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SUPERMARINE AVIATION WORKS LTD. |
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| UK |
Founded 1912 by Noel Pemberton Billing (see Pemberton- Billing Ltd). In 1915 designed Night Hawk anti-airship fighter with many ingenious features, including searchlight and recoilless gun. Other designs were a twin-float seaplane and Baby single-seat fighter flying-boat, the latter flying in February 1918. Company's postwar Schneider Trophy Sea Lion racing flying-boats were developed from Baby, but advanced S.4 racer of 1925 was a twin-float seaplane, though still of wooden construction. The S.5 and S.6 seaplanes, which followed, were renowned for racewinning and record-breaking, but especially as forerunners of Second World War Spitfire, designed by Reginald Mitchell (1895-1937), who had joined company in 1916. Well-known maritime
When the company was absorbed by Vickers in 1928 it was already famous for large multi-engined flying-boats, particularly Southampton, distinguished in RAF service from 1925, especially for long cruises. Successors were much-refined Scapa of 1932 and Stranraer of 1935, and the Walrus and Sea Otter earned their place in FAA history during Second World War. The Supermarine Spitfire first flew March5,1936. Well over 20,000 were built by various makers. Basic change came when the Rolls-Royce was replaced by the Griffon engine. Seafire was naval development (over 2,500 built). Spiteful and Seafang were late piston-engined types with new wing, from which the jet-propelled Attacker was developed to enter service in 1951. Swept-wing Swift was unsuccessful as fighter, and twin-jet Scimitar of 1958 concluded fighter line.
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 All the World's Rotorcraft NightHawk Sea Lion Swan Southampton Scapa "Walrus" 224 (F.7/30) Stranraer "Spitfire" Sea Otter Seafire 322 "Dumbo" S.24/37 Spiteful "Attacker" Seafang 381 "Seagull" Swift 510 / 535 "Scimitar" 508 / 529 |
