The Short Empire is a British flying boat built by Short Brothers, first flown in 1936 and developed for the airline Imperial Airways to operate scheduled long-distance passenger and mail services across the routes of the British Empire, from which it took its name. Flying Boats of this type opened pioneering scheduled air routes reaching across Africa and the Middle East and onward to Australia via a long chain of refueling stops on rivers, lakes and harbors, and the type represented one of the high points of 1930s long-range flying boat passenger travel before the Second World War disrupted the network and diverted many aircraft to military transport duties.
Facts
SignificanceDesigned by Short Brothers to meet the needs of the British Empire, providing scheduled air service in stages from the UK to South Africa, Singapore and Australia. 1 Manufacturer or Builder In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Short Empire - Wikipedia
Design and development section, first flight paragraph
On 4 July 1936, the first Empire built, registered G-ADHL, named Canopus, made its first flight with Shorts' chief test pilot, John Lankester Parker at the controls.
Lead section, opening sentence
The Short Empire was a four-engined monoplane transport flying boat, designed and developed by Short Brothers during the 1930s to meet the requirements of the British Empire, specifically to provide air service from the UK to South Africa, Singapore and Australia in stages.
Lead section, opening sentence (purpose clause)
The Short Empire was a four-engined monoplane transport flying boat, designed and developed by Short Brothers during the 1930s to meet the requirements of the British Empire, specifically to provide air service from the UK to South Africa, Singapore and Australia in stages.
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