Supermarine S.6B

The Supermarine S.6B was a British racing seaplane developed by R. J. Mitchell to take part in the Schneider Trophy competition of 1931, and it marked the culmination of his work on the racing seaplane. It followed the S.4, S.5 and S.6, and its development was hampered by wavering government support that was promised, withdrawn and then given again after a public campaign backed by Lord Rothermere and a large donation from Lady Houston. With only nine months left before the race, Mitchell refined the S.6 instead of starting a new design, the main differences being a more powerful Rolls-Royce R engine and redesigned floats. Two aircraft, serials S1595 and S1596, were built and flown by members of the RAF High Speed Flight, and they won the Schneider Trophy for Britain. Shortly after the race S1596, flown by Flight Lieutenant George Stainforth, broke the world air speed record at 407.5 miles per hour.