Supermarine Scapa
The Supermarine Scapa was a British general reconnaissance 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.
| Scapa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A Royal Navy Supermarine Scapa at the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment, Felixstowe, Suffolk (UK), in 1933. | |
| Role | Reconnaissance flying boat, |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Supermarine Aviation Works (Vickers), Ltd. |
| Designer | R.J. Mitchell |
| First flight | 1932 |
| Introduction | 1935 |
| Retired | 1939 |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary user | Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 15 |
| Developed from | Supermarine Southampton |
| Variants | Supermarine Stranraer |
Development
After experimenting with a three-engine design of flying boat, (the Nanok/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 Joseph "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.
Design
The Scapa hull was an all-metal structure, while the wing and tail surfaces had metal structure with fabric covering. The two Rolls-Royce Kestrel V-12 engines were mounted in nacelles underslung from the upper wing, and 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. They were provided each one with a single .303 British (7.7 mm) caliber Lewis Mk.I machine guns.
Operators
Specifications (Scapa)
Data from Supermarine Aircraft Since 1914[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 5
- Length: 53 ft 0 in (16.15 m) on beaching gear
- Wingspan: 75 ft 0 in (22.86 m)
- Height: 21 ft 0 in (6.40 m) on beaching gear
- Wing area: 1,300 sq ft (120 m2)
- Empty weight: 10,030 lb (4,550 kg)
- Gross weight: 16,080 lb (7,294 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Rolls-Royce Kestrel IIIMS V-12 liquid-cooled piston engines, 525 hp (391 kW) each
- Propellers: 2-bladed wooden fixed-pitch propellers
Performance
- Maximum speed: 142 mph (229 km/h, 123 kn) at 3,280 ft (1,000 m)
- Cruise speed: 100 mph (160 km/h, 87 kn) at 5,000 ft (1,524 m)
- Alighting speed: 64 mph (56 kn; 103 km/h)
- Range: 1,000 mi (1,600 km, 870 nmi) with 2,650 lb (1,202 kg) military load
- Service ceiling: 15,500 ft (4,700 m)
- Rate of climb: 625 ft/min (3.18 m/s)
- Time to altitude: 9,840 ft (2,999 m) in 20 minutes
- Wing loading: 12.3 lb/sq ft (60 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: 0.065 hp/lb (0.107 kW/kg)
Armament
- Guns: 3 × 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis guns, one in bow and two amidships
- Bombs: 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombload under the wings
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
Related lists
References
- Andrews, C.F.; Morgan, Eric B. (2003). Supermarine Aircraft Since 1914 (2nd Revised ed.). London: Putnam Aeronautical. pp. 128–14.
Further reading
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Supermarine Scapa. |
- Shelton, John (2008). Schneider Trophy to Spitfire - The Design Career of R.J. Mitchell (Hardback). Sparkford: Hayes Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84425-530-6.