Supermarine Scapa
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The Supermarine Scapa was a British general reconnaisance flying boat built by Supermarine that was used by the Royal Air Force between 1935 and 1939. It was developed from the Southampton and formed the basis of the later Stranraer flying boat.
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[edit] History
After experimenting with a 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 twin-engined Southampton, 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 before production was changed to a more powerful development, the Stranraer.
[edit] Design
The Scapa 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] Specifications (Scapa)
Data from Supermarine Aircraft since 1914[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: Five
- Length: 53 ft (16.2 m)
- Wingspan: 75ft (22.85m)
- Height: 21 ft (6.4 m)
- Wing area: 1,300 ft² (121 m²)
- Empty weight: 10,030 lb (4,500 kg)
- Loaded weight: 16,080 lb (7,290 kg)
- Useful load: lb (kg)
- Max takeoff weight: lb (kg)
- Powerplant: 2× Rolls-Royce Kestrel IIIMS Water cooled V12, 525 hp (392 kW) each
Performance
- Never exceed speed: knots (mph, km/h)
- Maximum speed: 123 knots (142 mph, 229 km/h)
- Cruise speed: knots (mph, km/h)
- Stall speed: knots (mph, km/h)
- Range: 870 nm (1000 mi, 1610 km)
- Service ceiling: 15,500 ft (4,720 m)
- Rate of climb: 625 ft/min (3.25 m/s)
- Wing loading: 12.3 lb/ft² (60.2kg/m²)
- Power/mass: 0.065 hp/lb (0.107 kW/kg)
- Climb to 9,840 ft (3000 m) 20 minutes
Armament
- Three 0.303" (7.7 mm) Lewis guns, one in bow and two amidships
- Bomb Load of 1000 lb (453 kg) under the wings
[edit] Operators
[edit] Reference
- ^ Andrews, CF; Morgan, EB (1987). Supermarine Aircraft since 1914, 2nd edition (in English), London: Putnam. ISBN 0 85177 800 3.
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