Max range of the Supermarine Stranraer

[Admiral Beez]

Per Wikipedia…

The Supermarine Stranraer had: "two petrol tanks, each of 250 imperial gallons (1,100 L; 300 US gal) capacity, were placed in the centre section of the top plane; Range: 1,000 mi (1,600 km, 870 nmi) at 105 mph (91 kn; 169 km/h) and 5,000 ft (1,500 m). Aircraft assigned to North Sea patrols were typically armed with bombs underneath one wing and a single overload fuel tank underneath the other one."

There are photos showing two additional fuel tanks beneath the wings. I can't find any reference to the size of these tanks nor the extended range they provided. Can anyone let me know?

 

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

Overload = Normal service load and maximum fuel
Performance Tables of British Service Aircraft, Air Publication 1746, dated August 1939 but data includes 1940/41 aircraft
In these tables the ranges of all aircraft except fighter types are calculated after deducting fuel used in 50 minutes at maximum economic power
a) 20 minutes at maximum economic cruising power, to allow for warming of engines, taxying, taking off and the climb to operational height
b) 30 minutes at maximum economic cruising power, to allow for time over target, navigational errors and other emergencies

Maker	Note fuel weights may be for different octane ratings	Supermarine
Name	Fighters 15 minutes fuel allowance, others 50 minutes.	Stranraer
Type	General Reconnaissance	GR
Engine	Number	2​
Engine	Make	Pegasus X
Engine	Cooling	Air
Power	Horse Power	915​
Power	At Height (feet)	6,250​
Size	Span (feet, inches)	85'
Size	Length (feet, inches)	54.6'
Size	Height (feet, inches)	25.9'
Size	Wing Area (square feet)	1,457​
Men	Crew	6​
Armament	Forward Fuselage	1 Lewis
Armament	Dorsal	1 Lewis
Armament	Tail	1 Lewis
Armament	Rounds Per Machine Gun	5 Magazines.
Bomb Load	Normal (pounds)	500​
Bomb Load	Maximum (pounds)	1,100​
Weight	Tare (pounds)	13,179​
Normal	Weight (pounds)	19,559​
Normal	Take Off (Over 50 ft) (Yards) (Or Unstick time)	440 yds/24 secs
Normal	Climb to Height (feet)	5,000​
Normal	Climb to Height Time (Mins)	4.6​
Normal	Service Ceiling (Feet)	20,000​
Normal	Maximum Speed (m.p.h)	161​
Normal	Max Speed Height (Feet)	5,000​
Normal	Cruising Speed (m.p.h)	137​
Normal	Cruise Speed Height	5,000​
Normal	Bomb Load (pounds)	500​
Normal	50 Minutes allowance Range (miles)	815​
Normal	50 Minutes allowance Endurance Hours	6​
Normal	Fuel (for range, pounds)	3,195​
Normal	Fuel (for allowance, pounds)	480​
Normal	Fuel (Total, pounds)	3,675​
Normal	Fuel (Total, Gallons)	490​
Normal	Miles per 100 pounds fuel	25.8​
Extended	Overload Weight (pounds) (Max bombs (or Fuel if same))	22,739​
Extended	Take Off (Over 50 ft) (Yards) (Or Unstick time)	500 yds/44 secs
Extended	Climb to Height (feet)	5,000​
Extended	Climb to Height Time (mins)	6​
Extended	Service Ceiling	17,500​
Extended	Maximum Bombs (Cruise) Speed (m.p.h)	132​
Extended	Maximum Bombs (Cruise) Height (feet)	5,000​
Extended	Maximum Bombs (Cruise) Bomb Load (pounds)	1,100​
Extended	Maximum Bombs (Cruise) Range (50 mins allow.) (miles)	1,325​
Extended	Maximum Bombs (Cruise) Endurance (50 mins allow.) Hrs	9.95​
Extended	Maximum Bombs (Cruise) Fuel (for range, pounds)	5,300​
Extended	Maximum Bombs (Cruise) Fuel (for allowance, pounds)	480​
Extended	Maximum Bombs (Cruise) Fuel (Total, pounds)	5,780​
Extended	Maximum Bombs (Cruise) Fuel (Total, Gallons)	770​
Extended	Maximum Bombs (Cruise) Miles per 100 pounds of fuel	24.8​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Cruise) Speed (m.p.h)	132​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Cruise) Height (feet)	5,000​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Cruise) Bomb Load (pounds)	500​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Cruise) Range (50 mins allow.) (miles)	1,465​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Cruise) Endurance (50 mins allow.) Hrs	11.1​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Cruise) Fuel (for range, pounds)	5,900​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Cruise) Fuel (for allowance, pounds)	480​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Cruise) Fuel (Total, pounds)	6,380​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Cruise) Fuel (Total, Gallons)	850​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Cruise) Miles per 100 pounds of fuel	24.8​
Extended	Maximum Fuel Capacity (Gallons)	850​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Economical) Speed (m.p.h)	103​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Economical) Height (feet)	5,000​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Economical) Bomb Load (pounds)	500​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Economical) Range (50 mins allow.) (miles)	1,615​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Economical) Endurance (50 mins allow.) Hrs	15.7​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Economical) Fuel (for range, pounds)	5,900​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Economical) Fuel (for allowance, pounds)	480​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Economical) Fuel (Total, pounds)	6,380​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Economical) Fuel (Total, Gallons)	850​
Extended	Maximum Fuel (Economical) Miles per 100 pounds of fuel	27.4​

