Initially a balloon-making company, Short built its first aircraft in 1908 and later specialized in flying boats. After 1948, Short shifted its focus towards small and medium transports. The fuselage is round with bulbous cockpit, a rounded tail fin, and turrets in the nose, rear aft of the fin, and on top of the fuselage. Lower nose section of the fuselage is glazed. Inboard nacelles are longer and hold landing gear.
Tailplane is unswept with rounded tips.
Landing gear with tail wheel is retractable. First prototype was flown in May of 1939 and the aircraft went in production in 1940. IV - transport version of Mk. V - heavy transport version of Mk. Data for Mk.