Short S.32

Short S.32

National origin: United Kingdom
Manufacturer: Short Brothers (Rochester and Bedford) Limited
Designed by: Arthur Gouge
Number built: 3 (not completed)

The Short S.32 was a British four-engined all-metal long-range transport monoplane designed by Short Brothers to Air Ministry Specification 14/38. It would have been one of the first British pressurised airliners.

Development

The Air Ministry issued specifications (14/38 and 15/38) for two large transport aircraft comparable in size with the Junkers Ju 90 and Focke Wulf Fw 200. The ministry placed a contract with Shorts for three prototypes designated the Short S.32 against specification 14/38 and a production order for 14 Fairey FC.1s against specification 15/38.

The S.32 was a four-engined mid-wing monoplane powered by Bristol Hercules radials. The S.32 had a tailwheel landing gear to overcome problems with a nose wheel retracting into a pressurised fuselage. The build of three prototypes for the Air Ministry was started at Rochester but due to the urgent need for the factory to build the Short Stirling construction was abandoned.

Specifications

Data from

General characteristics

Capacity: 16 day passengers or 14 night passengers with alternate high density layout for 24 passengers
Length: 89 ft 0 in (27.13 m)
Wingspan: 127 ft 0 in (38.72 m)
Empty weight: 39,000 lb (17,690 kg)
Gross weight: 71,000 lb (32,205 kg)
Powerplant: 4 x— Bristol Hercules radial piston, 1,250 hp (933 kW) each

Performance

Cruise speed: 246 mph (396 km/h)
Range: 3,420 miles (5,504 km)

Comparable aircraft

Junkers Ju 90
Douglas DC-4

Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 3. London: Putnam. ISBN 0 370 10014 X.
Flight International 1958 "Origin of the Modern Airliner"

Short S.32 Pictures

Living Warbirds: The best warbirds DVD series.

Source: WikiPedia