Short Rangoon
British three-engined biplane flying boat
title: "Short Rangoon" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1930s-british-patrol-aircraft", "flying-boats", "short-brothers-aircraft", "trimotors", "biplanes", "aircraft-first-flown-in-1930"] description: "British three-engined biplane flying boat" topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Rangoon" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary British three-engined biplane flying boat ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | S.8/8 Rangoon |
| image | Rangoon0257.jpg |
| type | Flying Boat |
| manufacturer | Short Brothers |
| first_flight | 24 September 1930 |
| introduction | 1931 |
| retired | 1935 |
| primary_user | Royal Air Force |
| number_built | 6 |
| developed_from | Short S.8 Calcutta |
| variants | Kawanishi H3K |
| :: |
|name = S.8/8 Rangoon |image = Rangoon0257.jpg |caption = |type = Flying Boat |manufacturer = Short Brothers |designer = |first_flight = 24 September 1930 |introduction = 1931 |retired = 1935 |status = |primary_user = Royal Air Force |more_users = |produced = |number_built = 6 |unit cost = |developed_from= Short S.8 Calcutta |variants = Kawanishi H3K
The Short S.8/8 Rangoon was a 1930s British three-engined biplane flying boat, designed and built by Short Brothers for the Royal Air Force.
Background
In 1929, the Royal Air Force needed urgent replacements of the Supermarine Southampton IIs then operated by No. 203 Squadron RAF based at Basra, Iraq. The Air Ministry issued Specification S.18/29 to specifically cover the procurement of a military variant of the Short S.8 Calcutta, similar to the S.8/2 Calcutta then being designed in collaboration with Breguet for Aviation Navale (French Naval Aviation). The new RAF version had Shorts designation S.8/8 and RAF designation Rangoon, and three examples were initially ordered.
Design and development
The Rangoon was a straightforward military adaption of the Calcutta. The main structure was assembled from duralumin formers, spars, ribs and stringers; the fuselage was skinned with duralumin, and the flying surfaces were partly skinned and partly fabric-covered. The major changes were the provision of an enclosed cockpit for the pilots, rest bunks, enlarged fuel tanks in the upper wing, three Lewis guns (one mounted forward of the cockpit, and two in the fuselage behind the wings), underwing bomb racks, and a large fresh water tank (for intended use in tropical conditions).
Operational history
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/StateLibQld_1_110576_cropped.jpg" caption="The lead aircraft of three Rangoons over [[Brisbane River]], 1934"] ::
On 24 September 1930, the first Rangoon (S1433) was flown from the River Medway at Rochester by Shorts' Chief Test Pilot, John Lankester Parker. In early 1931, the first three Rangoons were delivered to the RAF for training at Felixstowe, then in April 1931 they were flown in formation to No. 203 Squadron RAF at Basra. They were used for surveying and anti-smuggling patrols over Iraq and the Persian Gulf. Over the following three years, three more Rangoons (built to a higher specification R.19/31) were delivered to No. 203 Squadron at Basra, where they served without problem until 1935, when they were replaced by Short Singapore IIIs.
In September and October 1934, three Rangoons of No. 203 Squadron visited Australia as part of the celebrations of the centenary of the state of Victoria and of the centenary of Melbourne.
In August 1935, five Rangoons were transferred to No. 210 Squadron RAF at Pembroke Dock. In September 1935, they were temporarily deployed to Gibraltar during the Abyssinia Crisis, and all were retired from service at the end of 1935. Meanwhile, the first Rangoon (S1433) was stripped of military equipment by Shorts at Rochester, registered G-AEIM, then used by Air Pilots Training Ltd for training crews of Imperial Airways at Hamble, until it was retired in late 1938.
Operators
;
- Royal Air Force
- Air Pilots Training Ltd ;
- Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kaigun Koukuu-tai (Kawanishi H3K variant)
Specifications (S.8/8 Rangoon)
|ref=Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918–57 |prime units?=imp General characteristics
|crew=5 |capacity= |length m= |length ft=66 |length in=9+1/2 |span m= |span ft=93 |span in=0 |height m= |height ft=23 |height in=9 |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=1828 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=14000 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=22500 |gross weight note= |fuel capacity= |more general= Powerplant
|eng1 number=3 |eng1 name=Bristol Jupiter XIF |eng1 type=9-cylinder air-cooled radial engine |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=540
Performance
|max speed kmh= |max speed mph=115 |max speed kts= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph=92 |cruise speed kts= |range km= |range miles=650 |range nmi= |endurance=7 hr at 92 mph |ceiling m= |ceiling ft=12000 |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin=550
|more performance= Armament
|guns= Three 0.303 in Lewis guns |bombs= Up to 1,000 lb (455 kg) |avionics=
Notes
Bibliography
References
- {{Harvnb. Barnes. James. 1989
- {{Harvnb. Barnes. James. 1989
- [http://www.rafweb.org/Timeline.htm RAF timeline: Rangoon entered RAF service in April 1931] {{webarchive. link. (2 January 2010)
- [http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/argus/inter/142448.shtml Rangoons in Melbourne 1934] {{webarchive. link. (29 September 2007)
- {{Harvnb. Barnes. James. 1989
- {{Harvnb. Thetford. 1957
- {{Harvnb. Thetford. 1957
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