Supermarine Seagull (1948)
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| Seagull | |
|---|---|
| Type | Air sea rescue amphibian |
| Manufacturer | Supermarine |
| Maiden flight | 14 July 1948 |
| Status | scrapped 1952 |
| Primary user | Royal Navy |
| Number built | 2 (+1 not completed) |
The Supermarine Seagull was a British military flying boat and the last be built by the Supermarine company. Intended for use as an Air-Sea Rescue aircraft, design started during the Second World War but it did not fly until after a few years after the war had ended and the project was cancelled without it being adopted for service.
Contents |
[edit] History
In 1940, consideration was made at Supermarine to design a replacement for the Supermarine Walrus and Sea Otter. There was a slight interruption in design due to the necessity of moving the Design Office after the bombing of the facility at Woolston. The aircraft was to be an amphibian monoplane combining the experience gained on the Walrus and Spitfire. A go-ahead from the British Air Ministry to build three prototypes was given in April 1943. There were many delays including having the required power plant change from a Rolls-Royce Merlin to the more powerful Rolls-Royce Griffon. The first prototype, known within Supermarine as the "Type 381" did not first fly until 14 July 1948. The second aircraft performed carrier trials on HMS Ark Royal in 1949. Only two prototypes were built, the third being in construction. All were sold for scrap in 1952.
[edit] Construction
The Seagull had an all-metal construction with a two spar Parasol wing mounted on pylon connecting it to the fuselage. The single engine drove contra-rotating propellers. The whole wing had variable angle of incidence, pivoted at the front spar with an actuator attached to the rear spar. Supermarine had tested this arrangement in the Type 322. The hull was a normal frame and longeron design with chines. The tailplane, carried on top of the fin, had a very large dihedral, with smaller fins mounted on its tips perpendicular to its surface.
[edit] Operators
[edit] Specifications (Seagull ASR Mk.1)
Data from[citation needed]
General characteristics
- Crew: 3
- Length: 44 ft 1½ in (13.46 m)
- Wingspan: 52 ft 6 in (16.0 m)
- Height: 15 ft 10½ in (4.84 m)
- Wing area: 432 sq ft (40.13 m²)
- Empty weight: 10,510 lb (4,770 kg)
- Loaded weight: 14,500 lb (6,587 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce Griffon 29 inline piston engine, 1,815 hp (1,353 kW)
- Propellers: Three-bladed propellors , 2 (contra rotating) per engine
- *Span with wings folded: 23 ft 6 in (7.17 m)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 260 mph at 11,800 ft (418 km/h at 3,599 m)
- Range: 875 miles (1,408 km)
- Service ceiling 23,700 ft (7,229 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,430 ft/min (436 m/min) at 7,000 ft (2,133 m)
[edit] References
- Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 by Andrews & Morgan, Putnam, 1981 (ISBN 0-370-10018-2)
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