Supermarine Walrus
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| Supermarine Walrus | ||
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| Description | ||
| Role | Reconnaissance amphibian | |
| Crew | 3-4 | |
| First Flight | June 21, 1933 | |
| Entered Service | 1935 | |
| Manufacturer | Supermarine | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 33 ft 7 in | 10.2 m |
| Wingspan | 45 ft 10 in | 14.0 m |
| Height | 15 ft 3 in | 4.6 m |
| Wing area | 610 ft² | 56.7 m² |
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 4,900 lb | 2,220 kg |
| Loaded | 7,200 lb | 3,265 kg |
| Maximum takeoff | lb | kg |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engine | Bristol Pegasus VI | |
| Power | 680 hp | 510 kW |
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | 135 mph @ 4,750 ft | 215 km/h @ 1,450 m |
| Combat range | 600 miles | 965 km |
| Ferry range | miles | km |
| Service ceiling | 18,500 ft | 5,650 m |
| Rate of climb | 1,050 ft/min | 320 m/min |
| Wing loading | 11.8 lb/ft² | 57.6 kg/m² |
| Power/Mass | 0.094 hp/lb | 0.16 kW/kg |
| Armament | ||
| Guns | 2 × Vickers 'K' (1 in bows, 1 aft) | |
| Bombs/depth charges | 760 lb | 345 kg |
The Supermarine Walrus was a reconnaissance amphibian designed by R. J. Mitchell and operated by the Fleet Air Arm. It also served with the Royal Air Force and the RAAF and RNZAF. Developed from the earlier Supermarine Seagull amphibian exported to Japan, Spain, etc. it was delivered for service from cruisers from 1935.
It was designed to be launched from ship-borne catapults, and was the first amphibious aircraft in the world to be launched by catapult with a full military load. The wings could be folded on ship, giving a storage width of 17 ft 11 in (5.5 m).
740 Walrus were built and they saw service in home waters, the Mediterranean and the Far East. Walrus are credited with sinking or damaging at least 5 enemy submarines. Some of them were still in service in 1947.
As the Walrus was stressed to a level suitable for catapult-launching, rather surprisingly for such an ungainly-looking machine, it could be looped and bunted, whereupon any water in the bilges would make it's present felt. This usually discouraged the pilot from any future aerobatics on this type.
The Walrus was affectionately known as the 'Shagbat' or sometimes 'Steam-pigeon', the latter name coming from the steam produced by water falling on the hot Pegasus engine.
External link
- Fleet Air Arm Archive (http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Aircraft/Walrus.htm)
| Related content | |
|---|---|
| Related Development | Supermarine Seagull |
| Similar Aircraft | |
| Designation Series | |
| Related Lists | List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm |
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