Supermarine Seafang
| Supermarine Seafang | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Fighter plane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
1946 |
| Commissioning: |
- |
| Production time: |
1946 |
| Number of pieces: |
11 prototypes |
The Supermarine Seafang was a British, from a Rolls-Royce Griffon powered fighter aircraft of Supermarine on the specification N.5 / 45 of the Air Ministry . Towards the end of the Second World War, the further developed Supermarine Spiteful and Seafang were developed by the historian Dr. Albert Price described as "a Spitfire driven too far".
development
The Model 383 Seafang was essentially a Supermarine Spiteful reworked as a carrier aircraft for the Royal Navy , on which a catch hook for the carrier landings and two counter-rotating propellers were installed. The propellers rotating in opposite directions should eliminate the large torque (rolling motion) that occurs with only one propeller. The Mark F32 had folding wings, increased fuel capacity, and a Griffon 89 engine with 2,350 hp that propelled the two counter-rotating three-blade propellers. Two of these types were completed, the VB893 and VB895 . So far, no evidence has emerged that could confirm a first flight before the end of the fighting.
Testing and evaluation
The first (recorded) flight of a Seafang took place in 1946. Series production of this type of aircraft was never started. A total of 18 prototypes and test samples were produced, but not all of them were completed and flown. The Seafang FR 32, VB895 was flown by the recognized test pilot Mike Lithgow in May 1947 for test landings on the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious . Compared to the Seafire Mk47, the increase in flight performance was also not considered sufficient to prevent series production of the jet-powered Gloster Meteor and De Havilland DH.100 Vampire , which were adapted for the requirements of the Navy . The slow flight characteristics of the Seafang did not meet expectations, and therefore the Hawker Sea Fury , which was developed at the same time, was selected as a naval aircraft for the fleet.
A Seafang is said to have flown at a speed of 794 km / h during the flight tests. If that statement were true, the Seafang would be the fastest piston engine aircraft ever built in the UK. Another special feature of the Seafang was that the wings were used for the later, jet-powered Supermarine Attacker .
Series
-
Seafang F.Mk 31-10 were built, 9 completed
- Powerplant: Rolls-Royce Griffon 61, 2,035 hp; Five-blade constant speed propeller
-
Seafang F.Mk 32 - 8 were built, 2 completed
- Powerplant: Rolls-Royce Griffon 89, 2,350 hp; two counter-rotating three-blade propellers
- foldable wings
- increased fuel capacity.
Technical specifications
Supermarine Seafang
- Crew: 1
- Length: 10.39 m
- Wingspan: 10.67 m (8.23 m) folded
- Height: 3.82 m
- Wing area: 19.5 m²
- Empty weight: 3,636 kg
- Setup weight: 4,750 kg
- Powerplant: Rolls-Royce Griffon 89
- Type: water-cooled, supercharged 12-cylinder V-engine
- amount: 1
- Power: 2,350 hp
- Top speed: 765 km / h
- Range: 633 km
- Service ceiling: 12,500 m
- Rate of climb: 23.5 m / s
- Armament: 4 x 20 mm Hispano Mk V machine guns , devices 2 x 454 kg bombs or four 60 pounds rocket
See also
literature
(English)
- Humphreys, Robert. The Supermarine Spitfire, Part 2: Griffon-Powered (Modellers Datafile 5) . Bedford, UK: SAM Publications, 2001. ISBN 0-9533465-4-4 .
- Morgan, Eric B. and Shacklady, Edward. Spitfire: The History . London: Key Publishing, 1992. ISBN 0-946219-10-9 .
- Price, Alfred. The Spitfire Story . London: Silverdale Books, 1995. ISBN 1-85605-702-X .
- Robertson, Bruce. Spitfire-The Story of a Famous Fighter . Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK: Model & Allied Publications Ltd., 1960. Third revised edition 1973. ISBN 0-900435-11-9 .
