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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 1142.PDF
354 APRIL 18, 1940 The latest Super-marine pre-war flying boat which may beillustrated is the Stranraer (two BristolPegasus engines) shown here. It fol-lows the Scapa in having the enginesplaced just under the top plane. the K.A.F. display in 1936, though various refinements have been incorporated. Despite its robust stressed-skin construc- tion, the airframe is ot low weight. The wing is constructed of light alloy, and has a single spar comprising tubular flanges and a plate web. For- ward of the spar it is covered with heavy gauge sheet which forms, with the spar web, a stiff, strong torsion box. Aft of the spar, the covering is of thinner gauge. Flush riveting is employed throughout, and the wing tips are detachable. The fuselage is built in three sections. The forward portion is a tubular structure, and forms the engine mounting. Aft of this is a monocoque section, and, finally, comes the tail unit, which is made detachable and is likewise of monocoque construction. The under- carriage retracts outwards, a positive lock being pro- vided in both up-and-down positions. A Rolls-Royce Merlin engine is standardised, the type now fitted being the Merlin III, giving a maximum of 1,030 h.p. at 16,250ft., though more power is obtain- able on the 100 octane fuel now in use. Below the star- board wing is a ducted radiator for the ethyline glycol coolant, the degree of cooling being controlled by a hinged flap. Two fuel tanks are installed in the fuselage aft of the fireproof bulkhead. With the three-bladed De Havilland variable-pitch airscrew a top speed of 367 m.p.h. is obtainable at 18,400ft., and more recently a further considerable im- provement in performance has been obtained since the introduction of 100-octane fuel. One of the most notable features of the Spitfire is its armament, which is composed of eight free-firing Brown- ing machine guns mounted in the wings. These weapons have a combined rate of fire of about 9,600 rounds per minute. Of the present activities of the Supermarine works of Vickers-Armstrongs, Ltd., it is not possible to write, for obvious reasons. It may, however, be assumed that worthy successors of the Spitfire in the landplane class and of the Stranraer among the flying boats are in the offing. The death of the firm's chief designer, Mr. R. J. Mitchell, in 1937 was a blow to the company, but he left behind him a well-qualified and well-tested staff, capable of carrying on the splendid Supermarine tradition of which we have endeavoured to give an outline in the preceding pages. In spite of its high speed the Supermarine Spitfire is docile enough to be used as a night nghter.
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