| Stranraer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Maritime reconnaissance |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Supermarine |
| Designer | |
| Primary users | Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 57 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1937–1939 |
| Introduction date | 1937 |
| First flight | 24 July 1934 |
| Retired | 1943 (military use) 1958 (civilian use) |
| Developed from | Supermarine Scapa |
TheSupermarine Stranraer is aflying boat designed and built by the BritishSupermarine Aviation Works company atWoolston, Southampton. It was developed during the 1930s on behalf of its principal operator, theRoyal Air Force (RAF). It was the RAF's last and fastest biplane flying boat.Derived from theSupermarine Scapa, the aircraft's design was heavily shaped bySpecification R.24/31, issued in 1931. After an initial rejection by theAir Ministry, Supermarine persisted with development as a private venture under the designation Southampton V. During 1933, a contract was placed for a single prototype; it was around this time that the type was named afterStranraer. First flown on 24 July 1934, the Stranraer entered frontline service with the RAF during 1937; most examples of the type were in service by theoutbreak of World War II.The Stranraers typically undertook anti-submarine and convoy escort patrols during the early years of the conflict. During March 1941, the model was withdrawn from frontline service, but continued to be operated in a training capacity until October 1942. In addition to the British-built aeroplanes, theCanadian Vickers company inMontreal, Quebec, also manufactured 40 Stranraersunder licence for theRoyal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). These Canadian Stranraers served in anti-submarine and coastal defence capacities on both Canada's Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and were in regular service until 1946. Following their withdrawal from military service, many ex-RCAF Stranraers were sold off to fledgling regional airlines, with whom they served in various commercial passenger and freighter operations into the 1950s.
The Supermarine Stranraer, which was directly derived from theSupermarine Scapa, was the final aircraft in a series offlying boats designed byR. J. Mitchell[1] for theRoyal Air Force (RAF).[2] The Stranraer was produced by Supermarine at its works in Woolston, Southampton, with deliveries taking place between 1937 and 1939.[3] Development of the series began during the early 1930s, with Supermarine's design team headed by Mitchell.[4]The project was pursued as a response to theAir Ministry's issuing ofSpecification R.24/31 in 1931,[5] which called for a general purpose coastal reconnaissance flying boat for the RAF.[4] This specification demanded apayload 1,000 pounds (450 kg) greater than that of the Scapa and the ability to maintain level flight on only a single engine, which the Scapa could not do. Supermarine's initial response to the specification was a larger model of the Scapa; the company competed against a bid fromSaunders-Roe.[4]The Air Ministry favoured Saunders-Roe's proposal and rejected Supermarine's design.[4] Despite this, Supermarine chose to continue development work on the design as a private venture, which was first known as theSupermarine Southampton V.[4]
In 1933[6] a contract was placed for a single prototype powered by two 820horsepower (610 kW) Bristol Pegasus IIIM engines, and the type was named the Stranraer. On 24 July 1934, the first prototype,K3973, made itsmaiden flight, piloted byJoseph Summers.[7] Over the following months, a relatively intense initial flight test programme was conducted. On 24 October 1934 it was delivered to theMarine Aircraft Experimental Establishment (MAEE) atRAF Felixstowe for official trials.[8]On 29 August 1935, soon after the completion of proving flights, an initial order for 17 aircraft (serial numbersK7287 toK7303) was placed by the Air Ministry to fulfilSpecification 17/35;[9] six more aircraft (K9676 toK9681) were ordered in May 1936, but this order was subsequently cancelled.[10] The first production standard aircraft made its first flight in December 1936, and entered service operation with the RAF on 16 April 1937.[11] The final Stranraer was delivered on 3 April 1939. In addition, a total of 40 Stranraers were manufacturedunder licence inCanada byCanadian Vickers Limited, as both Supermarine and Canadian Vickers were subsidiaries ofVickers-Armstrongs.
