The Story of the Schneider Trophy and the Supermarine S.5

At this time in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, I’ll be flying the Supermarine S.5, the British racing airplane from the Twenties that pointed the best way to one of the crucial iconic airplanes of World Battle II—the Spitfire.

That is additionally the story of the Schneider Trophy, one of the crucial prestigious prizes in early aviation that sparked fierce worldwide competitors to develop the quickest airplanes on this planet. The trophy was the brainchild of Jacques Schneider, a French hydroplane boat racer and balloon pilot who was sidelined by a crash harm. Initially an annual contest, beginning in 1912, it promised 1,000 British kilos (greater than $100,000 at present) to the seaplane that would full a 280-kilometer (107-mile) course within the quickest time. Interrupted by World Battle I, the competition resumed in 1919 with a brand new provision: Any nation that received 3 times in a row would preserve the trophy completely. The prize shortly turned the main focus of intense worldwide rivalry.

Till 1922, the competition was dominated by flying boats—with their fuselages serving because the floating hull—and by the hard-charging Italians—led by the businesses Savoia and Macchi, which got here near strolling away with three wins and the trophy, scoring common speeds simply over 100 mph. However beginning in 1923, the People launched floatplanes (streamlined biplanes on pontoons) and took speeds to a completely new degree. Jimmy Doolittle—the well-known racer who later led the primary World Battle II bombing raid on Tokyo—received the 1925 race at 232.57 mph, placing the U.S. one step from closing victory.

The only real British victory had are available 1922 in a flying boat constructed by Supermarine Aviation Ltd. Based in 1913, the Southampton, England-based firm had a disappointing report designing plane throughout WWI however since then had loved some restricted success ferrying passengers throughout the English Channel. The corporate’s chief designer was a younger man nonetheless in his 20s named Reginald Joseph “R.J.” Mitchell. Determined to not be shut out by the Italians and People, the British Air Ministry backed Mitchell’s efforts to experiment with some radical new designs.

The Supermarine S.4 (the “S” being for Schneider) was a streamlined floatplane, just like the American entries, however a monoplane as a substitute of a biplane, constructed principally of wooden and powered by a 680 hp Napier Lion engine. In 1925 it set a world velocity report of 226.752 mph, nevertheless it proved extremely unstable and crashed throughout trials for the Schneider Trophy race that yr. Two years later, Supermarine and Mitchell have been again with a revised design: the Supermarine S.5. Three have been constructed and entered within the Schneider competitors, numbered 219, 220, and 221. I’ll be flying No. 220 at present.

I’ll discuss a few of the variations between the S.4 and S.5, however first let’s set the scene. The Schneider Trophy race was hosted by whichever nation received the final time. The Italians have been victorious in 1926, so the 1927 race was held in Venice. This time, not solely was the British authorities offering monetary help, it additionally sponsored a staff of Royal Air Drive (RAF) pilots to fly the airplanes.

One of many extra curious circumstances of the Schneider contest was that the plane first needed to show they have been seaworthy by floating for six hours at anchor and touring 550 yards over water. I discovered taxiing, takeoff, and touchdown fairly bouncy. With its highly effective engine and excessive middle of gravity, the S.5 had an inclination to porpoise up and down over the smallest waves.

For all of the entries, simply maintaining the delicate airframes collectively and the high-powered engines functioning was half the battle. Usually, the finicky plane broke down or crashed (just like the S.4 did in 1925) earlier than they might even start the race.

The crowds nonetheless got here. It’s been barely a number of months since American Charles Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic, making a wave of standard enthusiasm for aviation. Greater than 250,000 spectators have gathered to see the 1927 Schneider race. The course itself is situated outdoors the lagoon, alongside the Lido. The airplanes should fly seven 47-kilometer laps across the course for a complete distance of 320 kilometers (simply over 204 miles).

And right here we go at full velocity throughout the beginning line throughout from the Lodge Excelsior.

We fly south alongside the shoreline of the Lido, previous the lighthouse at Alberoni, and towards Chioggia.

A steep 180-degree flip at Chioggia, a miniature Venice that constructed its medieval wealth on its adjoining salt pans…

…then north on the seaward straightaway.

One other onerous left flip across the San Nicolo lighthouse…

…then again throughout the beginning line to start the following lap.

In contrast to the S.4, the S.5’s wings are strongly braced by wires. These could add undesirable drag, however they preserve the airplane from breaking apart below the stress of these high-speed turns.

The S.5 I’m flying, No. 220, is powered by an improved 900 hp Napier Lion piston engine, delivering 220 horsepower greater than its predecessor. It has 12 cylinders, organized in three strains of 4 cylinders every within the form of a W, creating the three distinct humps alongside the nostril. The propeller has a hard and fast pitch.

Gas was carried inside the 2 floats, whereas the oil tank was situated contained in the tail. The engine was cooled by water, which circulated its warmth to copper plates on the wings that served as radiators. Corrugated metallic plates alongside the fuselage served as radiators for the engine oil.

