Supermarine Baby
Supermarine · United Kingdom · first flew 1918 · fighter
The Supermarine Baby was a British single-seat flying boat fighter designed during World War I to combat enemy floatplanes and airships over coastal waters. It was among the earliest aircraft produced by the Supermarine company.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.03 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat flying boat fighter of World War I
- Pusher engine mounted above the hull between biplane wings
- Compact hull with twin floats replacing conventional float undercarriage
Distinguished by its biplane layout with a pusher engine atop the hull, compact single-step hull, and absence of conventional floats — a true flying boat fighter rather than a floatplane.
Specifications
- The Supermarine Baby has a length of 8.03 m (26 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.3 m (31 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 187 km/h (116 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed by Pemberton-Billing (the company that became Supermarine) and first flown in 1918, the Baby appeared too late to see combat in World War I. It demonstrated the flying boat fighter concept that Supermarine would later develop with the Sea Lion racers.
Variants
A small number of prototypes and early production examples were built; no major variant series were produced.
Where you'll see it
Did not see operational combat service before the Armistice; a very small number were evaluated by the Royal Naval Air Service.
Related aircraft
- Supermarine Sea Eagle
- Supermarine Southampton
- Supermarine S.5
- Supermarine S.6B
- AEG J.II
- Albatros D.X
- Albatros D.XI
- Albatros D.XII
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