Short brothers. Seaplane Works !

[AlanTH]

"I well remember "flimsies", without them you couldn't start or finish a job & they needed the charge hand's signature. And, with luck, if you were quick enough you got a bonus."
Those flimsies and the piece work bonus system at BK enabled me to become what they reckoned was one of the highest paid apprentices in the county.
In my last 2 years there I built gearboxes for the graders, pavers and mixers etc and was good at it. I enjoyed my over 5 years there but left 3 weeks after finishing my "time" and went to work at the IPM paper mill at Gravesend along with another ex-apprentice, Brian Butler.
Anyone else work there at the No. 18 shop or the new building BK put up for the final assembly work?
AlanTH.

[Dave Smith]

Castle. The masts were an early form of radar & those Sunderlands were then called "porcupines" for obvious reasons. As an Apprentice, I worked in 18 shop for 6 months when I first started.We made all the early parts necessary to convert Mk. V's built at Short & Harland in Belfast into Sandringhams. My job was the front door in the streamline nose for a crew member to open, lean out & hook up the flying boat  to the mooring buoy. On Sunderlands, the front turret slid back to make a gap to do the same. Blaw knox took over 18 shop when they first arrived in 1947, as it was large enough to accept their " earth movers" etc. I well remember "flimsies", without them you couldn't start or finish a job & they needed the charge hand's signature. And, with luck, if you were quick enough you got a bonus.

[castle261]

The No 18 shop at Shorts Seaplane Works - was a place where they implemented new innovations.
Once while delivering `Flimsies`- I stopped to look at the Sunderland on the slipway there. (1941)
At 14 - I was interested in all aircraft - ours & theirs - this Sunderland was bristling with aerials
along the top of it - four of them - After a while I moved on.

` Flimsies`- work cards to draw `stores`with - I worked for the Production Office by the Main Gate.

[AlanTH]

How strange! I see my reply to this thread earlier has got nothing in it. Probably makes more sense than some of the other replies I make on other threads.
Anyway, my father worked at Shorts in the old No 18 shop which became Blaw Knox who I did an apprenticeship with, but he never worked at BK.
From memory and it is a long time ago, he travelled to Guildford I think and somewhere else to work but I'm unsure if that was still when in the employ of Shorts.
AlanTH


PS. No the TH is nothing to do with any Thomas.

[Cosmo Smallpiece]

It's a Short Shetland.


Looks like the first prototype of only two. This one intended as military but without the turrets fitted. Regrettably caught fire soon afterwards.

[johnfilmer]

This picture was found in an old book being used as a bookmark. Nothing on the back, but I assume a Shorts plane.
Any details known?

[castle261]

Good reply ------------TH

[AlanTH]

[castle261]

Now Theodore seems to foot the bill
do you have it, want it or have it still
`Tis a name to be proud - President
Roosevelt was it`s best --   resident


Keep it, love it, say it ----- with pride
TH ----- what are you trying to hide ?

[AlanTH]

[Dave Smith]

Alan TH. During my self isolation(5th week now), I've found that re-reading KHF posts an interesting past time. It struck me that when you mentioned your dad working at Blaw Knox after transferring from Shorts, one of my friends, Roy Thomas did just that. So is TH, Thomas?

[Smiffy]

No worries Colin. Dad was on HMS Clarkia for most of the war and always spoke very fondly of his time serving on her. I uploaded some of his photos to the Flower Class Corvette Forum. Enough of that though as things are starting to go a bit off-topic

[pete.mason]

chanced googling Canopus Column, came up with https://100objectskent.co.uk/object/canopus-flying-boat-steering-column/    seemingly at Guildhall Museum Rochester

[Colin walsh]

Smiffy, apologies I got confused with castle261 blog.ref dockyard "rabbit club"fiddles,I know it rude of me to confuse you gentalman,.
Unfortunately I suffer from meniers disease ,mainly affects balance,but sometimes can muddle my thinking,so will control my posting to lucid times.
Mei culper Dominus

[Colin walsh]

Smiffy,the flower class corvette was a really good kit,I built one many moons ago,my father allso served on one, HMS Daffodil ,he allways said"the *****things would roll on wet grass"never quite understood the meaning of that?.
I see you made model aircraft as a rabbit in the yard,my rabbit was making Napoleonic cannons,had a chap in the effluent treatment plant turned up beautiful brass barrels for me,allways good quality wood laying about for gun carriages and wheels,specifically when the ward room was being refitted on the nuks,refference the control column the Canopus pub,had it was offered at auction of flying memrobelea many moons ago,along with some artifacts of Sir Alan Chobham,one being a photograph of the"winkle"I think a story was told of a pilot landing it and then being found dead by the tender crew.