The Supermarine Type 391 was the last piston-engined fighter to be proposed by Supermarine.[1]
History
In 1943, as the design of the Spiteful was proceeding, Supermarine presented a brochure to the Air Ministry describing a "High-Performance Aeroplane for the Royal Navy", designated internally as the Supermarine Type 391.[note 1] Of greater length and span than the Spiteful, the Type 391 was intended to be used as a carrier-borne fighter, with a secondary role as a strike aircraft.[2]
The wing of the Type 391 was similar in outline to that of the Spiteful but was larger and, unlike all previous Supermarine fighters, was mid-mounted. The whole section outboard of the undercarriage hinged up, while a wide centre-section incorporated thick roots with tapered leading-edge air intakes. These fed the engine cooling radiators. Because of the higher-mounted wing, the main undercarriage legs were also longer, with the wheels pivoting when raised to fit into wells in the fuselage.[1] The forward fuselage was lengthened to accommodate the new engine, while the rear had redesigned and enlarged tail surfaces.[1]
The Type 391 was eventually rejected in favour of the jet-powered Type 392, which became the Supermarine Attacker,[2]
Specifications
Data from [3]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 39 ft 9 in (12.12 m)
- Wingspan: 43 ft 6 in (13.26 m)
- Wing area: 335 sq ft (31.1 m2)
- Gross weight: 17,250 lb (7,824 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Eagle H-24 liquid-cooled piston engine, 3,550 hp (2,650 kW)
- Propellers: 8-bladed contra-rotating constant-speed propeller
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
References
Notes
- ^ Pegram gives the date of the only known drawing as the next year, in July 1944
Citations
Bibliography
- Andrews, Charles Ferdinand and Eric B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft Since 1914. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1981. ISBN 978-0851778006.
- Buttler, Tony. British Secret Projects: Fighters and Bombers 1935–1950. Hersham, Surrey, UK: Midland Publishing, 2004. ISBN 1-85780-179-2.
- Pegram, Ralph. Supermarine Secret Projects, Vol 2: Fighters and Bombers. Horncastle, Lincolnshire, UK: Mortons Media Group Limited, 2022. ISBN 9781911703044.