Short Folder

Short Folder is a generic name often applied to several different Short Brothers' aircraft types designed and built prior to and during World War I. Short Brothers developed and patented [Patents secured by Short Brothers including patents nos. 1792/13, 15727/13 and 28610/13, 5290/14, 20537/14 and 9276/15, see Barnes and James, pp. 92, 110] folding wing mechanisms for ship-borne aircraft from 1913; the wings were hinged so that they folded back horizontally alongside the fuselage, reducing the storage space required for stowing them aboard ship.

Shorts produced many 'folder' aircraft; in addition large numbers of Shorts' designs were produced by other companies, including Brush Electrical Engineering Co. Ltd., Robey & Co. Ltd., J Samuel White, Frederick Sage & Co. Ltd., S E Saunders Limited, Phoenix Dynamo Manufacturing Company, Supermarine Aviation Works Ltd., Mann, Egerton & Co. Ltd. and Westland Aircraft Works Ltd..

Short Folders saw service in many theatres of World War I, notably in the Cuxhaven Raid in 1914, in the Dardanelles and in the disabling of the SMS "Königsberg" in East Africa in July 1915. [ [http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/konigsbe.html "Three 'decrepit' Short Folders" involved in the sinking of the Königsberg"] ] The theatres of war served by the various 'folders' ranged from the Arctic Circle through the Mediterranean and Africa to Mesopotamia, although the engines of the time were unable to perform ideally in hot climates and elevated altitudes.

After World War One most were retired, although some remained in service with e.g. the Greek Navy into the 1920s [ [http://koti.welho.com/msolanak/allaerosk.htm Aircraft of the Greek Navy 1912-1922] ] and the Estonian Air Force into the 1930s. [Barnes and James, p. 121]

hort Brothers First World War aircraft types with folding (hinged) wings

(approximate numbers produces in brackets)

* Short S.41 type - experimental prototype (3)
* Short S.63 type - reconnaissance seaplane (4)
* Short Improved Type 74 - reconnaissance/bombing seaplane (8)
* Short Admiralty Type 81 - reconnaissance/bombing/torpedo-carrying seaplane (5)
* Short Admiralty Type 135 - reconnaissance/bombing seaplane (1)
* Short Admiralty Type 136 - reconnaissance/bombing seaplane (1)
* Short Admiralty Type 166 - reconnaissance/bombing seaplane (26)
* Short Type 184 - reconnaissance/bombing/torpedo-carrying seaplane (936)
* Short Bomber - long-range landplane bomber (83)
* Short Admiralty Type 827 - reconnaissance/bombing seaplane (108)
* Short Admiralty Type 830 - reconnaissance/bombing seaplane (18)
* Short 310 - reconnaissance seaplane/torpedo bomber (128)

Later Short Brothers aircraft types with folding wings

(year of first flight in brackets)

* Short SA.1 Sturgeon - prototype anti-submarine aircraft (1946)
* Short SB.6 Seamew - anti-submarine aircraft (1953)

References

cite book
last = Barnes C.H. & James D.N
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Shorts Aircraft since 1900
publisher =Putnam
date =
location =London (1989)
pages =560
url =
doi =
id = ISBN 0-85177-819-4

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