12 Facts About Oswald Short

Hugh Oswald Short, AFRAeS was an English aeronautical engineer.

Oswald Short was born at Stanton by Dale, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, the son of mining engineer Samuel Short and his second wife Emma Robinson.

In 1897, he took an intense interest in ballooning, after his brother Eustace Short had purchased, repaired and flown a second-hand gas balloon.

In early 1909, Oswald Short Brothers signed an agreement with the Wright brothers to manufacture copies of Wright Flyers for sale under licence, and thus became the World's first aircraft manufacturer.

Oswald Short continued his interest in balloons and airships, and developed his own ideas about leak-tight inflatable envelopes for balloons, airships and the floats of seaplanes, particularly the use of goldbeater's skin.

In 1919, Oswald became chairman and managing director of the partnership then incorporated as Short Brothers Ltd.

Oswald Short developed construction methods using aluminium alloys such as Duralumin, and in 1920 he patented monocoque and stressed skin aircraft construction techniques.

Oswald Short's technology was licensed in the United States, France, and Japan.

In 1935, Oswald was made chairman and managing director of Short Brothers when it became a limited company.

Oswald Short had not sought personal renown from the establishment or the public, but was recognised in the aerospace industry; he was made an honorary fellow of the RAeS, president of the Guild of Aviation Artists, a fellow of the Zoological Society of London and of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Oswald Short was freeman of the City of London, and honorary freeman of the City of Rochester.

On 4 December 1969, Oswald Short died at home at Linchmere, Sussex.