The Supermarine Sea Otter was an

amphibious aircraft An amphibious aircraft or amphibian is an aircraft (typically fixed-wing) that can take off and land on both solid ground and water, though amphibious helicopters do exist as well. Fixed-wing amphibious aircraft are seaplanes ( flying boats ...

designed and built by the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

aircraft manufacturer

Supermarine Supermarine was a British aircraft manufacturer that is most famous for producing the Supermarine Spitfire, Spitfire fighter plane during World War II as well as a range of seaplanes and flying boats, and a series of Jet engine, jet-powered figh ...

. It was the final

biplane A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...

flying boat A flying boat is a type of fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that a flying boat's fuselage is purpose-designed for floatation and contains a hull, while floatplanes rely on fusela ...

to be designed by Supermarine; it was also the last biplane to enter service with both the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

and the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

(RAF). The Sea Otter was developed as a refinement of the

Supermarine Walrus The Supermarine Walrus (originally designated the Supermarine Seagull V) was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and manufactured by Supermarine at Woolston, Southampton. The Walrus f ...

, having been redesigned for longer range operations, to perform

dive bombing A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target simplifies the bomb's trajectory and allows the pilot to keep visual contact throughou ...

and to operate from a wider range of vessels than its predecessor. Prior to receiving the name ''Sea Otter'', it was known as ''Stingray''. Due to Supermarine's existing commitments to the Walrus and the

Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...

programmes, the aircraft's development was protracted. The

maiden flight The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets. The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alwa ...

of the Sea Otter took place on 23 September 1938, while a production order was only issued in 1942 on account of the urgent wartime demands of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. Upon its introduction during the latter years of the conflict, the Sea Otter was primarily tasked with

maritime patrol {{Unreferenced, date=March 2008 Maritime patrol is the task of monitoring areas of water. Generally conducted by military and law enforcement agencies, maritime patrol is usually aimed at identifying human activities. Maritime patrol refers to ac ...

and

air-sea rescue Air-sea rescue (ASR or A/SR, also known as sea-air rescue), and aeronautical and maritime search and rescue (AMSAR) by the ICAO and International Maritime Organization, IMO, is the coordinated search and rescue (SAR) of the survivors of emergenc ...

duties by both the RAF and the Royal Navy. Following the end of the conflict, numerous other operators procured the type for their own purposes; amongst these were the

Royal Danish Air Force The Royal Danish Air Force ( da, Flyvevåbnet, lit=The Flying weapon) (RDAF) is the aerial warfare force of The Kingdom of Denmark and one of the four branches of the Danish Defence. Initially being components of the Army and the Navy, it was ...

Dutch Naval Aviation Service The Netherlands Naval Aviation Service ( nl, Marineluchtvaartdienst, shortened to MLD) is the naval aviation branch of the Royal Netherlands Navy. History World War I Although the MLD was formed in 1914, with the building of a seaplane bas ...

, and the

Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...

. Supermarine also undertook the conversion of surplus Sea Otters to a civilian configuration, leading to its use by civil operators as well.

Design and development

Background

The origins of the Sea Otter can be traced back to the earlier

. Even prior to the Walrus's

, the company's design team, headed by the

aeronautical engineer Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is si ...

R. J. Mitchell, were working on an improved version that was powered by either

Bristol Aquila The Aquila was a nine-cylinder single-row radial aircraft engine designed by the Bristol Engine Company starting in 1934. A sleeve valve engine, its basic design was developed from the Bristol Perseus. The Aquila was never used in production, ...

and

Bristol Perseus The Bristol Perseus was a British nine-cylinder, single-row, air-cooled radial aircraft engine produced by the Bristol Engine Company starting in 1932. It was the first production sleeve valve aero engine. Design and development In late 192 ...

radial engine The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. It resembles a stylized star when viewed from the front, and is ca ...

s. During February 1936, Mitchell approached the

Air Ministry The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the Secretary of State ...

