Short S.81

The Short S.81 was an experimental British gun-carrying pusher biplane seaplane, ordered from Short Brothers by the British Admiralty in 1913 for use by the Royal Naval Air Service.[1]

S.81
Role Gun-carrying Seaplane
National origin United Kingdom
Manufacturer Short Brothers
First flight 1914
Introduction 1914
Retired 1915
Primary user Royal Naval Air Service
Number built 1

The seaplane, manufacturers serial number S.81, was built at Eastchurch and allocated the military serial number 126.[1] S.81 was delivered to Calshot on 25 May 1914 and accepted by the Navy on 2 June 1914.[1] It had three-bay wings with overhanging upper wings, and was powered by a 160 hp (119 kW) Gnome rotary engine.[2] It was first fitted with a 1½ pounder (37 mm) semi-automatic Vickers quick-firing gun in July 1914. Tests with this gun showed that recoil was severe, with claims that firing the gun would induce a stall.[3][4] It was fitted with a number of different guns for trials,[1] testing a six-pounder (57 mm) Davis gun (an early recoilless gun) in 1915.[5] In 1915 it had a dynamo and searchlight fitted. No longer needed for trials, it was deleted from the inventory in October 1915.[1]

Specifications

Data from The British Fighter since 1912[4]

General characteristics

  • Crew: two
  • Wingspan: 67 ft 0 in (20.42 m)
  • Wing area: 540 sq ft (50 m2)
  • Empty weight: 2,200 lb (998 kg)
  • Gross weight: 3,600 lb (1,633 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Gnome rotary engine, 160 hp (120 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 60 mph (97 km/h, 52 kn) at sea level

Armament

  • Guns: 1 × 1½ pounder Vickers gun

Operators
 United Kingdom

See also

Related lists

References

Notes
  1. Sturtivant and Page 1992, p. 37
  2. Bruce 1957, p. 479.
  3. Williams and Gustin 2003, p. 93.
  4. Mason 1992, p. 24.
  5. Williams and Gustin 2003, p. 94.

Bibliography
  • Bruce, J.M. British Aeroplanes 1914–18. London:Putnam, 1957.
  • Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1992. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.
  • Ray Sturtivant and Gordon Page Royal Navy Aircraft Serials and Units 1911-1919 Air-Britain, 1992. ISBN 0-85130-191-6.
  • Williams, Anthony G. and Emmanuel Gustin. Flying Guns World War I. Ramsbury, UK:Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-84037-396-2.
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