Supermarine S.5

infobox Aircraft
name = Supermarine S.5
type = Racing seaplane
manufacturer = Supermarine
caption = Flt Lt O E Worsley and the S5
designer = Reginald Mitchell
first flight = 1927
introduced = 1927
retired =
produced =
number built = 3
status =
unit cost =
primary user = Royal Air Force High Speed Flight
more users =
developed from =
variants with their own articles =

The Supermarine S.5 was a 1920s British single-engined single-seat racing seaplane built by Supermarine.

History

The Supermarine S.5 was designed by Reginald Mitchell for the 1927 Schneider Trophy. Following the earlier loss of the S.4 before the 1925 Schneider Trophy event Mitchell designed a new all-metal monoplane racer. Unlike the S.4, the S.5 had a low, braced wing, with wing surface radiators replacing the Lamblin type radiators of the S.4. Three aircraft were built, one with a direct drive 900 hp (671 kW) Napier Lion VIIA engine, and the other two with a geared 875 hp (652 kW) Napier Lion VIIB engine. The first aircraft flew for the first time on 7 June 1927. The S.5s came 1st and 2nd in the 1927 race held at Venice, the winning aircraft (Serial number "N220") was flown by Flight Lieutenant S.N Webster at an average speed of 281.66 mph (453.28 km/h).

Mitchell decided that the Napier engined aircraft had reached the limit and re-designed the aircraft with a new Rolls-Royce engine as the Supermarine S.6.

Operators

;UK
* Royal Air Force
** High Speed Flight

pecifications (N220)

aircraft specification

ref=Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 cite book |last= Andrews |first= C.N. |coauthors=Morgan, E.B. |title=Supermarine Aircraft since 1914|edition= Second edition |year=1987 |publisher=Putnam |location=London|pages=p. 174-203 |isbn=0 85177 800 3 ]
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
crew=1
length main=24 ft 3½ in
length alt= 7.32 m
span main=26 ft 9 in
span alt= 8.15 m
height main= 11 ft 1 in
height alt=3.38 m
area main= 115 ft²
area alt= 10.7 m²
empty weight main=2,680 lb
empty weight alt= 1,215 kg
loaded weight main= 3,242 lb
loaded weight alt= 1,470 kg
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight
engine (prop)=Napier Lion VIIA
type of prop=water cooled broad arrow
number of props=1
power main=900 hp
power alt=671 kW
max speed main=319.57 mph
max speed alt=514.3 km/h
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main=
ceiling alt=
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
armament=

In popular culture

In the song "Bill Hosie" by Archie Fisher, the protagonist rebuilds an "S.5 Supermarine" that survived the 1927 Schneider Trophy Race. The plane, race, and trophy are referred to throughout the song.

ee also

Aircontent
related =
* Supermarine S.4· S.6· S.6B
similar aircraft =
lists =
* RAF aircraft
see also =
* Schneider Trophy

References

*

External links

* [http://www.aeroplanemonthly.com/aeroarchive/Profile_news_70075.html Profile - The Schneider Trophy winning Supermarine S.5 - Aeroplane Monthly]
* [http://www.racingcampbells.com/content/campbell.archives/schneider.1927.asp 1927 Schneider Trophy]