's Director of Technical Development to determine desirable performance attributes in the tentative aircraft prior to the detailed design commencing; from these discussions, it was decided to pursue a

capability, an elevated loaded weight, longer range, and for it to be fitted with equipment for operating from both

aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...

s and

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...

s.Andrews and Morgan 1981, p. 156. On 17 April 1936, following Supermarine's submission of technical details, including detailed drawings and costings, the Air Ministry issued instructions to proceed with a pair of prototypes. Progress on these two prototypes was relatively slow, having been impacted by ongoing production commitments associated with both the Walrus and the

programmes. The most visible difference between the Walrus and the Sea Otter was in the mounting of the powerplant; while the Walrus had a rear-facing engine with a

pusher propeller In an aircraft with a pusher configuration (as opposed to a tractor configuration), the propeller(s) are mounted behind their respective engine(s). Since a pusher propeller is mounted behind the engine, the drive shaft is in compression in nor ...

, the Sea Otter's engine faced forward with a

tractor propeller In aviation, the term tractor configuration refers to an aircraft constructed in the standard configuration with its engine mounted with the propeller in front of it so that the aircraft is "pulled" through the air. Oppositely, the pusher co ...

.Andrews and Morgan 1981, pp. 156-157. In general, the exterior of the Sea Otter was cleaner than that of the Walrus, particularly in its engine arrangement, having disposed of the offset engine alignment to counteract

torque In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). It represents the capability of a force to produce change in the rotational motion of th ...

by handling this via the

vertical stabiliser A vertical stabilizer or tail fin is the static part of the vertical tail of an aircraft. The term is commonly applied to the assembly of both this fixed surface and one or more movable rudders hinged to it. Their role is to provide control, sta ...

instead.Andrews and Morgan 1981, p. 157.

Into flight

On 23 September 1938, the first prototype, ''K8854'', performed the type's

, piloted by Supermarine's chief test pilot George Pickering. During the first flight, it was quickly determined that the original two-blade wooden propeller was inadequate, thus it was replaced by a three-blade counterpart produced by

de Havilland The de Havilland Aircraft Company Limited () was a British aviation manufacturer established in late 1920 by Geoffrey de Havilland at Stag Lane Aerodrome Edgware on the outskirts of north London. Operations were later moved to Hatfield in H ...

, although this also failed to produce entirely satisfactory results. Again, the propeller was changed, this time to a four-bladed unit of which the pairs of blades were unusually set at an angle of 35° instead of the usual 90° so that the aircraft could be more easily moved within shipborne hangars and other enclosed areas. Prior to the prototype's third flight, the aircraft had been named ''Stingray'', but it was decided to rename it ''Sea Otter'' instead. Pickering observed its performance was noticeably better on the third flight, particularly during takeoff. Over following flights, only minor defects were identified and promptly resolved. During February 1939, sea recovery trials commenced from HMS ''Pegasus'', resulting in some deviations being made from the standard practices used for deploying the earlier Walrus. The

Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong *Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Traf ...

also requested some changes, including that the nose be reprofiled as to reduce its water-spray tendencies as well as the installation of a three-blade

Rotol Dowty Propellers is a British engineering company based in Brockworth, Gloucestershire that specialises in the manufacture, repair and overhaul of propellers and propeller components for customers around the world. It is owned by General Elect ...

constant speed propeller In aeronautics, a variable-pitch propeller is a type of propeller (airscrew) with blades that can be rotated around their long axis to change the blade pitch. A controllable-pitch propeller is one where the pitch is controlled manually by the ...

.Andrews and Morgan 1981, pp. 157-158. Five months later,

catapult A catapult is a ballistic device used to launch a projectile a great distance without the aid of gunpowder or other propellants – particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. A catapult uses the sudden release of stored p ...

trials involving HMS ''Pegasus'' were conducted, while general seaworthiness trials started during September 1939, although these were performed at Southampton on account of fears of German attacks upon

Felixstowe Felixstowe ( ) is a port town in Suffolk, England. The estimated population in 2017 was 24,521. The Port of Felixstowe is the largest container port in the United Kingdom. Felixstowe is approximately 116km (72 miles) northeast of London. His ...

