1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Springbok-chb171: Unknown author Unknown author· Public domain
what is it?
The Short Springbok was a two-seat, all-metal reconnaissance biplane produced for the British Air Ministry in the 1920s. Altogether, six aircraft of the Springbok design were built but none entered service with the armed forces.
How to recognise it: 1 piston engine with propeller · fixed tailwheel (taildragger) · 12.8 m wingspan
base stats
Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).
fun facts
- First flew 103 years ago, in 1923.
- Wingspan of 12.8 m: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.
piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1923-04-19
- number built
- 6
- role
- two-seater biplane
- origin
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- makers
- Short Brothers
- engines
- 1× Bristol Jupiter IV
- crew
- 2
- length
- 8.2 m
- wingspan
- 12.8 m
- max take-off weight
- 1,851 kg
- top speed
- 195 km/h
- range
- —
- landing gear
- fixed conventional landing gear
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q7501916, Wikipedia: Short Springbok (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.