Short Sarafand

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

S.14 Sarafand
The prototype and only Sarafand at Felixstowe in 1932.
Role Flying boat
National origin United Kingdom
Manufacturer Short Brothers
First flight 30 June 1932
Retired 1936
Status Prototype
Primary user Royal Air Force
Number built 1

The Short S.14 Sarafand was a British biplane flying boat built by Short Brothers. It was planned as a general reconnaissance aircraft for military service. When it was built in 1932 it was the largest aeroplane in the United Kingdom.

The Sarafand was first proposed by

Air Ministry specification R.6/28 was drawn up to define the project. It was conducted as a public/private joint venture, the Air Ministry funding it with £60,000 and Short Brothers providing the rest.[1] The aircraft was originally designated the Short R6/28 before being named the Sarafand.[2]

Design

The Sarafand was a six-engined biplane flying boat with equal span wings.

anodised Alclad, had a stainless-steel planing bottom.[3] It had a monoplane tail unit with one large fin and two small auxiliary fins on the tailplane.[2]

Operational history

The Sarafand prototype was built at No. 3 Shop at Rochester, but the shop did not have enough height to fit the upper wing.

serial S1589); it was later used for experimental flying at the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment at Felixstowe.[2]
The Sarafand was scrapped there in 1936.

Operators

 United Kingdom

Specifications

Data from The Short "Sarafand" [6]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 9 (2 pilots, navigator, radio operator, engineer, four gunners)
  • Length: 89 ft 5 in (27.25 m)
  • Wingspan: 120 ft 0 in (36.58 m)
  • Height: 30 ft 4 in (9.25 m)
  • Wing area: 3,460 sq ft (321 m2)
  • Empty weight: 44,753 lb (20,300 kg)
  • Gross weight: 70,000 lb (31,751 kg)
  • Powerplant: 6 × Rolls-Royce Buzzard V12 engine in three tractor/pusher pairs, 850 hp (630 kW) each

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 150 mph (240 km/h, 130 kn)
  • Range: 1,450 mi (2,330 km, 1,260 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 13,000 ft (4,000 m)
  • Rate of climb: 750 ft/min (3.8 m/s)

Armament

  • Guns: Four 0.303 in Lewis machine guns mounted on Scarff rings; provision was made for a 1½-pounder (37 mm) gun to be fitted in the bow.

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

  1. ^ Barnes & James, p. 257
  2. ^ a b c d e Pearce, William (10 February 2015). "Short S.14 Sarafand Flying Boat". oldmachinepress.com. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  3. ^ Barnes & James, p. 257-260
  4. ^ a b Barnes 1967, P.257
  5. ^ Barnes & James, p. 259
  6. ^ Flight 13 June 1935, p.634.
  • "The Short "Sarafand"". Flight. 13 June 1935. pp. 631–634.
  • Barnes, Christoper Henry (1967). Shorts Aircraft since 1900. London: Putnam.
  • Barnes, C.H.; James D.N. (1989). Shorts Aircraft since 1900. London: Putnam.
    ISBN 0-85177-819-4
    .

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Short Sarafand.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Short_Sarafand&oldid=1198893828"