Short Nimbus

{{Infobox aircraft

|name = Nimbus

|image =

|caption =

|type = 2-seater civilian glider trainer

|manufacturer = Short Brothers

|designer = Tom Weekes, Dudley Parkes

|first_flight = 18 January 1947

|introduction = 1947

|retired =

|status =

|primary_user = Rochester Gliding Club

|more_users = Shorts' Gliding Club, Belfast

|produced = Rochester

|number_built = 1

|unit cost =

|variants =

}}

File:Short Nimbus.jpg

The Short Nimbus was a British two-seat glider trainer designed in 1947 by members of the Short Brothers design office, who had recently formed the Rochester Gliding Club. The company supported this venture by providing drawing-office and workshop facilities free of charge, assigning to the Nimbus one of its constructor's numbers (S.1312). The glider was registered with the British Gliding Association and given the serial number BGA470. The Nimbus was the last aircraft to be designed, built and flown from the Rochester works.Barnes and James, p.421

Design

The Nimbus was a wooden, two-seater, gull-wing, low-wing glider trainer. The two pilots were housed in a tandem cockpit with a perspex hood. The tailplane was attached to the fuselage immediately forward of the single tail fin. The landing gear comprised a single, central, partly recessed landing-wheel below the rear pilot and a tail-skid below the fin.

= RC Model =

the Shorts Nimbus has been modelled by Jilles smits at 1/3 scale. Plans and Short Kit are available from Laser Cut Sailplanes here: https://lasercutsailplanes.co.uk/product/shorts-nimbus-short-kit-and-plan-from-jilles-smits/

History

Although great interest was shown wherever the Nimbus was flown, only one provisional order was received, making it unviable as a commercial proposition. It took part in the SBAC's second air show in 1947 at Radlett[https://web.archive.org/web/20120208151144/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/1450?view=synopsis British Film Institute material available] and was placed second in the 1947 British Gliding Association's two-seater design category. After many years of service for various gliding clubs, including taking part in many competitions, it was acquired in 1985 as an exhibit by the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in Cultra, Holywood, nr. Belfast, finally going on display in 1989 after restoration.

Operators

; {{UK}}

Rochester Gliding Club
Shorts Gliding Club, Belfast

Specifications

{{Aircraft specs

|prime units?=imp

|ref=Barnes and James, pp. 420–423

|crew=2

|length ft= 26

|length in= 10

|length m=

|span ft= 62

|span in= 0

|span m=

|wing area sqft= 230

|wing area sqm=

|airfoil= Göttingen 535 / Clark Y

|aspect ratio=16:1Bridgman 1948, p. 97c

|empty weight lb= 800

|empty weight kg=

|gross weight lb= 1,200

|gross weight kg=

|perfhide=

|stall speed mph=34

|stall speed note=

|glide ratio=1:25.8 at {{convert|37.6|mph|km/h kn|abbr=on}}

|sink rate ftmin=2.3

|sink rate note=

}}

References

Sources

{{cite book

| last1 = Barnes

| first1 = C. H.

| last2=James

| first2= D. N

| authorlink =

| title =Shorts Aircraft since 1900

| publisher =Putnam

| date =1989

| location =London

| pages =

| url =

| doi =

| isbn= 0-85177-819-4}}

{{cite book |last=Bridgman |first=Leonard |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1948 |year=1948 |location=London |publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd. }}