The Short No.1 was built for Francis McClean, who had seen Wilbur Wright's flight demonstrations at Le Mans in France.

McClean, a keen astronomer, had to leave on an expedition to observe a solar eclipse in China, but wrote to Horace Short, whom he had only met once, asking him to build him an aeroplane.

[3] Apart from the skids, the entire airframe was built of spruce, and was covered with Continental brand rubberised fabric.

However, at more than 600 lb (270 kg) in weight, when a first attempt at flight was made in September, the engine failed to propel the machine even as far as the end of the launching rail.

The Bariquand et Marre engine arrived in October, and McClean made three attempts at flight on 2, 3 and 6 November, almost succeeding in becoming airborne, but on the last attempt he applied full up-elevator, and the machine stalled and fell back on the launch rail, breaking the undercarriage and propellers: it was not repaired.