JOHAN VISSCHEDIJK COLLECTION No. 7018. Short S.A.4 Sperrin (VX158) Royal Air Force
Photograph from Short and Military Aircraft Photographs (MAP), taken in 1951 and 1955
10/31/2007. This five-seat long-range medium bomber was designed to
specification B14/46 and two aircraft were built: VX158, first flown
August 10, 1951, and VX161, first flown August 12, 1952. Due to the
straight-wing design it laboured under a speed disadvantage compared
to swept-wing designes and no production orders were placed.
Both aircraft have been used as high-speed, high-altitude research,
and as engine test-beds. VX158 was first powered by four 6,000 lb
(2,722 kg) st Rolls-Royce Avon RA.2 turbojets, thereafter one 15,000
lb (6,804 kg) de Havilland Gyron Gy1 turbojet replaced the Avon in the
lower part of the port engine nacelle. In 1956 it
flew with two Avon turbojets combined with two 20,000 lb (9,072 kg) de
Havilland Gyron Gy2 turbojets.
VX158 was scrapped at Sydenham in 1957 and VX161 was scrapped at
Hatfield in 1958. View also photo 8227.
