Supermarine S.6
Supermarine · United Kingdom · first flew 1929 · light aircraft
The Supermarine S.6 was a purpose-built Schneider Trophy racing seaplane, developed by R.J. Mitchell's team with backing from the RAF's High Speed Flight and directly ancestral to the Spitfire.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.87 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Sleek low-wing racing seaplane on twin slender floats
- Wing-surface radiators covering much of the upper wing skin
- Streamlined Rolls-Royce R engine cowling with minimal frontal area
The slim twin floats, wing-surface radiators and tightly cowled racing engine set it apart from any contemporary fighter or flying boat.
Specifications
- The Supermarine S.6 has a length of 7.87 m (26 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.14 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 576 km/h (358 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1929 with a new Rolls-Royce R engine, it won that year's Schneider Trophy for Britain and set a world air speed record shortly afterward, cementing the partnership between Mitchell and Rolls-Royce that led to the Spitfire's Merlin.
Variants
The uprated S.6B derivative went on to win the Trophy outright for Britain in 1931 and set a new world speed record above 400mph.
Where you'll see it
It never served as a combat type; its role was purely as a state-funded prestige racer flown by RAF High Speed Flight pilots, with one survivor: N248, converted to S.6A standard, at Solent Sky in Southampton.
Related aircraft
- Supermarine S.5
- Supermarine S.6B
- Supermarine Southampton
- Supermarine Type 224
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- Adcox Student Prince
- Aero A.34 Kos
- Aeronca C-2
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