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Supermarine Sea Lion II

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For the 1919 Schneider Trophy entrant, see Supermarine Sea Lion I.

Sea Lion II
photograph of the Sea Lion II
Role Racing flying-boat
National origin UK
Manufacturer Supermarine Aviation Works
Designer R.J. Mitchell
First flight 1922
Number built 1
Variants Sea Lion III

The Supermarine Sea Lion II' (renamed as the Supermarine Sea Lion III a year after it was built) was a British racing flying boat built by the Supermarine Aviation Works. Designed by Reginald Mitchell, the Sea Lion II was a modification of Supermarine's Sea King II. It was powered by a 450 hp (340 kW) Napier Lion engine.

Entered for the 1922 Schneider Trophy contest at Naples, Sea Lion II was planned to be able to attain a speed of 160 miles per hour (260 km/h). It competed against two Italian aircraft. Supermarine's test pilot Henry Biard flew the aircraft to victory at an average speed of 145.7 mph (234.5 km/h)—the first post-World War I success by a British aeroplane in an international competition.

For the 1923 contest, the aircraft's design was modified by Mitchell and it was re-engined. Renamed the Sea Lion III, it managed third place, reaching a speed of 151.16 mph (243.27 km/h). The performance of the Sea Lion III led to Supermarine designing seaplanes instead of flying boats as racers.

Development

The Schneider Trophy race for seaplanes and flying boats had been won by Italy in 1920 (by a Savoia S.19 flying boat, the only aircraft to take part in the meeting) and again in 1921 by a Macchi M.7, in another uncontested race. A third consecutive Italian victory would result in the trophy being permanently retained by Italy. The british aircraft company Supermarine decided to enter the 1922 competition with a self-funded entry, in contrast to the Italian and French entries, which were sponsored by their respective governments.[1]

The hull and the Napier Lion engine of the Sea Lion II during its construction

Supermarine developed a racing flying boat as a modification of their Sea King II fighter,[2] a single-seat biplane amphibian powered by a 300 hp (220 kW) Hispano Suiza engine in pusher configuration that had first flown in 1921.[2] The Sea King II was of similar layout to the Supermarine Sea Lion I that had competed in the 1919 Schneider Trophy race, with the Sea Lion I a modified version of the earlier Supermarine Baby, a flying boat fighter aircraft of the First World War.[3]

The Sea King II was modified at the company's works at Woolston, Southampton by Supermarine's chief designer and chief engineer, Reginald Mitchell,[4] who incorporated a 450 hp (340 kW) Napier Lion engine loaned by Napier.[2][5] The new engine resulted in an increase in power of 50 per cent;[6] Mitchell hoped the new aircraft would be able to reach a speed of 160 miles per hour (260 km/h), which if attained would make it the fastest Britain aircraft to date.[7] His modifications to the rudder and the fin caused the hull to have to be strengthened by adding an extra layer of varnished fabric stretched around the structure.[6] The Sea Lion II was registered as G-EBAH.[2]

1922 and 1923 Schneider Trophy races

The Sea Lion II was entered into the 1922 Schneider Trophy race,[2] which took place at Naples on 12 August 1922 after the Italians brought the initial date for the race forward by two weeks.[4][7] High winds restricted the time available for the plane to be flight tested in England.[7] The aircraft was dismantled before being put into crates and transported to Naples on board SS Philomel, free of charge.[6][7] The Sea Lion II competed against two Italian aircraft, a Macchi S.7 and a Savioa S.19, with two French entrants failing to start the race.[8][9] The course consisted of 13 laps, each of length 17.7 miles (28.5 km).[4] The race was uneventful;[6] Sea Lion II was flown by Henry Biard, who won the race at an average speed of 145.7 mph (234.5 km/h),[2] and took over one and a half minutes less time to complete the course than the second-placed aircraft, flown by Alessandro Passaleva.[9] The victory was the first post-World War I success by a British aircraft in an international competition, and generated publicity for Supermarine.[6]

Henri Biard aboard the Supermarine Sea Lion III

For the 1923 Schneider Race,which was held at Cowes on the Isle of Wight, the Sea Lion II was re-engined with a 550 hp (410 kW) Napier Lion and renamed as the Sea Lion III.[2] Mitchell modified the hull so as to reduce drag forces,[10] and he gave the aircraft two bay wings and a larger rudder area.[2] He expected the Sea Lion III to attain speeds in excess of 160 miles per hour (260 km/h);[10] the aircraft managed third place behind the American Curtiss CR-3 seaplanes, reaching a speed of 151.16 mph (243.27 km/h).[2] Supermarine's managing director Hubert Scott-Paine said after the trophy was won by the Americans:[11]

Our drawing office people got all the speed they possibly could out of the machine. We did the best we could and have no regrets. Sea Lion III was 11 mph faster than Sea Lion II, and the credit for this fine performance was due to several people, one of whom is Mr. R.J. Mitchell, who designed both machines.

The British defeat caused Supermarine to abandon using outclassed flying boats as racers, in favour of seaplanes.[11] The Sea Lion III was transferred to the Royal Air Force in 1923.[2]

Operators

 United Kingdom

Specifications (Sea Lion II)

Data from Supermarine Aircraft since 1914[12]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 24 ft 9 in (7.54 m)
  • Wingspan: 32 ft 0 in (9.75 m)
  • Wing area: 384 sq ft (35.7 m2)
  • Empty weight: 2,115 lb (959 kg)
  • Gross weight: 2,850 lb (1,293 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Napier Lion II W-12 water-cooled piston engine, 450 hp (340 kW)
  • Propellers: 4-bladed fixed-pitch wooden pusher propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 160 mph (260 km/h, 140 kn)
  • Endurance: 3 hours

See also

Related lists

References

  1. ^ Andrews & Morgan 1987, pp. 5, 60.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Jackson 1988, p. 314.
  3. ^ Andrews & Morgan 1987, pp. 52, 57–59.
  4. ^ a b c Baker 1994, p. 144.
  5. ^ Andrews & Morgan 1987, p. 60.
  6. ^ a b c d e Pegram 2016, p. 36.
  7. ^ a b c d Mitchell 2006, p. 45.
  8. ^ Lewis 1970, p. 125.
  9. ^ a b Flight 17 August 1922, p. 465.
  10. ^ a b Mitchell 2006, p. 51.
  11. ^ a b Mitchell 2006, p. 53.
  12. ^ Andrews & Morgan 1987, p. 68.

Sources

  • Andrews, C. F.; Morgan, E. B. (1987). Supermarine Aircraft since 1914. London: Putnam. ISBN 978-0-85177-800-6.
  • Baker, David (1994). Flight and Flying: a chronology. New York: Facts on File. ISBN 978-08160-1-854-3.
  • "The British Victory at Naples: Supermarine Wins the Schneider Cup Race". Flight. Vol. 14, no. 712. 17 August 1922. pp. 465–644.
  • Jackson, A. J. (1988). British Civil Aircraft 1919–1972: Volume III. London: Putnam. ISBN 978-0-85177-818-1.
  • Lewis, Peter (1970). British Racing and Record-Breaking Aircraft. London: Putnam. ISBN 978-0-370-00067-1.
  • Mitchell, Gordon (2006). R.J. Mitchell: Schooldays to Spitfire. Stroud: Tempus. ISBN 978-07524-3-727-9.
  • Pegram, Ralph (2016). Beyond the Spitfire: The Unseen Designs of R.J. Mitchell. Pegram: The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-6515-6.

Further reading

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