Supermarine Sea Lion I

Manufacturer: Supermarine Aviation Works
First flight: 1919
Retired: 1919
Number built: 1

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.

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. The aircraft was withdrawn after one lap and the race was abandoned due to fog. On 10 September 1919, the aircraft struck flotsam when it took off from Swanage Bay and the fuselage was holed, when it alighted near Bournemouth Pier the aircraft sank.

Specifications (Sea Lion I)

Data from A.J.Jackson, British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 3, Putnam & Company, London, 1974, ISBN 370 10014 X

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 24 ft 0 in ( m)
Wingspan: 35 ft 0 in ( m)
Gross weight: 2,900 lb ( kg)
Powerplant: 1 x— Napier Lion, 450 hp ( kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 147 mph ( km/h)

Schneider Trophy

A.J.Jackson, British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 3, Putnam & Company, London, 1974, ISBN 370 10014 X
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 2992
British Aircraft Directory

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Source: WikiPedia