The Stranraer was a twin-enginedbiplane flying boat accommodating a crew of 6–7.[1][12] Its empty weight was 11,250 pounds (5,100 kg), with a maximum take-off weight of 19,000 pounds (8,600 kg).[13]As the design of the Stranraer progressed, it was changed from that of the Scapa, having a two-bay structure.[4] The Stranraer's weight, and the surface area andspan of its wings, were 12 per cent greater; theelevator was also 7 per cent larger, while therudders featuredtrim tabs capable of holding the aircraft straight under single-engine flight. The moderately superchargedBristol Pegasus IIIMradial engine was selected.[14] Much of the airframe wasalclad, while detailed fittings were made ofstainless steel; metal components wereanodised as an anti-corrosion measure.[7] For additional strength, a second pair of interplanestruts were added.[15] The hull was considerably larger, its cross-section being increased by 18 per cent, yet it had identicalhydrodynamic performance. The forward gun was redesigned to be retractable, the middle gunner's position was lowered, and a tail gunner position was added just aft of the control surfaces, completed with a hooded windshield.[15] In general, the equipment of which the aircraft was to be fitted with were the result of lessons learnt from operations of the earlier Southamptons.[7]The production model of the Stranraer differed in a few ways from the first prototype, chiefly of which was the use of the more powerful 920 horsepower (690 kW) Pegasus X engine.[9] The engines were placed innacelles under the upper wing, so that thepropellers were well clear of any sea spray. Two petrol tanks, each of 250 imp gal (1,100 L) capacity, were placed in the centre section of the upper wing; petrol was fed by gravity, but fuel pumps were also incorporated.[12]The two-bladed wooden propellers of the prototype were replaced by three-bladed metalFairey-Reed propellers when the aircraft went into production.[13] The wing structure was redesigned to have two bays.[16][17]The Stranraer was armed with three 0.303-inch (7.7 mm)Lewis guns, positioned in the nose, dorsal and tail.[13] The aircraft could carry up to 1,000 pounds (450 kg) of bombs.[13]
The Stranraer and its contemporary, theSaro London, were the last multi-engine, biplane flying-boats to see service with the RAF.[18] The RAF operated 17 Stranraers from 1937, although they were already considered obsolete when they entered service.[6][note 1] Before the war, the type served primarily withNo. 228 Squadron,No. 209 Squadron andNo. 240 Squadron.[9] Generally, the aircraft was not well-received, with numerous pilots considering its performance being typically marginal.[19] Others noted that it had superior seaworthiness to several aircraft in common use, such as theConsolidated PBY Catalina.[20] As early as 1938, some Stranraer squadrons had begun to re-equip themselves with other aircraft, such as theShort Sunderland andShort Singapore flying boats.[9]Early on in its career, Stranraers made several challenging long-distance flights; one such flight, covering 4,000 miles (6,400 km), was performed during a single exercise during September 1938.[9]
| Serial | Delivered | Fate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| K3973 | October 1934 | SOC (30 October 1938) | Prototype, became obsolete |
| K7288 | September 1937 | Hit the sea on night exercise, caught fire and sank (28 March 1938) | 6 killed |
| K7297 | September 1938 | Lost over theNorth Sea (19 August 1939) | 6 killed |
No Stranraers saw action away from UK territorial waters during World War II.[6] Immediately following theoutbreak of the war in September 1939, Stranraers patrolled theNorth Sea, intercepting enemy shipping between Scotland and Norway. Aircraft assigned to such duties were typically armed with bombs underneath one wing and a single overload fuel tank underneath the other one. Use of the Stranraer for such patrols came to an end on 17 March 1941.[9] Stranraers saw service with No. 240 Squadron, and limited numbers were deployed at theNo. 4 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit.[9] The final Stranraer flight in RAF service was conducted byK7303 at Felixstowe on 30 October 1942.[9]
