Short Brothers Aviation Pioneers

1909 – 1917

Shellbeach / Eastchurch / Muswell Manor

1909

The early flights of their heavier-than-air machines...

Lessons were learnt and experiments continued with the pioneering zeal and attention to detail and the quality that Shorts were noted for throughout their years manufacturing aircraft.

1908
1910

The move to Eastchurch...

However, with the passage of time the site was found to be restrictive as flights got longe

1908
1913

Training of naval officers led the Shorts to think that aircraft development would be based on using water for take-offs and landings as there were no hard runways.

Success led to the search for larger premises with access to a clear stretch of water that led to Borstal, Rochester on the banks of the River Medway. The land was purchased from a Rochester councillor and so The Seaplane Works was ‘born’.

Gradually the Shorts erected more and more ‘workshops’ with No.1 at the Rochester end and finishing with No.18 at the far end. As No.2 shop became available the workforce started their move away from Eastchurch to Rochester.

1908
1917

1917No.3 shop was completed with a long concrete slipway built for the No.3 Erecting Shop to enable aircraft of up to 26 tons to be launched even at low-tide.

1908