Because of political problems on its route to Cairo, Imperial Airways contracted Short Brothers to build three four-engine flying-boats which would have ample range, good capacity for high-revenue airmail and excellent accommodation for 15 passengers; selected powerplant was the 555 hp (414 kW) Bristol Jupiter XFBM. Designated Short S.17 Kent, the first of these 'boats entered service in May 1931, the others soon afterwards, and the aircraft were kept hard at work, each flying in excess of 4,000 miles (6437 km) per week. One was lost in August 1936 when it made a heavy landing and sank, another was an arson victim at Brindisi in November 1935, but the third survived to be scrapped in June 1938.