Short 14/38 "STRATOLINER"
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Timbukthree
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Short 14/38 "STRATOLINER"
Did this aircraft actually exist? I am looking for 3-view drawings, photos, specs, etc. of this experimental high-altitude air liner which further development was abandoned due to the outbreak of WWII.
Superficially, it resembles the DC-4 prototype. A line drawing I have shows the civil registration of: G-AFMX. I have googled several sources but to no avail. I do not have access to the Putnam publication; "Shorts Aircraft since 1909 blah blah.." so I am looking for any substantive information on this aircraft. Thank you in advance...
Superficially, it resembles the DC-4 prototype. A line drawing I have shows the civil registration of: G-AFMX. I have googled several sources but to no avail. I do not have access to the Putnam publication; "Shorts Aircraft since 1909 blah blah.." so I am looking for any substantive information on this aircraft. Thank you in advance...
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Nottingham UK
Age: 85
Posts: 5,575
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
evansb
I have the Putnam book and there is reference to a Short S.32 Airliner. I do not have access to my scanner at present but will scan a picture later if required. Aircraft Registration G-AFMK was allocated along with ML and MM to this project. In March 1939 the King and Queen during their visit to Rochester were shown work on three fuselages but the completion of the first aircraft within the ensuing year became an impossible target under wartime conditions and the project was abandoned in May 1940. G-AFMX by the way was a Zlinn XII.
Mel
I have the Putnam book and there is reference to a Short S.32 Airliner. I do not have access to my scanner at present but will scan a picture later if required. Aircraft Registration G-AFMK was allocated along with ML and MM to this project. In March 1939 the King and Queen during their visit to Rochester were shown work on three fuselages but the completion of the first aircraft within the ensuing year became an impossible target under wartime conditions and the project was abandoned in May 1940. G-AFMX by the way was a Zlinn XII.
Mel
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Nottingham UK
Age: 85
Posts: 5,575
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
evansb
The photograph is of the model only. None of the aircraft were completed so I do not think a photograph of the cockpit layout exists.
.
One can see the wing was a typical Short's wing.
Mel
The photograph is of the model only. None of the aircraft were completed so I do not think a photograph of the cockpit layout exists.
.One can see the wing was a typical Short's wing.
Mel
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Timbukthree
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
MReyn
Thanks for the scanned image and 3-view. The top elevation view hints at an area rule "pinched" fuselage design. Although this technology was to aid supersonic flight, I'll guess the engineers did this for cabin pressurization considerations.
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Nottingham UK
Age: 85
Posts: 5,575
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In response to a tender to specification 14/38 Shorts were awarded Contract No 762587/38 for three prototypes. S.32 was Short's design index for the project and was allocated when Construction Numbers S.1022-1024 along with Registrations G-AFMK to MM were reserved for the three prototypes, It was intended ,in any production version of the S.32, to introduce a nose-wheel landing gear. CH Barnes in his book "ShortsAircraft since 1900" states that in 1943 when Short Brothers were able to turn their attention to the Brabazon Committee's recomendations they did not revive the S.32 concept but investigated much larger layouts.
