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Type 391
Type 391
General information
Type	Naval fighter
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Supermarine
Status	Concept, cancelled
Primary user	Royal Navy
History
Developed from	Supermarine Seafang

The Supermarine Type 391 was the last piston-engined fighter to be proposed by Supermarine.^[1]

History

In 1943, as the design of the Spiteful and Seafang was proceeding, Supermarine presented a brochure to the Air Ministry describing a "High-Performance Aeroplane for the Royal Navy", designated internally as the Supermarine Type 391.^{[note 1]} Of greater length and span than the Seafang, the Type 391 was intended to be used as a carrier-borne fighter, with a secondary role as a strike aircraft.^[2]

The wing of the Type 391 was similar in outline to that of the Spiteful/Seafang but was larger and, unlike all previous Supermarine fighters, was mid-mounted. The whole section outboard of the undercarriage hinged up, while a wide centre-section incorporated thick roots with tapered leading-edge air intakes. These fed the engine cooling radiators. Because of the higher-mounted wing, the main undercarriage legs were also longer, with the wheels pivoting when raised to fit into wells in the fuselage.^[1] The forward fuselage was lengthened to accommodate the new engine, while the rear had redesigned and enlarged tail surfaces.^[1]

The Type 391 was eventually rejected in favour of the Type 392, which became the Supermarine Attacker.^[2]

Specifications

Data from ^[3]

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 39 ft 9 in (12.12 m)
Wingspan: 43 ft 6 in (13.26 m)
Wing area: 335 sq ft (31.1 m²)
Gross weight: 17,250 lb (7,824 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Eagle H-24 liquid-cooled piston engine, 3,550 hp (2,650 kW)
Propellers: 8-bladed contra-rotating constant-speed propeller

References

Notes

^ Pegram gives the date of the only known drawing as the next year, in July 1944

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c Pegram 2022, pp.89-90.
^ ^a ^b Andrews and Morgan 1981, p.268
^ Buttler 2004, pp. 30–32.

Bibliography

Andrews, Charles Ferdinand and Eric B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft Since 1914. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1981. ISBN 978-0851778006.
Buttler, Tony. British Secret Projects: Fighters and Bombers 1935–1950. Hersham, Surrey, UK: Midland Publishing, 2004. ISBN 1-85780-179-2.
Pegram, Ralph. Supermarine Secret Projects, Vol 2: Fighters and Bombers. Horncastle, Lincolnshire, UK: Mortons Media Group Limited, 2022. ISBN 9781911703044.