Other modifications to the airframe design were mostly limited to minor improvements and some strengthening in order to cope with the increased weight of the aircraft. The floats were extended forward by some three feet (0.9 m) while longer than their predecessors, they were streamlined and had a smaller frontal area. Mitchell decided to use the aircraft's floats as an additional radiator area these were longer than those of the S.6, their design being supported by a series of wind tunnel tests performed at the National Physical Laboratory, which was also an area in which government support was helpful to the project. Mitchell retained the majority of the S.6's design, his efforts being principally focused on improving the prospective aircraft's heat dissipation speaking on a radio broadcast, he later referred to the S.6B as a "flying radiator". Instead, he refined the design of the existing Supermarine S.6, the new variant being referred to as the Supermarine S.6B. To improve the engine performance, the use of an exotic fuel mix was necessary, as well as the adoption of sodium-cooled valves. Engineers at Rolls-Royce had managed to increase the available power of the engine by 400 hp (298 kW), enabling it to now provide up to 2,300 hp (1,715 kW) however, this level of performance was only guaranteed for a short time. The obvious means of improving the S.6's performance was by obtaining more power from the R-Type engine. Mitchell, with limited time to prepare an entry, knew that there was not enough time left to design a new aircraft from scratch. Supermarine S.6B displayed at the London Science Museum The RAF High Speed Flight was reformed while Mitchell and Rolls-Royce set to work. ![]() The British government also changed its position and announced its support for an entry in January 1931 however, by this point, there were less than nine months left to design, produce and prepare any race entrant. As ever active in aviation affairs, Lord Rothermere's Daily Mail group of newspapers launched a public appeal for money to support a British race entrant in response, several thousand pounds were raised. The withdrawal of backing resulted in enormous public disappointment: having won two successive races, a British victory in a third race would secure the trophy outright. A committee established by the Royal Aero Club, responsible for organising the 1931 race, and which included representatives from both the aircraft and aero engine industries, was formed to discuss the feasibility of a privately funded entry, but concluded that not only would this be beyond their financial reach, but that the lack of the highly skilled RAF pilots of the High-Speed Flight would pose a severe problem. A further rationale given for the government's revised position was that that original purpose in pioneering high speed seaplanes had been satisfied by this point. George Stainforth, broke the world air speed record, attaining a peak speed of 407.5 mph (655.67 km/h).ĭespite the Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald's pledge that government support would be provided for the next British race entrant immediately after Britain's 1929 victory, official funding was withdrawn less than two months later following the Wall Street Crash the official reason given for the withdrawal that the previous two contests had collected sufficient data on high speed flight, so further expenditure of public money was unwarranted. Shortly after the race, S.6B S1596, flown by Flt Lt. Flown by members of RAF High Speed Flight, the type competed successfully, winning the Schneider Trophy for Britain. ![]() A pair of S.6Bs, serials S1595 and S1596, were built for the competition. The principal differences between the S.6 and the S.6B were the increased power of the Rolls-Royce R engine and redesigned floats: minor aerodynamic refinements typically aimed at drag reduction were also made. Once government backing had been secured, there were only nine months before the race, so Mitchell's only realistic option was to refine the existing S.6, rather than attempting a new design. Despite these predecessors having previously won the Schneider Trophy competition twice, the development of the S.6B was hampered by wavering government support, which was first promised then withdrawn, and then given once more after a high-profile public campaign encouraged by Lord Rothermere and backed by a substantial donation by Lady Houston. The S.6B was last in a line of racing seaplanes to be developed by Supermarine, following the S.4, S.5 and the S.6. The S.6B marked the culmination of Mitchell's quest to "perfect the design of the racing seaplane" and represented the cutting edge of aerodynamic technology for the era. Mitchell for the Supermarine company to take part in the Schneider Trophy competition of 1931. The Supermarine S.6B is a British racing seaplane developed by R.J.
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