https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Shetland#Short_S.40_Shetland_II
The Short Shetland was a British high-speed, long-range, four-engined flying
boat built by Short Brothers at Rochester, Kent for use in the Second World War.
It was designed to meet an Air Ministry requirement (defined in Specification
R.14/40) for a very-long range reconnaissance flying boat. The design used the
company's experience with large scale production of the Short Sunderland. The
end of World War II prevented the Shetland from entering production; it was the
first aircraft designed with a 110 volt electrical system.
Specification R.14/40 replaced an earlier specification R.5/39 which was an
up-armed revision of specification R.3/38 for a faster flying boat than the
Short Sunderland. Shorts, among others, had tendered a design for R.5/39 but the
Ministry had changed their minds about the need for an immediate replacement for
the Sunderland. R.5/39 had considered a maximum weight up to 84,000 lb (38,102
with a bomb load of 20,000 lb (9,072 kg). The projected engines were the Bristol
Centaurus radial or the Napier Sabre inline.
Shorts and the other British manufacturer of big flying boats, Saunders-Roe
(Saro), were involved in the competitive tender for R.14/40; Saro proposed the
Saunders-Roe S.41. Rather than selecting either company's design, the Air
Ministry asked the companies to submit a combined project, stipulating the terms
under which the work was to be shared between them. The detailed design was
performed by Saro, their experience with the Saro Shrimp contributing to the
hull shape, as well as building the wing. Shorts built the hull, tail and the
final assembly.
S.35 Shetland
Role
Reconnaissance flying boat
Manufacturer
Short Brothers
First flight
14 December 1944
Number built
2
Variants
Short S.35 Shetland I
The first prototype and what was to be the only Shetland I (Serial Number DX166)
first flew on 14 December 1944, piloted by Shorts' Chief Test Pilot John
Lankester Parker as captain and Geoffrey Tyson as co-pilot. The aircraft flew
without gun turrets (its role having been revised to that of unarmed transport
before its maiden flight. It was delivered to the Marine Aircraft Experimental
Establishment (MAEE) at Felixstowe in October 1945. Testing indicated
satisfactory water handling but the stabilising floats were mounted too low and
did not offer sufficient clearance for takeoffs with maximum load. Flight
testing revealed problems with the harmonisation of controls and marginal
longitudinal stability. Before the trials were complete, the aircraft burnt out
at its moorings on 28 January 1946 as a result of a galley fire.
Short S.40 Shetland II
With the end of the war, the second prototype (Serial Number DX171) was
completed as a civil transport and designated Shetland II. It was designed to
carry 70 passengers but only 40 seats were fitted. Registered "G-AGVD," the
Shetland Mk. II's first flight took place on 17 September 1947. After trials, it
was delivered to Short's factory at Belfast, but no orders were forthcoming and
it performed only limited flight trials before being scrapped in 1951.
Specifications (S.35)
General characteristics
Crew: 11
Length: 110 ft 0 in (33.53 m)
Wingspan: 150 ft 4 in (45.82 m)
Height: 37 ft 0 in (11.28 m)
Wing area: 2,624 sq ft (243.8 m2)
Empty weight: 75,860 lb (34,410 kg)
Gross weight: 120,000 lb (54,431 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 125,000 lb (56,699 kg)
2,500 hp (1,900 kW) each
Performance
Maximum speed: 263 mph (423 km/h; 229 kn)
Cruise speed: 183 mph (295 km/h; 159 kn)
Range: 4,000 mi (3,476 nmi; 6,437 km)
Endurance: 25 hr 50 min
Service ceiling: 17,000 ft (5,200 m)
Rate of climb: 900 ft/min (4.6 m/s)
Armament
port and starboard beam positions
Bombs: Up to 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) of bombs or depth charges
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