.Andrews and Morgan 1981, p. 158. On 26 January 1940, a high-level technical delegation visited Supermarine, announcing their decision to order the Sea Otter into production. This outcome came with the stipulation that the aircraft needed to be capable of landing at a lower speed; this was achieved via alterations to the wings. Other requested alterations included the addition of a nose-mounted

Vickers K machine gun The Vickers K machine gun, known as the Vickers Gas Operated (Vickers G.O.) or Gun, Machine, Vickers G.O. .303-inch in British service, was a rapid-firing machine gun developed and manufactured for use in aircraft by Vickers-Armstrongs. The hi ...

and greater headroom on the flight deck. While a contract for 190 Sea Otters was issued to

Blackburn Aircraft Blackburn () is an industrial town and the administrative centre of the Blackburn with Darwen borough in Lancashire, England. The town is north of the West Pennine Moors on the southern edge of the Ribble Valley, east of Preston and north- ...

later that year, where it was intended to produce the type under licence, the company was unable to accommodate this workload due to multiple other contracts, leading to the contract's cancellation in 1941.Andrews and Morgan 1981, pp. 158-159.

Into production

Accordingly, it was until January 1942 that the Air Ministry placed a production order for the Sea Otter with

Saunders-Roe Saunders-Roe Limited, also known as Saro, was a British aero- and marine-engineering company based at Columbine Works, East Cowes, Isle of Wight. History The name was adopted in 1929 after Alliott Verdon Roe (see Avro) and John Lord took a c ...

, who had previously manufactured the Walrus as well.Andrews and Morgan 1981, p. 159. Due to cooling troubles found with the Perseus engine, the powerplant was changed for production aircraft to the

Bristol Mercury XXX The Bristol Mercury is a British nine-cylinder, air-cooled, single-row, piston radial engine. Designed by Roy Fedden of the Bristol Aeroplane Company it was used to power both civil and military aircraft of the 1930s and 1940s. Developed from ...

engine, which drove a three-bladed propeller. The first production Sea Otter, piloted by Jeffrey Quill, performed its first flight during January 1943. It was promptly transferred to

RAF Worthy Down RAF Worthy Down was a Royal Air Force station built in 1918, north of Winchester, Hampshire, England. After it was transferred to Royal Navy control in 1939 as RNAS Worthy Down (HMS Kestrel), the airfield remained in use throughout the Second W ...

for its initial flight trials, and subsequently to

Helensburgh Helensburgh (; gd, Baile Eilidh) is an affluent coastal town on the north side of the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, situated at the mouth of the Gareloch. Historically in Dunbartonshire, it became part of Argyll and Bute following local governm ...

for further water handling trials. Several minor alterations, including an elongated water rudder and a sting-type

arrestor hook A tailhook, arresting hook, or arrester hook is a device attached to the empennage (rear) of some military fixed-wing aircraft. The hook is used to achieve rapid deceleration during routine landings aboard aircraft carrier flight decks at s ...

, occurred around this time.Andrews and Morgan 1981, pp. 159-160. Of the 592 aircraft that were at one point on order, only 292 Sea Otters were constructed. This was largely due to type's production run being disrupted by limited production capacity and by a sharp reduction in military demand following

Victory in Europe Day Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945, marking the official end of World War II in Europe in the Easter ...

and the end of the conflict. During the

postwar In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period ...

era, a large number of Sea Otters were converted for civilian use. The cabin was soundproofed and furnished with heating systems. In the cabin, seating for four passengers, a

chemical toilet A chemical toilet collects human excreta in a holding tank and uses chemicals to minimize odors. They do not require a connection to a water supply and are used in a variety of situations. These toilets are usually, but not always, self-containe ...

and a stowage area for baggage were provided. As they were intended for use as

bush airplane A bush airplane is a general aviation aircraft used to provide both scheduled and unscheduled passenger and flight services to remote, undeveloped areas, such as the Canadian north or bush, Alaskan tundra, the African bush, or savanna, Amazon ra ...

s in remote areas, versatility was an important aspect; to allow cargo to be carried, the cabin floor was strengthened and fitted with lashing points, and the passenger seats made easily removable.