 

[JDCAVE]

This aircraft was used for patrols out of RCAF Base, Bella Bella British Columbia.

https://www.101nisquadron.org/wwii-rcaf-bases/the-story-of-rcaf-bella-bella/

The "Base" is now called Shearwater, and is a port of call for many recreational boater (including myself) during the summer months. The original hanger is still in place and is now used for the marine services available in Shearwater.

Of interest are the islands and passages in the nearby "Hakai Pass" area that are named after WWII aircraft:

Jim

 

[macharvard]

This aircraft was used for patrols out of RCAF Base, Bella Bella British Columbia.

https://www.101nisquadron.org/wwii-rcaf-bases/the-story-of-rcaf-bella-bella/

The "Base" is now called Shearwater, and is a port of call for many recreational boater (including myself) during the summer months. The original hanger is still in place and is now used for the marine services available in Shearwater.

Of interest are the islands and passages in the nearby "Hakai Pass" area that are named after WWII aircraft:

View attachment 737682View attachment 737683

Jim

Okay. I admit I am old and easily confused, in this case by the following:
"This aircraft was used for patrols out of RCAF Base, Bella Bella British Columbia.........The "Base" is now called Shearwater..."
The last time i was at Shearwater, it was in Nova Scotia, several thousand kilometres east of Bella Bella. What am I missing?

 

[JDCAVE]

Okay. I admit I am old and easily confused, in this case by the following:
"This aircraft was used for patrols out of RCAF Base, Bella Bella British Columbia.........The "Base" is now called Shearwater..."
The last time i was at Shearwater, it was in Nova Scotia, several thousand kilometres east of Bella Bella. What am I missing?

There's a "Shearwater" in British Columbia too. Trust me I've been there! it's very small. A small general store, laundromat, gift stores, marina and marine services, fuel services, guided fishing trips.

Edit: The "business" which was basically the entire community was sold the the Heiltsuk First Nation several years ago.

Shearwater Resort | Indigenous Wilderness Resort

Shearwater Resort is an Indigenous wilderness resort in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest. Owned and operated by Heiltsuk Nation.

shearwater.ca

 

[SaparotRob]

Okay. I admit I am old and easily confused, in this case by the following:
"This aircraft was used for patrols out of RCAF Base, Bella Bella British Columbia.........The "Base" is now called Shearwater..."
The last time i was at Shearwater, it was in Nova Scotia, several thousand kilometres east of Bella Bella. What am I missing?

GPS?

 

[Frog]

There must have been some Frenchman on the drawing board.

 

[bf109xxl]

 

[Admiral Beez]

View attachment 737764

Thanks. That tailgunner position has to feel cold, exposed and lonely. Was the tailgunner accessible from the crew compartment?

 

[Admiral Beez]

I was thinking about where one could fly to on max fuel but otherwise light loaded, with six to eight people aboard if escaping from the coming Japanese.

Below are the points of origin options with 1,600 mile range:
Hong Kong
RAF Glugor Seaplane Base, Penang
Singapore
RAF Kuching, Sarawak

Draw a circle with a radius on a map

www.mapdevelopers.com

Hong Kong seems the worst option. Sarawak gets you to Australia, Penang to India and Ceylon. From Hong Kong you're flying north west over China and the mountains to try to get past the Japanese into India.

 

[bf109xxl]

Was the tailgunner accessible from the crew compartment?

I can just refer to the Mushroom "Yellow series" book "Supermarine Walrus & Stranraer" by James Knightly and Roger Wallsgrove:

You can find some more photos of the rear compartment there.

 

[Admiral Beez]

There's a "Shearwater" in British Columbia too. Trust me I've been there! it's very small. A small general store, laundromat, gift stores, marina and marine services, fuel services, guided fishing trips.

At Shearwater, BC there is a replica Stranraer.

Supermarine Stranraer | The Canadian Museum of Flight

Did you know that our technical volunteers built a replica of a Supermarine Stranraer flying boat that now 'flies' with the wind in Shearwater, BC?

www.canadianflight.org

Shearwater, British Columbia - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Some great photos of the Canadian ops here.

Canadian Warplanes 1: Canadian Vickers Stranraer

Harold writes articles on Canadian military history, including Military Parachuting, Warplanes, Armour and Artillery, Castles, Fortifications, Sieges and Battles, Warships, The Cold War, Women in the Canadian Forces, First Nations and Black Canadian Military Service. Each article is supported by...

www.silverhawkauthor.com

 

[JDCAVE]

At Shearwater, BC there is a replica Stranraer.

