From Nighthawk to Spitfire by John K. Shelton

Author:John K. Shelton
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780750965507
Publisher: The History Press
Published: 2015-06-12T16:00:00+00:00

THE FLYING RADIATORS

After Britain’s Schneider Trophy success in Venice, the world speed record was raised by the rival Italian Macchi M52, now that its engine problems had been overcome.

Flight Lieutenant Kinkead, who had now taken command of the High Speed Flight, attempted a challenge in the third S5, which had been held in reserve in Italy, but he was killed when he appeared to fly into the sea at full speed, perhaps because of some structural failure – contrary to the official inquest finding that the pilot stalled when attempting to land, because of poor visibility.

Flight Lieutenant D’Arcy Greig took over the flight, and the trophy-winning Supermarine S5 was now prepared for a further attempt. However, the speed achieved did not give a margin sufficient to justify a claim to the FAI and it was clear that a substantial improvement upon the British aircraft would be necessary in time for the defence of the trophy, especially as it would take place in front of a home crowd.

In 1927, Britain and Mitchell had been more fortunate than the Italians as their winning engine had not been a new, and therefore possibly unreliable, design. However, the Napier Lion had been in continuous development since its use in the Supermarine 1922 Schneider Trophy winner and, although it had never failed in the aircraft it powered, the question had nevertheless to be asked whether this remarkable engine was now reaching the end of its development potential.

By now, Rolls-Royce had produced the successful 490hp Kestrel, in response to the American Curtiss D-1 engine which had powered the Schneider Trophy-winning aircraft of 1923 and 1925. The Kestrel now offered reduction gearing and supercharging and Mitchell asked Major G.P. Bulman, the Air Ministry official responsible for the development of aero engines, for his opinions. Bulman thought that Rolls-Royce should be approached, and Mitchell was reported to have given it some thought and then said, ‘Right, that’s decided it.’

Commander James Bird, the managing director of Supermarine, and Bulman accordingly called on Henry Royce, then living in semi-retirement at his West Wittering home on the Sussex coast and, as it was already October 1928, it was decided that the partially developed 36.7-litre Buzzard engine would have to be the basis for the required new engine. It would have to have a modified crankcase and supercharger to conform to the sort of shape that Mitchell was likely to develop out of the S5 design and so it was separately designated the ‘R’ engine, with a hoped for output of 1,800hp.

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