Supermarine Stranraer

Supermarine Stranraer

The Supermarine Stranraer was a maritime reconnaissance flying boat operated by the Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force during World War Two. The 17 RAF aircraft were withdrawn from front-line service in March 1941, but were utilised for training until October 1942.

Canadian Vickers in Montreal manufactured an additional 40 Stranraers for the RCAF, which operated them until 1946. After the end of the Second World War, some were sold to civilian operators, where they were used until 1957.

General characteristics

• Crew: 6-7
• Length: 54 ft 9 in (16.69 m)
• Wingspan: 85 ft 0 in (25.91 m)
• Height: 21 ft 9 in (6.63 m)
• Wing area: 1,457 sq ft (135.4 m²)
• Empty weight: 11,250 lb (5,103 kg)
• Gross weight: 19,000 lb (8,618 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Bristol Pegasus X nine-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 920 hp (690 kW) each
• Propellers: 3-bladed variable-pitch metal propellers

Performance

• Maximum speed: 165 mph (266 km/h, 143 kn) at 6,000 ft (1,800 m)
• Alighting speed: 58.5 mph (50.8 kn; 94.1 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 105 mph (169 km/h, 91 kn)
• Range: 1,000 mi (1,600 km, 870 nmi) at 105 mph (91 kn; 169 km/h) and 5,000 ft (1,500 m)
• Service ceiling: 18,500 ft (5,600 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,350 ft/min (6.9 m/s)
• Time to altitude: 10,000 ft (3,000 m) in 10 minutes
• Wing loading: 13 lb/sq ft (63 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.097 hp/lb (0.159 kW/kg)

Armament

• Guns: Three × 0.303 in (7.70 mm) Lewis guns
• Bombs: 1,000 lb (454 kg) of bombs or depth charges on external racks under the main planes. Eight × 20 lb (9 kg) bombs housed in internal bays in the lower main planes