Classic British Aircraft for Sale

[blanston12]

I noticed that on an auction site for the US government, three possibly classic British aircraft are up for sale, they are Short C-23B Sherpa's, military versions of the 360. Here is a link to one of them.

http://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/auci ... CI17012101

[cstorey]

SD 330 rather than 360, I think . Universally known in the UK as "Sheds"

[airboatr]

My sheds are full so I'll have to pass

[Kevin Farnell]

SD 330 rather than 360, I think . Universally known in the UK as "Sheds"

Yes, correct. A military version of the Shorts 330. A golden era for Shorts, when they couldn't build aircraft fast enough.

Kevin

[Chris Trott]

The C-23 is an interesting beast. Based on the SD3-30UTT, the C-23A and C-23B (which this one is) feature strenghened floors, the SD3-60 landing gear, and a full-width cargo door/ramp (versus the inset door/ramp on the normal model). Interestingly, in the early 1990s, the USAF acquired 28 C-23B+ which were SD3-60s which were modified with the C-23 tail and ramp unit. The remaining C-23Bs were upgraded to the same configuration (minor systems changes mainly at that point) and new avionics install on the whole fleet about a decade later and they were re-designated C-23Cs.

Here's the history on this particular aircraft from Baughter (http://www.joebaugher.com)-

1865 (MSN SH.3205) test flown as G-14-3205. Registered as G-BSJM Jun 8, 1990, cancelled on export to USA Dec 18, 1990.
Assigned to Mississippi ArNG, later assigned to Massachusetts ArNG. Stored at Henry Post AAF/Fort Sill,
Oklahoma Nov 2013. Assigned as N865AW Jan 23, 2015 to US Department of State, Patrick AFB, Florida

[Motormouse]

SD 330 rather than 360, I think . Universally known in the UK as "Sheds"

Er, No, C-23's were made by taking a 360 , then grafting a modified aft fuselage onto it , they are a couple of inches longer than original 330, due to where the grafting occurred (civil 330 didn't have the loading ramp btw ) and PT6-67 engines.

1865 (MSN SH.3205) Assigned as N865AW Jan 23, 2015 to US Department of State, Patrick AFB, Florida

Think they were asigned as smoke jumper transports :0

I still hold 330/360 type ratings

ttfn

Pete

[Chris Trott]

The original C-23A and C-23Bs were SD3-30s with modifications. Only the 28 aircraft bought used 5 years later were SD6-30s and those were then modified into the C-23B+ Sherpa. The C-23A was mostly unmodified except for a strengthened floor, modified nose, and paratroop doors. The C-23B introduced the SD3-60 landing gear, a common cockpit, and the higher-rated engines. The C-23C was a mod to the C-23B and C-23B+ with updated avionics and new engines. There was also an additional C-23D modification done to a few aircraft after 2010 to install GPS and RNAV capabilities.

[Archer]

I guess you could make a great campervan out of one of those!

[airboatr]

That would make DB happy... Or not

[blanston12]

I see one of these classics finally sold for 438,250 USD