Supermarine Scapa

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The Supermarine Scapa was the flying boat that was the inter-design between the Southampton and the Stranraer.

1 History
2 Design
3 Specification
4 Performance
5 Armament
6 Reference

[edit] History

After experimenting with the three-engine design of flying boat, (the Nanuk/Solent/Southampton X), Supermarine's chief designer, R.J. Mitchell, decided that the good hydrodynamic design that had been developed in the two-engined aircraft would be the platform for the next aircraft.

A prototype designated the Southampton IV was built. It had a hull that performed even better in the tank tests. An Air Ministry Specification was received in November 1931. The test pilot "Mutt" Summers took the first flight on 8 July 1932. The name had then been changed to the Scapa.

15 Scapas were built and the production was changed to the developement, the Stranraer.

[edit] Design

The Scap was an all-metal structure for the hull. The wing and tail surfaces had metal structure with fabric covering. The engines were mounted in nacelles underslung from the upper wing, There were two fins, each placed at the mid semi-span of the tailplane. Similar to the Southampton, there were three gun positions provided. One in the nose and two staggered in the rear fuselage.

[edit] Specification

Power Plants - two 525 hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel IIIMS driving two-blade airscrews.
Crew - five
Span - 75' 0" (22.85 m)
Length - 53' 0" (16.2 m)
Height - 21' 0" (6.4 m)
Wing Area - 1300 sq ft (121 sq m)
Wt Empty - 10030 lb (4500 kg)
Wt Loaded - 16080 lb (7290 kg)