Photograph:
Supermarine S-5 replica G-BDFF at Lands End, United Kingdom in 1980 (Author’s collection)
Country of origin:
United Kingdom
Description:
Single-seat racing floatplane
Power Plant:
One 671 kw (900 hp) Napier Sabre VII twelve-cylinder broad-arrow configuration liquid-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.15 m (26 ft 9 in)
- Length: 7.32 m (24 ft 3½ in)
- Height: 3.38 m (11 ft 1 in)
- Wing area: 10.7 m² (115 sq ft)
- Max speed: 514.3 km/h (319.57 mph)
- Landing speed: 144 km/h (90 mph)
- Endurance: 1.5 hours
- Empty weight: 1,215 kg (2,680 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1,470 kg (3,232 lb)
History:
The S-5 was one of a series of racing aircraft designed by R J Mitchell (designer of the Supermarine Spitfire) in the 1920s, this aircraft being designed and built for the 1927 Schneider Trophy Race to replace the S-4 which crashed during trials. It was tested extensively in model form at the Royal Aeronautical Establishment National Physical Laboratory. The Napier Lion engine was chosen, closely cowled for speed, space for fuel being limited, so some fuel was carried in the port float.
The RAF High Speed Flight was formed to operate the aircraft in the Trophy Races. First flight of an S-5 was made by Flt Lt Webster and three examples were built for development and flying in the races. The races took place at Venice over a 50 km (31 miles) course, seven laps being flown. The race was scheduled for 25 September 1927 but was postponed due to strong winds. Entrants were an Italian team, and the British team with two S-5s (N219 and N220) flown by Flt Lts Worsley and Webster, and a Gloster IVB flown by Flt Lt Kinkeed. In the event, an S-5 flown by Webster won at a speed of 453.28 km/h (281.66 mph) setting a new world speed record.
In 2009 on the lower blue mountains west of Sydney, NSW Mr Peter McHugh, with a group of others, commenced construction of a non-flying full-size replica of an S-5, mainly built of wood, in a shed at Kurrajong. The aircraft was reported to be completed and placed in a museum in 2011. The author is not aware if the replica in fact has been completed.
A replica of an S-5 (G-BDFF) was built in the United Kingdom by Leisure Sports and was first flown on 28 August 1975. Of all wood construction and using a Continental IO-360 engine it was destroyed in a crash.
The S-5 was of composite construction with a semi-monocoque fuselage using duralumin, including the engine cowlings. Of the three aircraft completed, one had a direct drive 671 kw (900 hp) Napier Lion VIIA engine whereas the other two had a 652 kw (875 hp) geared Lion VIIB engine. Engine cooling was by wing surface radiators. One S-5 (N221) crashed on 12 March 1928 when making an attempt on the world speed record.
For the 1929 Schneider Trophy races Reginald Mitchell designed the S-6 with a Rolls Royce engine. The RAF High Speed Flight at that time consisted of one S-5 (N219) and two S-6s. The S-5 flown by Flt Lt D’Arcy Creig finished third in 46 mins 15 secs at a speed of 454.20 km/h (282.11 mph) behind an S-6 flown by Fl Off Waghorn and a Macchi M-52.