Supermarine Sea Lion I

The Supermarine Sea Lion I was a British racing flying boat designed and built by the Supermarine Aviation Works for the 1919 Schneider Trophy at Bournemouth, England. The later racing flying boat for the 1922 Schneider Trophy the Sea Lion II was a different design.

For the 1922 Schneider Trophy winner, see Supermarine Sea Lion II.

Sea Lion I
The Sea Lion I
Role Racing flying-boat
Manufacturer Supermarine Aviation Works
First flight 1919
Retired 1919
Number built 1

Development

In need for a contender for the 1919 Schneider Trophy race Supermarine developed a racing flying boat as a modification of their Baby. The Baby was a single-seat biplane fighter flying boat powered by a 450 hp (336 kW) Napier Lion engine in pusher configuration that had first flown in 1917.

Re-built as racing flying boat G-EALP was entered into the 1919 race flown by Basil Hobbs. On 10 September 1919, the aircraft struck flotsam when Hobbs took off from Swanage Bay, having landed in thick fog in order to get his bearings, and the fuselage was holed. When he alighted near Bournemouth Pier for his compulsory first lap landing the aircraft sank. The race ended in chaos due to the fog and the results were annulled.

Specifications (Sea Lion I)

Data from Supermarine Aircraft Since 1914.[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 26 ft 4 in (8.03 m)
  • Upper wingspan: 35 ft (11 m)
  • Lower wingspan: 28 ft 3 in (8.61 m)
  • Wing area: 380 sq ft (35 m2)
  • Empty weight: 2,000 lb (907 kg)
  • Gross weight: 2,900 lb (1,315 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Napier Lion IA W-12 water-cooled piston engine, 450 hp (340 kW)
  • Propellers: 4-bladed wooden fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 147 mph (237 km/h, 128 kn)
  • Endurance: 2 hours 30 minutes

See also

Related lists

References
  1. Andrews, C.F.; Morgan, Eric B. (2003). Supermarine Aircraft Since 1914 (2nd Revised ed.). London: Putnam Aeronautical. pp. 56–68.

Further reading
  • Jackson, A. J. (1974). British civil aircraft 1919-1972 Volume III (2nd ed.). London: Putnam. pp. 56–68. ISBN 978-0-370-10014-2.
  • The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Aircraft. London: Orbis Publications. 1985. p. 2992.
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