Supermarine Heavy Bomber

[Felix/FFDS]

One of the neat things about persuing old magazines is that you get nuggets of interesting information.  I'd believed that the Spitfire was R. Mitchell's last design development, and it probably was the last - to be flown.  However, it appears Supermarine had started on the design of a heavy bomber (to the same specification that turned out the Short Stirling) that didn't go much beyond the mock up stage.  It had been ordered as a backup in case the Stirlling ran into problems, but since Supermarine was deeply engrossed in a pesky single seat, single engine design, it didn't have the resources/time to work too hard on this.


If developed, most of the bomb load would have been carried in wing cells, the inner cell of which each could carry two 2,000lb bombs, and the fuselage bomb bay could hold three 2K lbs.

For its size, it would have been lightly armed - gun turrets fore/aft, and provision for beam guns.

Had it gone into war production and development, I think it would have ended up with dorsal turret(s), and Merlin engined variants were envisioned.

[Hagar]

If this artist's impression is anything to go by it didn't have the same pzazz as the Spitfire.



I've seen the bomber referred to as the Supermarine Type 316 & 317. Not sure which is correct. I believe the prototype was destroyed before it was completed during a bomb raid on the factory.

PS. I often wonder where the inspiration for the Spit came from as Mitchell had never done anything like it before. You could hardly believe the same man was responsible for a thing of beauty like the Spit & the ugly Walrus, designed only a few months apart.

[Woodlouse2002]

It looks like the illigitimate love child of all three british heavy bombers and an FW Condor.

[Felix/FFDS]

The production variant would have had a twin  fin/rudder arrangement.

As for the Spitfire, it was a development of the superb Supermarine float racers, quite beautiful machines in their own right!

[Woodlouse2002]

As for the Spitfire, it was a development of the superb Supermarine float racers, quite beautiful machines in their own right!

I wouldn't say a develppment. Certainly it was developed with the experience of the Shneider trophy racers but the Spitfire was truely an aircraft like no other previously.

[Felix/FFDS]

I wouldn't say a develppment. Certainly it was developed with the experience of the Shneider trophy racers but the Spitfire was truely an aircraft like no other previously.

True - the Spitfire was NOT a strict extension of the Schneider racer aircraft, although one can see the family resemblance in certain (outward) design elements.  I really meant to convey that Mitchell was quite capable of fitting form to function - thus, the ungainly Walrus and beautiful Schneider Cup/Spitfire airplanes could come from the same designer.

[C]

If this artist's impression is anything to go by it didn't have the same pzazz as the Spitfire.

Yes. I've seen another impression which is slightly less scary... I think after Mitchell's death VS was probably so concern with Spitfire output that any thoughts of a bomber to compete with the other four engine designs would have been a wasted effort.

However, if you look at the Vickers Windsor, a product of the late war years, there are similarites...

http://www.jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/VICKERS%20WINDSOR.htm

I hadn't noticed before tonight,

Charlie