Short Scion Senior

infobox Aircraft
name = S.22 Scion Senior
type = Transport floatplane
manufacturer = Short Brothers



caption = Short Scion Senior FB ("L9786")
designer =
first flight = 1935
introduced = 1935
retired =
produced =
number built = 6
status = Retired
unit cost =
primary user =
more users =
developed from = Short S.16 Scion
variants with their own articles = The Short S.22 Scion Senior was a 1930s British four-engined nine-passenger floatplane built by Short Brothers.

Design and development

The Scion Senior was developed as an enlarged version of the Scion light transport for nine passengers. The first two aircraft, built as floatplanes, were shipped to Rangoon as soon as they had received their Certificate of Airworthiness; the third aircraft was built as a landplane for Shorts to use as a demonstrator; the remaining three were built as floatplanes, although one (S.835, G-AENX) was actually first flown as a landplane before being converted to its intended floatplane configuration. [Barnes and James 1989, p. 298.]

Operational history

The last aircraft built (serial number "L9786") was acquired by the Air Ministry for testing flying boat hull designs particularly for the Short Sunderland. Redesignated the Scion Senior FB (for Flying Boat), it was fitted with a duralumin, flush-riveted central float and outrigger floats. During 1942, a series of trials by the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment (MAEE) was undertaken, determining attitude and stability characteristics of the design. The sole test example was lost at sea on 15 March 1944 off Helensburgh, Argyll, when an attempt was made to take off from the Clyde in frosty conditions. H.G. White, a Flight Test Officer at MAEE Helenburgh, died when the aircraft stalled into the water and sank. The other two members of the crew were rescued. [ [http://www.davidsiddall.com/testflyingmemorial/1939-45.htm Test Flying memorial Project web site] ]

The Scion Senior landplane was eventually sold to Palestine Air Transport in December 1938, to be based in Haifa. It was impressed into Royal Air Force service in the Middle East in February 1942 and lost in action on 22 September 1943.

Operators

Floatplane;flagicon|India|British India
*Irrawaddy Flotilla Co Ltd;flag|Palestine
*Palestine Airways Ltd;flag|Sierra Leone
*Elders Colonial Airways Ltd;flag|United Kingdom
*Air Ministry (MAEE)
*Royal Air Force
*West of Scotland Air Services Ltd

Landplane;flag|Iraq|1924
*Iraq Petroleum Transport Co Ltd;flag|United Kingdom
*Jersey Airways Ltd
*Royal Air Force
*Short Brothers (demonstrator)

pecifications (Scion Senior Floatplane)

aircraft specification

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
crew=2
length main=42 ft
length alt= 12.80 m
span main=55 ft
span alt= 16.76 m
height main=
height alt=
area main=400 ft²
area alt= 37.16 m²
empty weight main=3,886 lb
empty weight alt= 1,760 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
max takeoff weight main=5,750 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 2,610 kg
engine (prop)=Pobjoy Airmotors Niagara III
type of prop=
number of props=4
power main=90 hp
power alt=67 kW
max speed main= 120 knots
max speed alt=140 mph, 225 km/h
range main= 420 mi
range alt= 675 km
ceiling main= 12,000 ft
ceiling alt= 3,660 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=

ee also

aircontent
related=
similar aircraft=
sequence=
lists=*List of aircraft of the RAF
see also=

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Barnes, C.H. with revisions by Derek N. James. "Shorts Aircraft since 1900". London: Putnam, 1989 (revised). ISBN 0-85177-819-4.
* Green, William. "Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Five: Flying Boats". London: Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd., 1962. Fifth impression 1972. ISBN 0-356-01449-5.
* "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (part: 1982-1985)". London: Orbis Publishing, 1985.
* Jackson, A.J. "British Civil Aircraft since 1919". London: Putnam & Sons, Ltd., 1974. ISBN 0-370-10014-X.

External links

* [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=384 British Aircraft Directory]
* [http://www.jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/SHORT%20S22%20SCION%20SENIOR.htm British Aircraft of WWII]