The cockpit is especially designed to observe if the engine is overheating—and little else. The objective is to maintain rpm shut to three,300, radiator temperature under 95 levels, and oil temperature under 140 levels. I’ve discovered that whereas the engine will not be air cooled, the circulate of air over the radiator surfaces issues rather a lot. So sustaining a comparatively excessive velocity at an environment friendly engine setting truly helps preserve issues cool. There’s an airspeed indicator, nevertheless it tops out at 400 kilometers per hour, properly under our racing velocity. There’s no altimeter, and solely a rudimentary inclinometer (bubble degree) to point financial institution. It’s additionally practically not possible to see straight forward over the engine cowling.

Within the cockpit to my proper, I’ve a paper punch card. Each time I cross the end line, I poke a brand new gap in it to maintain monitor of what number of laps I’ve accomplished.

One other little twist within the guidelines: Twice through the race, the plane needed to “are available contact” with the water—usually a type of bounce with out slowing, which might be very tough at excessive velocity.

It so occurs that  each single airplane besides two—each Supermarine S.5s—failed to complete the race in 1927 for one motive or one other. Our No. 220, flown by Flight Lieutenant Sidney Webster, completed first with a median velocity of 281.66 mph.

The British had received the trophy, however they must repeat their efficiency two extra occasions to maintain it for good. To permit extra time for plane growth, contributors agreed to carry future competitions each two years, with the following race coming in 1929.

The competition would happen in Supermarine’s residence waters off Southampton. The corporate entered one S.5 and two S.6s. The latter, which had roughly the identical design, have been now all-metal planes with a brand new engine with greater than twice the horsepower—the 1,900 hp Rolls-Royce R. To maintain this monster engine cool, the S.6 wanted floor radiators constructed into its pontoons in addition to wings. Not solely did one of many S.6s win the 1929 trophy with a median velocity of 328.64 mph, however simply earlier than the race it set a brand new world velocity report of 357.7 mph.

The British have been now one win away from maintaining the trophy for good. However with the onset of the Nice Despair, the Labour Celebration-led British authorities pulled its funding and forbade RAF pilots to fly within the subsequent race in 1931. The choice was wildly unpopular and led to public outcry. Into the fray stepped Woman Lucy Houston, a former suffragette and the second-richest lady in England. Fiercely vital of the Labour Celebration, she personally pledged to donate no matter funding was wanted for Britain to compete within the race.

Backed by 100,000 kilos from Houston (and renewed participation by an embarrassed British authorities), Supermarine entered six plane within the race—two S.5s (together with No. 220, which received at Venice), two S.6s, and two brand-new S.6Bs. The S.6B had redesigned floats, however most significantly, an improved Rolls-Royce R engine that delivered an astounding 2,350 horsepower. Because it turned out, no different international locations entered the competitors that yr. The S.6B raced alone, reaching a median velocity of 340.08 mph. The subsequent day, the S.6B set a brand new world velocity report of 407.5 mph.

There can be no extra Schneider Trophy races. With three straight, the trophy was Britain’s to maintain, and it stays on show on the Science Museum in London, although few guests could recognize what it means. Moreover a lift to nationwide satisfaction, the Schneider races propelled aviation ahead by leaps and bounds. At this time, it is perhaps shocking to understand that the world velocity report was constantly set by seaplanes from 1927 to 1935, when the Hughes H-1 Racer lastly surpassed them.

The Supermarine S-planes supplied Mitchell expertise and confidence with incorporating all-metal development, streamlined monoplane design, revolutionary wing shapes, and high-performance, liquid-cooled engines. And the S.6s launched him to working with Rolls-Royce, which constructed on the teachings realized from its “R” engine to develop a brand new mass-production engine, beginning at 1,000 horsepower, referred to as the Merlin. Within the early Thirties, Mitchell would marry these confirmed high-speed design concepts to the Merlin engine to create the Supermarine Spitfire, the legendary plane credited with successful the Battle of Britain throughout WWII. As for Woman Houston, who supported Supermarine’s entry within the closing race, she was later lauded because the “Mom of the Spitfire” for maintaining Mitchell’s growth efforts alive.

In 1942, the British produced a wartime film referred to as The First of the Few. It tells the story of Mitchell’s growth of the Spitfire, together with the important thing function of the Schneider Trophy races. However the raceplanes themselves have been principally deserted and finally scrapped. Solely the Supermarine S.6B that received the 1931 race nonetheless survives—now on show on the Solent Sky Museum in Southampton. 

In 1975, Ray Hilborne constructed a reproduction of the Supermarine S.5, which was broken a number of years later. Bob Hosie rebuilt it to fly once more, inspiring a people music by Archie Fisher. Sadly, Hosie was killed in 1987 when it crashed. At this time his son William Hosie is a part of a venture to construct a brand new reproduction of the Supermarine S.5, with hopes to have it flying by 2027. You’ll be able to study extra about it here.

In the meantime, the Schneider Trophy race was revived in 1981. As an alternative of seaplanes, it options small basic aviation airplanes as a part of the annual British Air Racing Championship.

I hope you loved the story of the Supermarine S.5 and its superb legacy. When you’d prefer to see a model of this text with extra historic pictures and screenshots, you may take a look at my unique submit here.

This story was advised using the freeware Supermarine S.5 add-on to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 created by sail1800 and downloaded from flightsim.to.

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