Supermarine Seafang

1946

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Seafang F Mk 32

Development of a navalised Spiteful was pursued during 1945 to Specification N.5/45, and a contract was placed for two prototypes and 150 series aircraft, the name Seafang being assigned. A Spiteful F Mk 15 with a "sting"-type arrester hook was tested early in 1945, and the Seafang prototypes flew in the following year. One of these represented the production Seafang F Mk 31 with Griffon 61 engine and a long-stroke undercarriage, but non-folding wings. The othet represented the Seafang F Mk 32 with a Griffon 89 engine with contraprop, and upward-folding wings. Armament comprised four 20mm cannon and provision was made for carrying a pair of 454kg bombs or six 136kg rockets. After completion during 1946-47 of 10 Mk 31s and six Mk 32s (some of which were never flown) production was cancelled.

The first Seafang F Mk 31 with non-folding wings

Specification 
 MODELSeafang F Mk 32
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight4740 kg10450 lb
  Empty weight3629 kg8001 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan10.67 m35 ft 0 in
  Length10.39 m34 ft 1 in
  Height3.82 m13 ft 6 in
  Wing area19.51 m2210.00 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed764 km/h475 mph
  Ceiling12500 m41000 ft
  Range632 km393 miles

Comments
Carl BUTLER, e-mail, 04.04.2017 23:31

I do not think that any PROPELLER PISTON engine driven aircraft would go any faster than 550 MPH due to the fact of the propellers compressibility. As far as the wing shape was concerned the MITCHELL wing was a "nightmare" to build & repair.

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planelover, e-mail, 04.01.2015 10:37

nice, fast plane. perhaps if they had looked into the Spiteful and the Seafang a bit more they might have got them both into service and then pushed them to their limits. perhaps they might have been able to get them to go over 600mph like they did with a Spitfire; the planes was the right shape. i think they could have added jets to all the ww2 era Supermarine aircraft somehow

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Chris Ryan, e-mail, 08.11.2010 11:31

Lovely plane, once they solved the aileron control rod jamming issue. Of course, while faster in level flight than any Spitfire mark, its critical mach number was lower. Mitchell really did pick a winner of a wing initially. Perhaps they would have done better to keep the thickness ratios and semi-elliptical plan form of the Mitchell wing while going with a laminar flow cross section. In any event.. beautiful!

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merlinmac, e-mail, 25.06.2010 08:57

The jet age made them obsolete, the landplane version Spiteful F16 was most likely the fastest British piston engined fighter, one obtained 494mph on a Griffon 101 with a two speed & three stage supercharger. No examples exist today

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John Dighton, e-mail, 25.02.2010 11:07

What a sleek and beautiful machine. Faster than the Sea Fury (just) and thats very fast. Maybe the nicest looking propreller driven military aircraft ever? Are there any examples of this aircraft in museums around the globe?

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Spitfiresahoy!, e-mail, 05.06.2008 01:04

"A Spitfire too far"

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