Operational history

Supermarine Sea Otter I JM952 MAEE Ringway 19

During November 1944, the Sea Otter was introduced to operational service; by the time that the type was inducted by its fourth squadron, the Second World War had come to a close.Andrews and Morgan 1981, p. 161. The aircraft was primarily operated by both the RAF and the

for both

and maritime patrol roles. While naval reconnaissance missions was the principal mission that the aircraft performed, the Sea Otter proved to be superior to its Walrus predecessor in the secondary role of retrieving downed aircrews.Andrews and Morgan 1981, p. 160. This role comprised a major portion of the Sea Otter's postwar activities into the 1950s. On 19 July 1950, Lieutenant P. Cane, flying a Sea Otter from

HMS Triumph (R16) HMS ''Triumph'' was a Royal Navy light fleet aircraft carrier. She served in the Korean War and later, after reconstruction, as a support ship. Construction and commission ''Triumph'' was laid down during World War II on 27 January 1943 at ...

, performed the last operational sea rescue of that type, when a

F4U Corsair The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft which saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Chance Vought, the Corsair was soon in great demand; additional production contract ...

had been shot down by anti-aircraft fire, forcing the American pilot to ditch into very rough seas. The Sea Otter landed despite the adverse conditions and the American pilot was soon rescued. The Sea Otter returned to ''Triumph'' successfully, thanks mainly to the skill of the pilot, who was awarded the US

Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...

as a result.Cull and Newton 2000, p. 261. Various overseas military airwings were quick to procure the Sea Otter following the end of the war, often purchasing via the British government.Andrews and Morgan 1981, p. 161-162. Eight aircraft were procured by the

, while another eight were supplied to the

. The colonial service of France also purchased six Sea Otters, which were operated in

French Indochina French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China),; vi, Đông Dương thuộc Pháp, , lit. 'East Ocean under French Control; km, ឥណ្ឌូចិនបារាំង, ; th, อินโดจีนฝรั่งเศส, ...

Variants

;Sea Otter Mk I : Reconnaissance and communications amphibian aircraft. ;Sea Otter Mk II : Air Sea Rescue amphibian aircraft.

Operators

;: *

**No.

723 Squadron RAN 723 Squadron is a Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron. The squadron was first raised in 1952 and throughout its history has served operationally during the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and in East Timor. It currently operates as a helicopter ...

received three Sea Otters in 1948, operating them until 1953.Kightly ''Aeroplane'' March 2022, p. 124 ;: *

; *

Royal Egyptian Air Force The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية المصرية, El Qūwāt El Gawīyä El Maṣrīya), is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces that is responsible for all airborne defence missions and operates all milit ...

;: *'' Aeronavale'' *''

Troupes Coloniales The ''Troupes coloniales'' ("Colonial Troops") or ''Armée coloniale'' ("Colonial Army"), commonly called ''La Coloniale'', were the military forces of the French colonial empire from 1900 until 1961. From 1822 to 1900 these troops were de ...

'' operated six ex-RAF aircraft in Indochina between 1947 and 1952. ;: *

Royal Netherlands Navy The Royal Netherlands Navy ( nl, Koninklijke Marine, links=no) is the naval force of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. During the 17th century, the navy of the Dutch Republic (1581–1795) was one of the most powerful naval forces in the world an ...

including ASR duty aboard the light carrier ''Karel Doorman'' (R81) ;: *

No. 277 Squadron RAF No. 277 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as an air-sea rescue unit in World War II. History Formation in World War II The squadron formed at Stapleford Tawney on 22 December 1941 equipped with the Westland Lysander and Supe ...

Halley 1980, p. 354. ** No. 278 Squadron RAF **

No. 279 Squadron RAF No 279 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force air-sea rescue squadron of World War II. The Squadron (aviation), squadron was formed on 16 November 1941 and disbanded on 10 March 1946. History No 279 Squadron was formed at RAF Bircham Newton on 16 No ...

No. 281 Squadron RAF No. 281 Squadron was a Royal Air Force air-sea rescue squadron during the Second World War. History No. 281 Squadron was formed at RAF Ouston, England on 29 March 1942Jefford 2001, p. 85. as an air-sea rescue squadron. The squadron was equipped ...

