Supermarine Walrus

Supermarine Walrus
Description
Role	Reconnaissance amphibian
Crew	3-4
First Flight	June 21, 1933
Entered Service	1935
Manufacturer	Supermarine
Dimensions
Length	33ft 7in	10.2 m
Wingspan	45ft 10in	14.0 m
Height	15ft 3in	4.6 m
Wing area	610 ft²	56.7 m²
Weights
Empty	4,900 lbs	2,220 kg
Loaded	7,200 lbs	3,265 kg
Maximum takeoff	lbs	kg
Powerplant
Engine	Bristol Pegasus VI
Power	680 hp	510 kW
Performance
Maximum speed	135 mph @ 4,750ft	215 km/h @ 1,450m
Combat range	600 miles	965 km
Ferry range	miles	km
Service ceiling	18,500 ft	5,650 m
Rate of climb	1,050 ft/min	320 m/min
Wing loading	11.8 lb/ft²	57.6 kg/m²
Power/Mass	0.094 hp/lb	0.16 kW/kg
Armament
Guns	2 × Vickers 'K' (1 in bows, 1 aft)
Bombs/depth charges	760 lbs	345 kg

The Supermarine Walrus was a reconnaissance amphibian operated by the Fleet Air Arm. It also served with the Royal Air Force and the RAAF and RNZAF. Developed from the earlier Supermarine Seagull amphibian exported to Japan, Spain, etc. it was delivered for service from cruisers from 1935.

It was designed to be launched from ship-borne catapults, and was the first amphibious aircraft in the world to be launched by catapult with a full military load. The wings could be folded on ship, giving a storage width of 17ft 11in (5.5 m).

740 Walrus were built and they saw service in home waters, the Mediterranean and the Far East. Walrus are credited with sinking or damaging at least 5 enemy submarines. Some of them were still in service in 1947.

External link

• Fleet Air Arm Archive (http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Aircraft/Walrus.htm)