Supermarine Walrus

The Supermarine Walrus was a reconnaissance amphibian designed by R. J. Mitchell and operated by the Fleet Air Arm. It also served with the Royal Air Force and the RAAF and RNZAF. Developed

Related Topics:
Supermarine - Amphibian - R. J. Mitchell - Fleet Air Arm - Royal Air Force - RAAF - RNZAF

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from the earlier Supermarine Seagull amphibian exported to Japan, Spain, etc. it was delivered for service from cruisers from 1935.

Related Topics:
Supermarine Seagull - 1935

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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

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17 ft 11 in (5.5 m).

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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.

Related Topics:
Submarine - 1947

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As the Walrus was stressed to a level suitable for catapult-launching, rather surprisingly for such an ungainly-looking machine, it could be looped and bunted, whereupon any water in the bilges would make it's presence felt. This usually discouraged the pilot from any future aerobatics on this type.

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The Walrus was affectionately known as the 'Shagbat' or sometimes 'Steam-pigeon', the latter name coming from the steam produced by water falling on the hot Pegasus engine.

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One of it's more unusual characteristics was that the control column was not a fixed fitting in the usual way, but could be unplugged from a socket at floor level, there being two sockets. It became a habit for only one column to be in use and when control was passed from the captain to co-pilot or vice-versa for the control column to be unplugged and handed over.

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RAF use in home waters was mainly in the air-sea rescue role.

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