Having acquired a less than favourable reception by flight and ground crews alike, the Stranraer gained a large number of derisive nicknames during its service life. It was sometimes referred to as a "whistling shithouse" because thetoilet opened out directly to the air and when the seat was lifted, the airflow caused the toilet to make a whistling sound.[22] The Stranraer also acquired "FlyingMeccano Set", "TheMarpole Bridge", "Seymour Seine Net", "Strainer", "Flying Centre Section of theLion's Gate Bridge", as well as a more genteel variant of its usual nickname, "Whistling Birdcage".[22]TheRoyal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Stranraers were exact equivalents of their RAF counterparts. In Canadian service, they were usually employed in coastal patrol against submarine threats in a similar role to the British Stranraers. Aviation author Dirk Septer stated that no enemy action was ever recorded by the RCAF's Stranraers.[23] However, the crew of a5 Squadron Stranraer, flown by Flight LieutenantLeonard Birchall, were responsible for the capture of an Italian merchant ship, theCapo Nola, in theGulf of Saint Lawrence, hours after Canada issued its declaration of war on Italy on 10 June 1940.[24][note 2] The Canadian Vickers-built Stranraers served with the RCAF throughout the war, the last example being withdrawn on 20 January 1946.[25]
| Serial | Delivered | Fate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| K7287 | April 1937 | SOC (25 June 1941) | |
| K7289 | December 1937 | unknown after June 1941 | |
| K7290 | January 1938 | Sank in gale (21 November 1940) | |
| K7291 | June 1938 | Hit by light boat and sank (10 November 1940) | |
| K7292 | February 1938 | SOC (13 May 1941) | |
| K7293 | March 1938 | Sunk in gale (17 February 1941) | |
| K7294 | May 1938 | Damaged beyond repair after hitting the water (3 November 1939) | |
| K7295 | July 1938 | Damaged beyond repair after hitting the water (4 September 1942) | |
| K7296 | August 1938 | SOC (22 September 1939) | |
| K7298 | September 1938 | Crashed into the sea (12 June 1941) | 9 killed |
| K7299 | October 1938 | SOC (4 April 1941) | |
| K7300 | November 1938 | Sank in gale (20 October 1941) | |
| K7301 | December 1938 | Sank in gale (21 August 1940) | |
| K7302 | January 1939 | Sank in gale (20 October 1941) | |
| K7303 | April 1939 | SOC (31 October 1942) |
From May 1935, the Stranraer was developed for civilian use into the Type 237.[6] Approximately 20 of the 40 RCAF Stranraers survived the war intact enough for potential reuse. Of these, 13 were sold to civilian operators through Crown Assets after the end of hostilities, with registrations in Canada and the US.[26] Several were converted to Super Stranraer configuration with 1,200 horsepower (890 kW)Wright GR-1820-G202GA engines replacing the original Pegasus units.After the end of World War II, several examples served withQueen Charlotte Airlines (QCA) inBritish Columbia, operating until 1958.[27] Queen Charlotte Airlines became at one point the third-largest airline in Canada; it was popularly known as theQueer Collection of Aircraft. With limited money, it flew a mixture of types that were often the cast-offs of other operators. In QCA use, the Stranraer gained a more suitable reputation and was "well liked" by its crews.[28] A total of eight surplus Stranraers were also sold to Aero Transport Ltd. ofTampa, Florida.[29]
Data fromSupermarine Aircraft since 1914,[41]Database: Supermarine Stranraer[42]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
A single Stranraer, 920/CF-BXO, survives in the collection of theRoyal Air Force Museum London.[43][44] This aircraft was built in 1940, one of 40 produced by Canadian Vickers. In service with the RCAF, it flew with several squadrons, on anti-submarine patrols, as a training aircraft and carrying passengers. In 1944, it was disposed of. It was flown by the civilian airlineCanadian Pacific Airlines until 1947, then by Queen Charlotte Airlines, who replaced its original engines with AmericanWright R-1820 Cyclone engines. Queen Charlotte Airlines flew the aircraft on passenger flights until 1952, flying fromVancouver along the Pacific coast of British Columbia. It flew with several other private owners until it was damaged by a ship in 1966. In 1970, it was bought by the RAF Museum and transported to the UK.[40]Parts of a second Stranraer, 915/CF-BYJ, are owned by theShearwater Aviation Museum,Halifax, Canada. This aircraft also operated with Queen Charlotte Airlines until it crashed on Christmas Eve 1949 atBelize Inlet, British Columbia. Initial parts of the aircraft were recovered in the 1980s, with additional wreckage transported to the museum in November 2008 for eventual restoration, excluding the forward fuselage and cockpit. As of 2025, the parts remain in storage at the museum awaiting restoration.[40]
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
