The first inklings of what eventually became the Skyvan did not originate from Shorts but from Woodley, Berkshire-based Miles Aircraft. George Miles designed a small twin-engined freighter with a 50ft wide high wing and a 36ft-long fuselage large enough to contain a good-sized car or up to ten passengers. Christened the Aerovan, it first flew in January 1945 and was capable of lifting a payload greater than its weight; however it could not maintain height on one engine. Though 54 were produced, none have survived.
Why the Shorts Skyvan ‘Flying Shoebox’ proved so popular
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Originally published in Aviation News Magazine
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