Saro Shrimp
title: "Saro Shrimp" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1930s-british-experimental-aircraft", "flying-boats", "saro-aircraft", "four-engined-tractor-aircraft", "high-wing-aircraft", "aircraft-first-flown-in-1939", "four-engined-piston-aircraft", "twin-tail-aircraft"] topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saro_Shrimp" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | A.37 Shrimp |
| image | Saro Shrimp.jpg |
| type | research aircraft |
| manufacturer | Saunders-Roe Limited |
| designer | H Knowler |
| first_flight | October 1939 |
| introduction | 1939 |
| retired | 1949 |
| number_built | 1 |
| status | Scrapped |
| primary_user | Saunders Roe |
| more_users | Air Ministry |
| :: |
|name = A.37 Shrimp |image = Saro Shrimp.jpg |caption = |type = research aircraft |manufacturer = Saunders-Roe Limited |designer = H Knowler |first_flight = October 1939 |introduction = 1939 |retired = 1949 |produced = |number_built = 1 |status = Scrapped |unit cost = |primary_user = Saunders Roe |more_users = Air Ministry |developed_from = |variants = The Saunders Roe A.37 Shrimp was a 1930s British two-seat four-engined experimental flying boat built by Saunders-Roe Limited ("Saro") at Cowes.
Development
The Shrimp was designed by H Knowler in 1939 as a half-size research aircraft as part of a development programme for the Saunders-Roe S.38 a four-engined patrol flying-boat to Specification R.5/39 – a replacement for the Short Sunderland. The R.5/39 project was cancelled but the Shrimp was completed as a private venture. Registered as G-AFZS, it was first flown at Cowes in October 1939. It was based at Beaumaris, Anglesey where a slipway was built for it. The Ministry of Aircraft Production acquired it in 1944 with the serial TK580 for tests to help the design of the Short Shetland a successor to the R.5/39 project being developed jointly by Saro and Short Brothers. For this its twin rudder tail was swapped for a single fin and the hull was modified to represent that of the Shetland.
The Shrimp was scrapped at Felixstowe in 1949.
Operators
;
Specifications
|ref=Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume 5: Flying Boats |prime units?=imp General characteristics
|crew=2 |length ft=43 |length in=3+1/4 |length note= |span ft=50 |span in=0 |span note= |height ft=12 |height in=8+3/4 |height note= |wing area sqft=340 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight lb=4362 |empty weight note= |gross weight lb=5700 |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight lb=6200 |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity= |more general= Powerplant
|eng1 number=4 |eng1 name=Pobjoy Niagara III |eng1 type=7-cylinder air-cooled geared radial piston engines |eng1 hp=95 |eng1 note=
|prop blade number=2 |prop name=fixed-pitch propellers |prop dia ft= |prop dia in= |prop dia note= Performance
|max speed mph=130 |max speed note= |cruise speed mph= |cruise speed note= |stall speed mph= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed note= |minimum control speed mph= |minimum control speed note= |range miles= |range note= |ferry range miles= |ferry range note= |endurance=3 hours |ceiling ft= |ceiling note= |climb rate ftmin=635 |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |lift to drag= |wing loading lb/sqft=16.8 |wing loading note= |fuel consumption lb/mi= |power/mass= |more performance=
References
;Notes ;Bibliography
- Green, William. Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume 5: Flying Boats. London: Macdonald & Company (Publishers) Ltd., 1962 (5th Impression 1972). .
- Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919. London: Putnam & Company, 1974. .
- Jarrett, Philip. "Nothing Ventured...No 12". Aeroplane Monthly, March 1991, Vol 19 No, 3 Issue 215. ISSN 0143-7240. pp. 146–150.
- London, Peter. Saunders and Saro Aircraft Since 1917. London: Putnam (Conway Maritime Press), London, 1988. .
References
- Jarrett 1991, p.146.
- Jarrett 1991, p.148.
- Green 1972, p. 90.
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