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In 1941, the Bristish Air Ministry issued an requirement for a heavy
defensive armament, long range flying boat that intended to replace the
Short Sunderland. Saunders-Roe propsed S.41 to the Air Ministry, and was
asked to combine the project with Short’s proposal. The detailed design
was performed by Saro, their experience with the "Shrimp" contributing to
the hull shape, as well as building the wing. Shorts built the hull and
tail and did the final assembly. The first prototype and what was to be
the only Shetland first flew in December 1944. Flight testing indicated
satisfactory water handling but revealed problems with the harmonization
of controls and marginal longitudinal stability. With the end of the war,
the second prototype was completed as a civil transport and designated
Shetland II. the Shetland Mk. II's first flight took place in September
1947. After trials, it was delivered to Short's factory at Belfast, but no
orders were forthcoming and it performed only limited flight trials before
being scrapped in 1951.
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