Supermarine Scimitar

Type (Muster)
Single-seat carrierborne fighter-bomber (trägergestützter Jagdbomber)

Country (Land)
United Kingdom

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Supermarine Division of Vickers-Armstrong Ltd., South Marston

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 1

Armament (Bewaffnung)
four 30-mm-Aden-cannons, different weapons loads on four pylons (454-kg-bombs, Bullpup air-to-ground missiles, Sidewinder-air-to-air missiles

Power plant (Antrieb): 2 x Rolls-Royce-Avon-202 jet engines
Power (Leistung): 50,21 kN (11250 lbs)

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 16,87 m
Height (Höhe): 5,28 m
Span (Spannweite): 11,33 m
Wing area (Flügelfläche): 45,05 sq m

Weights (Massen)
Operating weight empty (Leermasse): 10869 kg
Max. take-off weight (max. Startmasse): 15513 kg

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Max. speed (max. Fluggeschwindigkeit): 1186 km per h
Range (Reichweite): 1422 km without air-to-air-refuelling
Service Ceiling (Dienstgipfelhöhe): 14020 m

Customers (Kunden)
Royal Navy (76 aircraft)

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The Scimitar has the destiction of being the last aircraft designed by Supermarine, continuing the innovative tradition of the company. The fighter bomber was the first swept-wing aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm. it evolved from the straight-winged Supermarine Type 508 (first flight 31.8.1951). Experience with the Swift led the designers to the decision to fit the third prototype with swept wings, resulting in the Type 525. This was to be the first prtotype of the latter Scimitar (first flight 27.4.1954). Mike Lithgow flew the first Scimitar at Boscombe Down on January 19, 1956. The Scimitar had a short albeit successful career with the Royal Navy, the last examples being handed over to the privately owned company Airwork Limited at Hurn for training purposes.

Last updated January 14, 1998

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