The Short Springbok was a two-seat, all-metal reconnaissance biplane produced for the BritishAir Ministry in the 1920s. All together six aircraft of the Springbok design were built but none entered service with the armed forces.
Springbok I / II / Chamois
Springbok I prototype (J6974), Martlesham Heath 1923
The Springbok fuselage was of streamlined monocoque construction mounted onto the lower wing and almost filling the gap between the upper and lower wings. The wings were single-bay, of unequal span and unequal chord, constructed of steel spars with an aluminum (S.3/3a Springbok) / fabric covering (S.3b Chamois). The ailerons were on the upper wing only. The crew of two sat in tandem open cockpits, with a cutout in the upper mainplane for the pilot's head; the observer/gunner sat behind the pilot, just behind the upper wing. The tail unit comprised a braced monoplane tail near the fuselage top with a single fin and rudder. The undercarriage was of the cross-axle type, situated under the nose and complemented by a tailskid at the rear.
Historyedit
The Springbok traces its history from the pioneering, all-metal Short Silver Streak, which was exhibited at the Olympia Aero Show in 1920. The Air Ministry had purchased the Silver Streak and subjected it to structural tests for two years at R.A.E., Farnborough. When in due course the Air Ministry issued a "Bristol Fighter-replacement" Specification 19/21, Short Brothers contracted to deliver two S.3 Springbok I two-seat reconnaissance biplanes (J6974 and J6975). On 30 November 1923, the second of the two prototypes, J6975, crashed near Martlesham when it spun in shortly after takeoff, killing the pilot. The cause was diagnosed as rudder blanking during spinning and a new wing design was prepared for the Springbok Mk. II, of which six examples – later reduced to three – were ordered in 1924.[1]
Powered by a 400 hp Bristol Jupiter IV radial engine, the S.3 Springbok I was an all-metal aircraft, with a duralumin monocoque fuselage and two-bay, equal-span wings. The strength/weight factor of the mainplanes was disappointing and the Air Ministry ordered three more Springboks with lighter, fabric-covered wings attached directly to the lower fuselage and a redesigned tail assembly. The first of these S.3a Springbok IIs (numbered J7925-J7927) was flown by Shorts' Chief Test PilotJ. Lankester Parker at the Isle of Grain on 25 March 1925.
Springbok at Martlesham with fabric-covered wings
The S.3b Chamois was produced in response to Specification 30/24 (as was the Vickers Vespa). The airframe of the first Springbok II (J7295) was adapted to take the more powerful 450 hp Jupiter VI. Its first flight took place at Lympne Aerodrome on 14 March 1927, also flown by Lankester Parker.
Mason, Francis K. (1992). The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-082-7.
Barnes, C.H. (1967). Shorts Aircraft since 1900. London: Putnam.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Short Springbok.
October 28, 2023
short, springbok, seat, metal, reconnaissance, biplane, produced, british, ministry, 1920s, together, aircraft, springbok, design, were, built, none, entered, service, with, armed, forces, springbok, chamoisspringbok, prototype, j6974, martlesham, heath, 1923r. The Short Springbok was a two seat all metal reconnaissance biplane produced for the British Air Ministry in the 1920s All together six aircraft of the Springbok design were built but none entered service with the armed forces Springbok I II ChamoisSpringbok I prototype J6974 Martlesham Heath 1923Role Two seater biplaneManufacturer Short BrothersDesigner Oswald ShortFirst flight S 3 Springbok I 19 April 1923S 3a Springbok II 25 March 1925 S 3b Chamois 14 March 1927Primary user Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment A amp AEE Martlesham HeathNumber built 2 S 3 Springbok I 3 S 3b Springbok II 1 S 3b Chamois Contents 1 Design 2 History 3 Operators 4 Specifications Springbok I 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksDesign editThe Springbok fuselage was of streamlined monocoque construction mounted onto the lower wing and almost filling the gap between the upper and lower wings The wings were single bay of unequal span and unequal chord constructed of steel spars with an aluminum S 3 3a Springbok fabric covering S 3b Chamois The ailerons were on the upper wing only The crew of two sat in tandem open cockpits with a cutout in the upper mainplane for the pilot s head the observer gunner sat behind the pilot just behind the upper wing The tail unit comprised a braced monoplane tail near the fuselage top with a single fin and rudder The undercarriage was of the cross axle type situated under the nose and complemented by a tailskid at the rear History editThe Springbok traces its history from the pioneering all metal Short Silver Streak which was exhibited at the Olympia Aero Show in 1920 The Air Ministry had purchased the Silver Streak and subjected it to structural tests for two years at R A E Farnborough When in due course the Air Ministry issued a Bristol Fighter replacement Specification 19 21 Short Brothers contracted to deliver two S 3 Springbok I two seat reconnaissance biplanes J6974 and J6975 On 30 November 1923 the second of the two prototypes J6975 crashed near Martlesham when it spun in shortly after takeoff killing the pilot The cause was diagnosed as rudder blanking during spinning and a new wing design was prepared for the Springbok Mk II of which six examples later reduced to three were ordered in 1924 1 Powered by a 400 hp Bristol Jupiter IV radial engine the S 3 Springbok I was an all metal aircraft with a duralumin monocoque fuselage and two bay equal span wings The strength weight factor of the mainplanes was disappointing and the Air Ministry ordered three more Springboks with lighter fabric covered wings attached directly to the lower fuselage and a redesigned tail assembly The first of these S 3a Springbok IIs numbered J7925 J7927 was flown by Shorts Chief Test Pilot J Lankester Parker at the Isle of Grain on 25 March 1925 nbsp Springbok at Martlesham with fabric covered wingsThe S 3b Chamois was produced in response to Specification 30 24 as was the Vickers Vespa The airframe of the first Springbok II J7295 was adapted to take the more powerful 450 hp Jupiter VI Its first flight took place at Lympne Aerodrome on 14 March 1927 also flown by Lankester Parker nbsp Short ChamoisThe tests from 27 April 1927 by Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment A amp AEE then at Martlesham Heath determined that its performance was disappointing and the only prototype was scrapped Operators edit nbsp United KingdomAeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment A amp AEE Specifications Springbok I editData from Shorts Aircraft since 1900 2 General characteristicsCrew 2 Length 26 ft 11 in 8 20 m Wingspan 42 ft 0 in 12 80 m Wing area 463 sq ft 43 0 m2 Gross weight 4 080 lb 1 851 kg Powerplant 1 Bristol Jupiter IV air cooled 9 cylinder radial engine 425 hp 317 kW 3 Performance Maximum speed 121 mph 195 km h 105 kn Armament Guns 1 fixed forward firing 303 in 7 7mm Vickers machine gun 4 2 303 in 7 7mm Lewis guns on scarff ring in rear cockpit 4 See also editRelated development Short Silver StreakRelated lists List of aircraft of the Royal Air ForceReferences edit Mason 1992 pp 159 160 Barnes 1967 p 173 Mason 1992 p 160 a b Barnes 1967 p 169 Mason Francis K 1992 The British Fighter since 1912 Annapolis Maryland USA Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 55750 082 7 Barnes C H 1967 Shorts Aircraft since 1900 London Putnam External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Short Springbok Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Short Springbok amp oldid 998407427, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
