| Seagull | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Two Australian Seagull IIIs being hoisted aboard the carrierHMASAlbatross by the ship's cranes, 1926-1932. | |
| General information | |
| Type | Reconnaissanceflying boat |
| Manufacturer | Supermarine |
| Designer | |
| Primary users | Fleet Air Arm |
| Number built | 34 |
| History | |
| First flight | May1921 |
| Developed from | Supermarine Seal II |
TheSupermarine Seagull was aflying boat produced by the British aircraft manufacturerSupermarine. It was developed by Supermarine's chief designerR.J. Mitchell from the experimentalSupermarine Seal II.
Development of the Seagull started during 1920. In June 1921 it was evaluated for military applications but was rejected, and so Supermarine developed the aircraft as a private venture. During February 1922, an initial order for two aircraft was placed by theAir Ministry; subsequent production of the Seagull is believed to have assisted Supermarine to survive during a period when the aircraft industry struggled to attract customers.
The Seagull was used by the BritishFleet Air Arm forgunnery spotting andreconnaissance duties. It was operated by theRoyal Australian Air Force for similar purposes. During the early 1930s, when the type was being replaced by the more successfulSupermarine Walrus, a number of Seagulls were re-used for civilian purposes.
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The origins of the Seagull are heavily interconnected with theSupermarine Seal and theSupermarine Commercial Amphibian.[1] Work on the Seal, which started in 1920, sought to build upon the Commercial Amphibian. A range of alterations and improvements were incorporated, many of which were drawn from the Commercial's official review. The Commercial Amphibian was later designated as the SealMk I—and the new design, initially known as the Seal Mk II, later became the Seagull.[2]
N158, the prototype of the Seagull,[3] flew for the first time in May 1921. On 2 June 1921, having completed manufacturer's trials, it was handed over for service trials with theRoyal Air Force. Attention was paid to the aircraft'sseaworthiness and handling characteristics at low speeds, including its relatively low landing speed.[2] Trials revealed that therudder gave pooryaw characteristics. New designs were tested until a fin extension was found to solve the issues, which was incorporated into the prototype.[4] Having been sufficiently impressed by the aircraft's performance, two aircraft were ordered by the Air Ministry in February 1922.[5] The prototype was shown at the 1922 RAF Display atHendon Aerodrome.[3]
On 4 July 1922, the nameSeagull was adopted for the type.[4] The prototype was designated as the Mk I; the subsequent production aircraft were given the designation Seagull Mk II. The two versions were similar, although an alternative powerplant in the form of a single more powerfulNapier Lion III engine, a reduced wingspan, and a largerfin were used in the Mk II.[6] Production of the Seagull (with serial numbers in and aroundN9642–N9647) began in 1922.[3] In total, 25 aircraft were built for theAir Ministry and theRoyal Navy; their production has been seen as critical to the survival of Supermarine at this time, and the first orders were intentionally built in small batches to ensure that the firm received enough business to stay operational.[5]
In 1925, construction of the improved Mk III began for theRoyal Australian Air Force (RAAF), following an order being placed in January of that year. This type featured a more powerful Napier Lion V engine, and theradiators were redesigned so as to be able to operate intropical regions. The RAAF received six Mk IIIs were between 1926 and 1927.[7] In 1928, one of the Seagull Mk IIs (the so-called Mk IV) was rebuilt withHandley-Pageleading edge slots and twin fins and rudders.[8]
The Supermarine Seagull was anamphibianflying boat, powered by a single Napier Lion engine. This engine was mounted in a nacelle slung from the aircraft's upper wing and powered a four-blade propeller in atractor configuration.[9] The Seagull employedgravity feed to supply fuel for the engine, and was the first single-engined flying boat to use this method.[3]
The lower wing was set in the shoulder position and had two bays. Thefloats were attached to the lower wing near the wingtips via struts, their positioning maximised buoyancy.[9] For land operations, the Seagull was equipped with a retractableundercarriage; pilots lacked aids such as indicators or alarms, thus were reliant on training and memory to deploy the undercarriage when applicable.[10] For easier stowage on board ships, the wings were designed to be folded, which necessitated mounting the wings in a relatively forward position on thefuselage.[2]