** No. 282 Squadron RAF ** No. 292 Squadron RAF ** No. 1350 Flight RAF ** No. 1351 Flight RAF ** No. 1352 Flight RAF **Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment *

** 700 Naval Air Squadron **

712 Naval Air Squadron 712 Naval Air Squadron (712 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially established as a flight in 1936 before being upgraded to squadron status in 1938. It was charged with operating Walrus seaplanes for th ...

716 Naval Air Squadron 716 Naval Air Squadron (716 NAS) was a List of Fleet Air Arm aircraft squadrons, Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. References Citations Bibliography

* 700 series Fleet Air Arm squadrons Military units and formations ...

721 Naval Air Squadron 721 Naval Air Squadron (721 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land a ...

** 723 Naval Air Squadron **

728 Naval Air Squadron 728 Naval Air Squadron (728 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was formed in 1943 as a Fleet Requirement Unit, operating from airfields around the Mediterranean before settling for most of its existence in Malt ...

729 Naval Air Squadron 729 Naval Air Squadron (729 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was active between 1945 and 1946 as an Instrument Flying Training squadron, for service in the far east. History of 729 NAS Instrument Flying Traini ...

** 733 Naval Air Squadron ** 740 Naval Air Squadron ** 742 Naval Air Squadron **

744 Naval Air Squadron 744 Naval Air Squadron (744 NAS) is a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. The squadron formed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent on . The squadron re-formed as an anti-submarine training unit on 6 March 1944 and continued in this role unti ...

771 Naval Air Squadron 771 Naval Air Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm was formed on 24 May 1939 at Lee-on-Solent as a Fleet Requirements Unit with 14 Fairey Swordfish TSR biplanes. The Squadron carried out various exercises with ships and provided towed targets for naval a ...

** 772 Naval Air Squadron **

778 Naval Air Squadron 778 Naval Air Squadron (778 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. History During the Second World War the squadron was a Service Trials Unit (STU) initially based at RNAS Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, England before moving ...

781 Naval Air Squadron 781 Naval Air Squadron (781 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. Aircraft operated The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions between 1947 & 1981: * North American Harvard T.2b & T.3 * Hawker ...

799 Naval Air Squadron 799 Naval Air Squadron (799 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land a ...

810 Naval Air Squadron 810 Naval Air Squadron was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm carrier based squadron formed on 3 April 1933 with the amalgamation of the 12 Blackburn Dart aircraft from 463 and 44 Flight (Fleet Torpedo) Flights Royal Air Force to the Fleet Air Arm. The ...

** 1700 Naval Air Squadron ** 1701 Naval Air Squadron ** 1702 Naval Air Squadron ** 1703 Naval Air Squadron

Specifications (Sea Otter)

Survivors

No museum holds a complete aircraft. The

Fleet Air Arm Museum (Australia) The Australian Fleet Air Arm Museum, formerly known as Australia's Museum of Flight, is a military aerospace museum located at the naval air station , near Nowra, New South Wales. The museum was opened in 1990, although efforts to preserve a ...

Nowra Nowra is a city in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located south-southwest of the state capital of Sydney (about as the crow flies). As of the 2021 census, Nowra has an estimated population of 22,584. Situated in th ...

, New South Wales, Australia, has the nose section of JN200, a Sea Otter which served with the

References

Citations

Bibliography

* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. ''Supermarine Aircraft Since 1914''. London: Putnam, 1981. . * Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. ''Supermarine Aircraft since 1914'' (2nd ed.). London: Putnam, 1987. . * Halley, James J. ''The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1980. . * Kightly, James. "Database: Supermarine Sea Otter & Seagull". '' Aeroplane'', Vol 50, No. 3, March 2022. pp. 115–129. . * * Sturtivant, Ray and Theo Ballance. ''The Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1994. .

External links

* {{Supermarine aircraft 1930s British military reconnaissance aircraft Amphibious aircraft

Sea Otter The sea otter (''Enhydra lutris'') is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the small ...

Single-engined tractor aircraft Biplanes Aircraft first flown in 1938