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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 0655.PDF
MAY IST, 1947 FLIGHT HIGH-PERFORMANCE AMPHIBIAN The Supermarine Sea- gull with Variable- j incidence Wing, Griffon Engine and Contra-rotating Airscrew < A model of the Vickers-SupermarineSeagull shows how commendably clean is the design, reflected in anestimated top speed of 260 m.p.h. - BRITISH manufacturers—in particular the Super-marine works of Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd.—haveachieved outstanding success in the construction of small flying-boats. The old Supermarinc Seagull biplane series, used in many parts of trje world, was succeeded by the Walrus and later by the Sea Otter, but though these three .types differed considerably in design, each succeeding variant reproduced something of the character of its forebears. It is fitting, therefore, that in such a " family " the name Seagull should recur, and it has, in fact, recently been allocated to the Griffon- engined monoplane hitherto known by its specification number S.14/44. Three prototypes of this unusually interesting machine are now under construction in the Supermarine experi- mental shops at Hursley Park, near Winchester, and the first should fly within a few months. This will be equipped for air/ sea rescue work, but the design is readily adaptable for reconnaissance and spotting opera- tions, for which duties it has the advantages of a high performance and a greater range and more spacious accommodation than its predecessors. Though the variable-incidence cantilever wing is derived from that of the Supermarine Type 322 S*S*Dumbo"), described in Flight of April 25th last year, the hull is basicallv similar to that of the Sea Otter, being of metal construction with a single stop. Thus, Mr. J. Smith, C.B.E., SupermarinV's diiH designer, and his team have succeeded in marrying a hydrodynamically efficient hull with an advanced wing design. This, together with the selection of a Griffon engine, giving much greater power than has hitherto been used in a machine of this class, has resulted in an unusually high performance, the estimated top speed being no less than 260 m.p.h. With an engine-on stalling speed of only 54 m.p.h. this gives an exceptional speed range. Variable-incidence Wing The moderately tapered wing is designed to fold (the Seagull is fully equipped for carrier operation), and in conjunction with its variable-incidence gear, has full- span leading-edge slats and slotted flaps. The variable- incidence feature, of course, allows the wing to be adjusted to its optimum angle for take-off, while for level flight it is set to reduce the hull drag. For landing it can be positioned to give a high angle of incidence necessary to develop the very high lift coefficient (3.3 engine off; 3.9 engine on) for which it has been designed. One point in which the tail differs from that of the Sea Otter and Walrus is that the hull is swept up to support a dihedral tailplane,, having at its On the left is a wing float under construction ; on theright a view of a wing root, showing the section of the leading-edge slat.
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