Supermarine Scapa

Infobox Aircraft
name=Scapa


caption=
type=Reconnaissance flying boat
manufacturer=R.J. Mitchell
designer=
first flight=1932
introduced=1935
retired=
status=
primary user=Royal Air Force
more users=
produced=
number built=
variants with their own articles=

The Supermarine Scapa was a British general reconnaissance flying boat built by Supermarine that was used by the Royal Air Force between 1935 and 1939. It was developed from the Southampton and formed the basis of the later Stranraer flying boat.

Development

After experimenting with a three-engine design of flying boat, (the Nanuk/Solent/Southampton X), Supermarine's chief designer, R.J. Mitchell, decided that the good hydrodynamic design that had been developed in the twin-engined Southampton, would be the platform for the next aircraft.

A prototype designated the Southampton IV was built. It had a hull that performed even better in the tank tests. An Air Ministry Specification was received in November 1931. The test pilot "Mutt" Summers took the first flight on 8 July 1932. The name had then been changed to the Scapa.

15 Scapas were built before production was changed to a more powerful development, the Stranraer.

Design

The Scapa was an all-metal structure for the hull. The wing and tail surfaces had metal structure with fabric covering. The engines were mounted in nacelles underslung from the upper wing, There were two fins, each placed at the mid semi-span of the tailplane. Similar to the Southampton, there were three gun positions provided. One in the nose and two staggered in the rear fuselage.

Operators

; UK
* Royal Air Force
** No. 202 Squadron RAF
** No. 204 Squadron RAF
** No. 228 Squadron RAF
** No. 240 Squadron RAF

Specifications (Scapa)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref=Supermarine Aircraft since 1914cite book |last= Andrews |first= CF |coauthors= Morgan, EB |title= Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 |edition= 2nd edition |year= 1987|publisher= Putnam|location= London|language= English|isbn= 0 85177 800 3]
crew= Five
capacity=
length main= 53 ft
length alt= 16.2 m
length more= (on beaching gear)
span main= 75ft
span alt= 22.85m
height main= 21 ft
height alt= 6.4 m
height more= (on beaching gear)
area main= 1,300 ft²
area alt= 121 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 10,030 lb
empty weight alt= 4,500 kg
loaded weight main= 16,080 lb
loaded weight alt= 7,290 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
engine (prop)=Rolls-Royce Kestrel IIIMS
type of prop= Water cooled V12
number of props= 2
power main= 525 hp
power alt= 392 kW
power original=
max speed main= 123 knots
max speed alt= 142 mph, 229 km/h
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 870 nm
range alt= 1000 mi, 1610 km
ceiling main= 15,500 ft
ceiling alt= 4,720 m
climb rate main= 625 ft/min
climb rate alt= 3.25 m/s
loading main= 12.3 lb/ft²
loading alt= 60.2kg/m²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= 0.065 hp/lb
power/mass alt= 0.107 kW/kg
more performance=
* Climb to 9,840 ft (3000 m): 20 minutes
armament=
* 3 × 0.303" (7.7 mm) Lewis guns, one in bow and two amidships
* 1000 lb (453 kg) bombload under the wings
avionics=

ee also

Aircontent
related =
* Supermarine Southampton
* Supermarine Stranraer
similar aircraft =
lists =
* List of aircraft of the RAF
* List of seaplanes and flying boats
see also =

References