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Aviation History
1943
1943 - 0170.PDF
FLIGHT Thirty-second of the New Recognition Series Aircraft Types and VICKERS-ARMSTRONGS WALRUS il NO other aircraft in operational service to-day cantrace its family tree as far back in a direct lineas the Walrus II, familiarly known to the Fleet Air Arm as the Shagbat; and it is still doing valiant ser-vice in many waters, including that of ambulance duties with the Air /Sea Rescue Service. The Walrus, as we know it to-day, first made its appear-ance in 1935, when it was named the Seagull V (not to be confused with the American Curtiss Seagull opposite!),the first batch of which were built to an Australian order and were then supplied to the R.A.F. and renamed Walrus.The first Seagull (Supermarine) was built in 1922, and differed very little in general appearance from the present-day Walrus except that it had a Napier Lion engine driving a tractor airscrew. But Walrus geneology goes back even farther, and thefamous line may be said to have been founded when the Supermarine Baby single-seater flying boat made itsappearance in 1918. This actually had most of the chief characteristics of the modern Walrus (if one may use theterm for a veteran biplane), including a pusher airscrew— in this instance driven by a Hispano-Suiza engine. Infact, not only did the Seagull V, or Walrus I, revert to the pusher style, but it also reverted to single-bay wingsinstead of the two-bay layout of the 1922 Seagull. Since the present war began, the Walrus has been inactive service all over the world from the tropics to the Arctic, and its range of duties, believe it or not, is recordedonce to have included that of dive-bomber! —a truly frightening thought, even though it was against theItalians! Powered by a Bristol Pegasus VI engine of 775 h.p.,the top speed of the Walrus II is 135 m.p.h. at 4,750ft., and its service ceiling 18,500ft. At a cruising speed ot95 m.p.h. its range is 600 miles. Its parallel-edged, back- swept wings of equal span, high-set braced tailplane, andwheels retracting into the lower wings make it extremely easy to recognise. Top speed : 135 m.p.h. BACKSWEPT PARALLEL WINGS RETRACTABLE WHEELS RECTANGULAR TAILPLANE FIXED 'FLOATS VERYHIGH • TAILPLANE SEARUDDER DIMENSIONS Span length Height Wing area OF WALRUS .. 45ft. lOin. .. 37ft. 7in. .. /5ft. 3in. .. 6IOsq.ft.
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