Short Silver Streak

The Short Silver Streak was the first British all-metal aircraft. It was designed and built by Short Brothers at Rochester, Kent, England. Although Flight magazine claimed that it was the first instance of stressed skin construction in the world, it was preceded by a number of Dornier designs, including the Dornier-Zeppelin D.I, which was ordered into production.

Development
The Silver Streak was a single-seat biplane with a semi-monocoque duralumin fuselage and duralumin-covered wings. The wing skin was not stressed. The Silver Streak had a conventional landing gear and was powered by a 240 hp Siddeley Puma engine. The Silver Streak was exhibited in July 1920 at the Olympia in London. Registered G-EARQ, it was first flown at Grain on 20 August 1920 by test pilot J. L. Parker. It was later modified as a two-seater and delivered to the Air Ministry in February 1921 for both flight and static testing. The Air Ministry issued a specification for a two-seat reconnaissance biplane and Shorts produced the Springbok based on the Silver Streak.