The fuselage had an oval cross-section and had a planing bottom with two steps. The interior of the fuselage was divided into several watertight compartments. The three-man crew—pilot, observer, and radio-operator—each had an opencockpit.[11][9] The pilot was seated in a relatively forward position, at a distance from the other crew members, being directly ahead of the fuel tanks; the cockpit was provisioned with a single retractablemachine gun. The radio operator was located just behind the wing, while the rear gunner position was further back still. The majority of the aircraft was constructed from wood.[9] Previous Supermarine aircraft had incorporated thefuel tanks into the hull; with their removal to the upper wing, the Seagull's crew gained full access within the interior of the aircraft.[3]
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The Seagull II's assigned role in British service was that of a fleet spotter, being principally flown byNo. 440 Flight, operating fromHMSEagle. During its service life, it determined to be most practically used for coastal reconnaissance missions.[12] The aircraft was normally operated by a crew of three, while the sole armament installed was a.303 in (7.7 mm)Lewis gun.[11] During its career the type proved to be unpopular with crews—creating a prejudice against similar aircraft that continued for a decade after the Seagull was superseded by theFairey III. The length of runway required fortakeoff was excessive, it handled poorly on the water, and was slow in comparison with land planes designed for a similar use.[13]
Following an agreement made in 1922, a single Seagull Mk II was exported toImperial Japan, intended to demonstrate and promote the capabilities of British aircraft and encourage further sales.[14]
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A pair of Seagulls were entered (with the Air Ministry's authorisation) for the 1924King's Cup Race.[15] During 1925, the Seagull Mk II was the first British aircraft to conduct acatapult launch; the type was used extensively to test various designs of catapult, harnessing bothcordite charges andcompressed air to power them, prior to their widespread introduction.[16]
Three ex-military aircraft were entered civilian use, being placed on the BritishCivil Register.[citation needed]
| External video | |
|---|---|
 Launch of Napier Supermarine Flying Boat (1926) fromBritish Pathé |
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In 1925, theUK Admiralty advised theRoyal Australian Air Force (RAA) to acquire Seagulls to serve on the new seaplane carrier then being constructed, so enabling their ageingFairey IIIDs to be retired.[11][17] The first of six Seagulls for theRoyal Australian Navy (RAN) arrived unassembled in April 1926 atRAAF Base Point Cook, nearMelbourne.[13][11] They were operated by theNo. 101 Flight RAAF, which was formed in June 1926 and moved to its permanent base atRAAF Base Richmond in August 1926. They worked withHMASMoresby during 1926 and 1927, assisting in the photographic survey of theGreat Barrier Reef.[17] Having aircraft based on board RAN ships avoided the need to build land facilities, so that even prior to the type's delivery, the RAN had decided to use seaplanes to perform photographic survey flights, covering areas from the Great Barrier Reef to thePersian Gulf.[13][18] After January 1927, when three additional Seagulls were purchased from Supermarine, the surveys were extended toNew Guinea.[17]
From February 1929 to April 1933, six of the Seagulls served on boardHMAS Albatross, Australia's first indigenously built warship, where they served as spotting, shadowing and reconnaissance aircraft.[17][19] They were transferred toHMASCanberra andHMASAustralia whenAlbatross becameheld in reserve in 1932. The Seagull IIIs were withdrawn from active service orscrapped in 1936; they were superseded by theSupermarine Seagull V. Two of the 9 aircraft,A9-6 andA9-8, were moved totechnological institutes.[17]
TheFleet Air Arm Museum owns thenose cone of an unknown Seagull. It was in use until 1974 as a garden shed, and presented to the museum in exchange for a new shed.[20] It is currently on long-term loan toSolent Sky, an air museum in Southampton.[21]
Data fromSupermarine Aircraft since 1914[22]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Related development
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