4 January 1914

The Short Admiralty Type 74 first flew on 4 January 1914, piloted by Gordon Bell, Chief Test Pilot at Shorts. He was accompanied on this first flight by Charles Richard Fairey (who left Shorts in 1915 to found the Fairey Aviation company). It was intended for use as a coastal patrol seaplane operating from coastal stations. The Type 74 was powered by a 100 hp Gnome double Omega engine, which provided a maximum flight duration of 5 hours.