Imperial Airways poster, 1928

This Imperial Airways of Britain poster features the Short Brothers flying-boat the S.8 Calcutta which made its first flight on 14 February 1928, having been launched the previous day. On 15 March 1928, this aircraft (registered as G-EBVG) was delivered by Parker and Brackley to the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment, Felixstowe, for its airworthiness and sea handling checks; these were successfully completed on 27 July of the same year and the aircraft was flown back to Shorts on the same day. G-EBVG was handed over to Imperial Airways on 9 August 1928.

The S.8 Calcutta was introduced that year and was used by Imperial Airways flying the Mediterranean to Karachi leg of the Britain to India route.

A total of seven aircraft were built. A military version of the Calcutta, originally known as the Calcutta (Service type), was built as the Short Rangoon. In 1934, a Calcutta was purchased by the French Breguet Company from which they developed a military version for the French Navy known as the Breguet S.8/2, it was similar to the Rangoon version. Four aircraft were built under licence by Breguet at Le Havre. Breguet later developed an improved version the Breguet 521 Bizerte. 


Specifications
Crew: 3
Capacity: 15
Length: 66 ft 9 in (20.35 metres)
Wingspan: 93 ft 0 in (28.35 metres)
Height: 23 ft 9 in (7.24 metres)
Wing area: 1,825 ft² (170 m²)
Empty weight: 13,845 lb (6,293 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 22,500 lb (10,227 kg)
Powerplant: 3 × Bristol Jupiter IXF radial engine, 540 hp (403 kW) each
Maximum speed: 118 mph (103 knots, 190 km/h)
Cruise speed: 97 mph (84 knots, 156 km/h)
Range: 650 miles (565 nautical miles, 1,046 km)
Service ceiling: 13,500 ft (4,120 metres)
Rate of climb: 750 ft/min (3.8 m/s)