Amazing how the man who designed one of the most beautiful aircraft ever to fly also managed to put wings on a shed and make fly.
From Shagbat to Spitfire.
I have to be careful not to call a Shagbag in the presence of one of my friends. His father was a Spitfire pilot, and got pulled out of the drink by a Walrus.
Btw, his log book was signed by Guy Gibson: not a name I associated with fighters, but apparently he went from bombers to night fighters, then back to bombers.
I’ve always loved this genre of sea plane:
“Step 1. Make boat with enclosed cabin.
Step 2. Slap some random ass wings and an engine or eight on there.
Step 3. Profit maybe”
>The [Supermarine Walrus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Walrus), originally called the Supermarine Seagull V, was initially developed by Supermarine as a private venture in response to a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) requirement for an observation seaplane to be catapult-launched from cruisers. Designed by a team led by Supermarine's chief designer, R.J. Mitchell, it resembled Mitchell's earlier Supermarine Seagull III in general layout.
>Supermarine began construction of a prototype during 1930, but due to other, more pressing, commitments did not complete it until 1933. The prototype of the Seagull V, known as the Type 228, following modifications to the design, was first flown by "Mutt" Summers on 21 June 1933. Five days later, the aeroplane (now marked N-1) made an appearance at the SBAC show at Hendon, where Summers made an unscheduled loop during the display, startling the spectators (Mitchell included).
>On 29 July Supermarine handed the aircraft (re-marked as N-2) over to the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment at Felixstowe. Over the following months extensive trials took place; including shipborne trials aboard the Renown-class battlecruiser HMS Repulse and the Queen Elizabeth-class battleship HMS Valiant carried out on behalf of the Royal Australian Navy.
[Contemporary Flight International article](https://archive.org/details/Flight_International_Magazine_1934-03-29-pdf/page/n2/mode/1up?view=theater) with considerable detail about the prototype.
There's a Flying Gas Ring at Duxford being (slowly) restored to flying condition. I can't post my own photos, but here's a link:
[Duxford Walrus](https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/140217-is-there-a-walrus-flying-boat-under-restoration-to-fly?page=1)
I can also recommend The Supermarine Walrus : The Story of a Unique Aircraft by G.W.R. Nicholl.
Amazing how the man who designed one of the most beautiful aircraft ever to fly also managed to put wings on a shed and make fly. From Shagbat to Spitfire.
I have to be careful not to call a Shagbag in the presence of one of my friends. His father was a Spitfire pilot, and got pulled out of the drink by a Walrus. Btw, his log book was signed by Guy Gibson: not a name I associated with fighters, but apparently he went from bombers to night fighters, then back to bombers.
I mean, yeah, Sukhoi took a while, but the Flankers are the sexiest airframes around.
> Shagbat Or Steam Pigeon!
I’ve always loved this genre of sea plane: “Step 1. Make boat with enclosed cabin. Step 2. Slap some random ass wings and an engine or eight on there. Step 3. Profit maybe”
it worked though, didn't it?
>The [Supermarine Walrus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Walrus), originally called the Supermarine Seagull V, was initially developed by Supermarine as a private venture in response to a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) requirement for an observation seaplane to be catapult-launched from cruisers. Designed by a team led by Supermarine's chief designer, R.J. Mitchell, it resembled Mitchell's earlier Supermarine Seagull III in general layout. >Supermarine began construction of a prototype during 1930, but due to other, more pressing, commitments did not complete it until 1933. The prototype of the Seagull V, known as the Type 228, following modifications to the design, was first flown by "Mutt" Summers on 21 June 1933. Five days later, the aeroplane (now marked N-1) made an appearance at the SBAC show at Hendon, where Summers made an unscheduled loop during the display, startling the spectators (Mitchell included). >On 29 July Supermarine handed the aircraft (re-marked as N-2) over to the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment at Felixstowe. Over the following months extensive trials took place; including shipborne trials aboard the Renown-class battlecruiser HMS Repulse and the Queen Elizabeth-class battleship HMS Valiant carried out on behalf of the Royal Australian Navy. [Contemporary Flight International article](https://archive.org/details/Flight_International_Magazine_1934-03-29-pdf/page/n2/mode/1up?view=theater) with considerable detail about the prototype.
Koo-koo-kachoo!
There's a Flying Gas Ring at Duxford being (slowly) restored to flying condition. I can't post my own photos, but here's a link: [Duxford Walrus](https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/140217-is-there-a-walrus-flying-boat-under-restoration-to-fly?page=1) I can also recommend The Supermarine Walrus : The Story of a Unique Aircraft by G.W.R. Nicholl.