Time Period: World War I
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Type: Biplane, Reconnaissance and Surveillance
Manufacturer: Short Brothers
Short Type 827 Aircraft Overview
The Short Admiralty Type 827, also known as the Short Type 827, was a prototype British naval reconnaissance and anti-submarine aircraft developed by the Short Brothers in 1927. It was a twin-engine biplane with a metal framework and fabric covering, designed to replace the aging Felixstowe F.5 flying boats used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.
The Short Type 827 was powered by two 450 hp Bristol Jupiter engines and had a top speed of 177 km/h (110 mph) and a range of 1,800 km (1,100 miles). It was armed with three machine guns and could carry a range of bombs and depth charges for use in anti-submarine warfare.
The aircraft’s most notable feature was its all-metal hull, which was designed to improve its resistance to damage from seawater and improve its buoyancy in the event of a forced landing or ditching.
Despite its promising design, only one prototype of the Short Type 827 was built, and it never entered service with the Royal Air Force or the Royal Navy. The prototype was later used by the Royal Aircraft Establishment for experimental and research purposes before being scrapped in 1933.
Short Type 827 Specifications
- Crew: two (pilot, observer)
- Length: 35 ft 3 in (10.74 m)
- Wingspan: 53 ft 11 in (16.43 m)
- Height: 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
- Wing area: 506 sq ft (47.0 m2)
- Empty weight: 2,700 lb (1,225 kg)
- Gross weight: 3,400 lb (1,542 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Sunbeam Nubian water-cooled V-8 engine, 150 hp (110 kW).
Short Type 827 Performance
- Maximum speed: 62 mph (100 km/h, 54 kn)
- Endurance: 3 hr 30 min.
Short Type 827 Armament
- Guns: 1 x .303 Lewis gun on a flexible mount in the rear cockpit
- Bombs: Provision for light bombs on underwing racks.
