Supermarine S.6B
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| Supermarine S.6B | |
|---|---|
 A Supermarine S.6B under construction, showing the Rolls-Royce R engine |
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| Type | Racing seaplane |
| Manufacturer | Supermarine |
| Designed by | Reginald Mitchell |
| Introduced | 1931 |
| Primary user | RAF |
| Number built | 2 |
The Supermarine S.6B was a racing seaplane developed by Reginald Mitchell for the Supermarine company in order to win the Schneider Trophy in 1931. It was the last in the line of racing seaplanes developed by Supermarine and followed the S.4, S.5 and the S.6.
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[edit] Design and development
Despite previous British victories, in 1930, the Air Ministry stunned the Royal Aero Club, sponsors of the country's Schneider Trophy entries with the announcement that no further government funding was to be offered. A public subscription of several million £ resulted and after pressure by Lucy, Lady Houston and several newspapers, the British Government belatedly agreed to support the Royal Air Force's entry to defend the trophy. There were only nine months to prepare and so Supermarine's designer, Reginald Mitchell, could only update the S.6 airframes that had won the trophy in 1929. Rolls-Royce increased the power of the R-Type engine by 400 hp to 2,300 hp.
[edit] Operational history
The improved aircraft was called Supermarine S.6B. The winning flight was piloted by Flt. Lt. John N. Boothman in aircraft serial number S1595 at a speed of 340.08 mph (547.19 km/h), though the technical achievement is slightly tarnished by the fact no other teams competed; two S.6Bs and an S.6 were the only participants. Seventeen days later, Flt Lt. George Stainforth in S.6B serial S1596 broke the world air speed record reaching 407.5 mph (655.67 km/h).
The S.6B is often hailed as giving the impetus to the development of the Supermarine Spitfire and the Rolls Royce Merlin engine.
[edit] Survivors
The Schneider Trophy winning S.6B (serial number S1595) is on display at the Science Museum in London.
[edit] Operators
[edit] Specifications (S.6B)
Data from Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 [1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 28 ft 10 in (8.79 m)
- Wingspan: 30 ft 0 in (9.14 m)
- Height: 12 ft 3 in (3.73 m)
- Wing area: 145 ft² (13.5 m²)
- Empty weight: 4,590 lb (2,082 kg)
- Loaded weight: 6,086 lb (2,760 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: lb (kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce R, 2,350 hp (1,753 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 354 knots (407.5 mph, 655.8 km/h) (world speed record)
- Wing loading: 4,2lb/ft² (205 kg/m²)
- Power/mass: 0.386 hp/lb (0.635 kW/kg)
[edit] See also
Related development
Comparable aircraft
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ Andrews, C.F. and Morgan, E.B. (1987). Supermarine Aircraft since 1914, 2nd ed., London: Putnam. ISBN 0-85177-800-3.
[edit] Bibliography
- McKinstry, Leo (2007). Spitfire – Portrait of a Legend. London: John Murray. ISBN 0-71956-874-9.
- Price, Alfred (1995). The Spitfire Story. London: Silverdale Books. ISBN 1-85605-702-X.
- Spick, Mike (1990). Supermarine Spitfire. New York: Gallery Books. ISBN 0-8317-14034.
[edit] External links
- Newsreel footage of 1931 Schneider Trophy (16mm B&W newsreel film). BFI.
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