft
Length: 20.4 ft
Wing span: 29.4 ft
Wing area: 113.8 sq.ft
Empty weight: 550 lb
Gross weight: 1200 lb
Fuel capacity: 18 USG
Top speed: 190 mph
Cruise: 160 mph
Stall: 40 mph
Range: 690 sm
Rate of climb: 1600 fpm
Takeoff dist: 230 ft
Landing dist: 230 ft
Seats: 2
Landing gear: nose or tailwheel