Eastern Express 14488-02 Short 330 (British)

Short 330 was a British, twin-engine passenger and transport plane in the high wing configuration with a triple support landing gear - retractable in flight. The drive - in the 330-100 version - was provided by two turboprop engines Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-45-R with 1198 hp each. The flight of the prototype took place in 1974, and serial production was carried out in the years 1974-1992. In total, about 130 aircraft of this type were built.

The Short 330 was developed at the Short Brothers manufacturing plant in Belfast, Northern Ireland as a development of the Short SC.7 Skyvan. Compared to its predecessor, the new plane had, among others: a larger wingspan, an elongated fuselage and a changed shape of the bow. Completely different engines with more maximum power were also used. In the course of production, several development versions of the aircraft were created, including: 330-100 (basic version), 330-200 (version with new engines) or 330-UTT (military transport version with a reinforced structure adapted to the transport of paratroopers). Based on the Short 330 aircraft, the C-23 AB Sherpa machine dedicated to the American armed forces was also developed.