FSX/FS2004 Supermarine Sea Otter
The Supermarine Sea Otter was a British designed anphibian biplane intended to replace the once venerable Supermarine Warlus in the Royal Air Force reconnaissance and search and rescue missions. It had the distinctions of being the last biplane flying boat to achieve front line service in Great Britains armed force.
The Otter was a result of an Air Ministrys specification request codenamed S.7-38 (Stingray). There was a considerable effort placed on the development of Project Stingrays power plant. The original S.78-38 called for a Bristol Perseus XI engine configuration with a two bladed propeller arrangement. The Bristol Perseus configuration did not give the platform the necessary thrust. A new arrangement was developed with a four blade propeller mechanism set at an angle of 35 degrees. A sharp departure from the frequently used 90 degree sets.
The first prototype, unit K8854, took to the air for its maiden flight on the morning of FS2004/FSX Supermarine Sea Otter
September 23rd 1938. Designed to take the place of the 1933-designed Warlus, the Otter differed from its predecessor in many characteristics. Most noticeable was its engine tractor configuration. The Warlus utilized a pusher system. The new aircraft was also faster, could fly farther and handled better in the water than its predecessor.
Production was carried out by the front runner of British flying boat designs, Saunders Roe who acted as the only subcontractor to the Otter project. By the spring of 1939, the Royal Air Force (RAF) and much of the British air industry was geared up to produce badly needed fighters and bombers, so the production of the Otter was delayed by almost three full years.
The first production Otter was delivered to the RAY on January 1943. The original Air Ministry order was for 592 aircrafts, but due to the tardiness of production and the end of World War II, only 290 were ever built. Production ran well into 1946 (July) before the halt order arrived.
The first operational Sea Otters were assigned to the RAF No. 277 Squadron. The Royal Navy (RN) also got into the act and acquired a number of Otters for costal recon operations. During WW II, Otters fielded nine RAF squadrons: No. 277, 278, 279, 281, 282, 292, No. 1350 Flight, 1351 and 1352. Other countries also operated the Otter. The Royal Australian Navy utilized the type to patrol the vastness of the Coral Sea. The Royal Danish Air Force, the Duct Naval Aviation Services and the French Colonial Service on Indochina; also employed the biplane.
After the Second World War was over, the RAF and RV promptly retired the Otter from front line service. This did not mean that the plane was useless. The RN Fleet Air Arm units remained in service until the spring of 1952.
Two versions of the Otter were produced, the Mk I and II. The amphibious Mk I carried bombs and depth charges while the Mk II was employed only as an air rescue platform. Of the 290 Otters built, only 40 were of the Mk II variety.
Today, only a nose section of a Royal Australian Navy Otter remains. Currently the section sits on permanent display at an Australian Naval Museum.
Power Plant One Bristol Mercury 855hp XXX radial piston engine
Wingspan 14.02m
Length 11.94m
Height 4.93m
Total wing area 56.67m square
Maximum Takeoff weight 4,912kg
Top Ceiling 4,877m
Operational Range 1,167m
Climb Rate 265m per minute
INSTALLATION:
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-Unzip " Sea Otter " into a temporary file and move the "Sea Otter " folder into the main Aircraft directory.
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-Read instructions carefully when installing the gauges , say YES...when asked if the gauges sources should be trusted. If you say no....most of the gauges are not going to work !
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-Leave all gauges in the "Sea Otter" panel folder
-Landing light is triggered by CTRL+L, all other lights use panel light shift+L.
-Spoiler (tailgear) is triggered by the standard key.
-Side windows open with the standard key.
If having trouble with prop and cockpit transparencies in FSX acceleration, copy the glass.bmp and propdisk3. bmp files from the Acceleration.texture into the "Sea Otter" texture folder and let them replace the old ones.
FLYING NOTES
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This is an easy plane to fly, it's an old biplane lady however, with a very moderate performance.
-The engine is high mounted and causes a nose down situation at full throttle.
-Extending the flaps makes the nose rise.
-For take off, use full throttle and one notch of flaps. The plane rises its tail at about 40 k and takes off at about 70 k.
-For landing on land, you can use flaps as you like, remember to keep the spoiler (tailgear) up.
-Water landings go better with full flaps, spoiler (tailgear) down and idle power. You land on the water at about 55 k.
-In FSX you can slow down the plane on water up to about 8 k. You have no brakes, so cut the throttle for standstill.
-Water take offs are normal with one notch of flaps and full power.
CREDITS
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Special thanks to :
-GMAX for the drawing program and Microsoft for their makmdls.mdk.
LEGAL:
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The project is released as freeware. You may modify it and repaint it. You may upload this file to another website as long as it is not for profit.
You need the written permission of the original authors to use any of these files for commercial purposes, otherwise a simple credit would be nice. Non commercial repaints-remakes are welcome but I would appreciate very much receiving a copy of your model.
This file should not cause any problems with your computer, but I accept no responsibility if you think it does