Supermarine Stranraer | The Canadian Museum of Flight

Did you know that our technical volunteers built a replica of a Supermarine Stranraer flying boat that now 'flies' with the wind in Shearwater, BC?

www.canadianflight.org

Shearwater, British Columbia - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Some great photos of the Canadian ops here.

Canadian Warplanes 1: Canadian Vickers Stranraer

Harold writes articles on Canadian military history, including Military Parachuting, Warplanes, Armour and Artillery, Castles, Fortifications, Sieges and Battles, Warships, The Cold War, Women in the Canadian Forces, First Nations and Black Canadian Military Service. Each article is supported by...

www.silverhawkauthor.com

Yes, I've seen the Stranraer at Shearwater. We've been there a number of times over the past 10 years. The most impressive part of Shearwater is the warime Hanger, which is still in place. Some great photos in that article, however they refer to "Bella Bella Passage" between Campbell and Denny Island. It's actually Lama Passage. I've been up and down it many times.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Nice, I must get out to BC more often. My cousin lives on Bowen Island.

I like how the Stranraer (and Walrus) was designed by RJ Mitchell of Spitfire fame. That demonstrates the amazing breadth of his skill set. Had he remained alive and well into the 1950s I wonder what Mitchell's take on the Attacker, Swift and Scimitar would have been. As long as the Exchequer doesn't hold up the funds, we'd likely see Mitchell with something in service by 1949-50 that's equal to the MiG-15 and Sabre over Korea.

Mitchell died before his four engined bomber was completed. Perhaps an early four engined bomber before the Stirling. Supermarine B.12/36 - Wikipedia

As for flying boats….? Perhaps Mitchell could have made a twin-engined ultra long ranged equivalent to the PBY Catalina. Interestingly, Canadian Vickers produced both the Stranraer and the Catalina (PB Canso) in British Columbia.

 

[EwenS]

Nice, I must get out to BC more often. My cousin lives on Bowen Island.

I like how the Stranraer (and Walrus) was designed by RJ Mitchell of Spitfire fame. That demonstrates the amazing breadth of his skill set. Had he remained alive and well into the 1950s I wonder what Mitchell's take on the Attacker, Swift and Scimitar would have been. As long as the Exchequer doesn't hold up the funds, we'd likely see Mitchell with something in service by 1949-50 that's equal to the MiG-15 and Sabre over Korea.

Mitchell died before his four engined bomber was completed. Perhaps an early four engined bomber before the Stirling. Supermarine B.12/36 - Wikipedia

As for flying boats….? Perhaps Mitchell could have made a twin-engined ultra long ranged equivalent to the PBY Catalina. Interestingly, Canadian Vickers produced both the Stranraer and the Catalina (PB Canso) in British Columbia.

The origins of the PBY Catalina go back to a USN request for a new patrol flying boat in 1933.

At the same time in Britain the Air Ministry were issuing Spec R.2/33 that ultimately led to the Short Sunderland. While prototypes were ordered from Short Bros (S.25) & Saunders Roe (A.33) design studies were also carried out by Blackburn, Fairey & Supermarine. Supermarine's offerings were:-

Type 232 monoplane powered by 4 Goshawk engines
Type 238 monoplane powered by 4 Perseus engines
Type 239 biplane powered by Merlin engines

It is not clear if any of the above were officially tendered or were weeded out beforehand. The Blackburn & Fairey offerings have disappeared into the mists of time.

They also unsuccessfully tendered for Spec R.1/36 that led to the Lerwick. One of the things that counted against them in that timescale was Spitfire development. While Supermarine had been bought by Vickers in 1928 it seems, as was common at the time, to have retained its separate identity and therefore only had a relatively small design team and production facilities. It was 1938/39 before steps were taken to rationalise the management of Vickers various aviation interests.

The A.33 had some passing resemblance to the Catalina

Saunders-Roe (Saro) A.33

Does anyone have any good pics of the Saro A.33 flying boat to the same R.2/33 Specification as the Short Sunderland?

www.secretprojects.co.uk

The Supermarine offerings to B.12/36 were never going to beat the Stirling, offered at the same time, into service.
Type 316 initial offering with single tail and interchangeable engines; superceded by the following with longer wingspan and twin tail;
Type 317 (Hercules engines)
Type 318 (Merlin engines)

By the time a contract was issued for 2 prototypes in 1937, Supermarine were heavily involved in getting the Spitfire into service and production. And then R J Mitchell died to further compound the company's problems. While the contract itself was cancelled in Sept 1939, Supermarine began some further work on the part built prototypes in March 1940, presumeably as a private venture at that point. The final blow was the bombing of the factory and the part built prototypes on 26 Sept 1940.

By then the Stirling had flown in May 1939, was in production and had entered service with 7 squadron in Aug 1940.