Supermarine Swift F.7

[PremiumFuelOnly 1,603]

Aircraft: Supermarine Swift F.7

 

Classification: jet fighter

 

Visuals:

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Description: The Supermarine Swift F.7 represented the final installment in the Swift program and was primarily a design study in adapting the Swift airframe to carry Blue Sky (later the Fireflash) missiles fitted with radar guidance. Like the FR.5, the Swift F.7 built upon the basic airframe improvements incorporated in the F.4 with a lengthened nose to incorporate a Ecko radar ranging system for the Fireflashes, a larger wingspan with greater surface area, and an uprated Rolls-Royce Avon 116 engine that had greater thrust for improved altitude performance compared to the FR.5’s Avon 114. The F.7 also incorporated a new canopy and the ADEN guns carried in previous marks were deleted to make space for additional fuel tanks.

 

The first pre-production F.7 (XF774) was flown in April 1956, with flights in the following months carried out by other units sent to Boscombe Down for handling and performance trials. After initial testing was completed, ten units from the production batch of twelve were allocated to No.1 Guided Weapons Development Squadron at RAF Valley - these would be the first british fighters to be equipped with guided missiles in service, although the Fireflash missiles themselves would never enter full operational service.

 

All in all, just fourteen Swift F.7s were produced, as the aircraft was never truly intended for operational service, but merely as a full-fat production trial of the guided-missile system in an effort to gather information for use in development, operation, and maintenance of future AAM systems. To this end, the Swift F.7 fulfilled its principal duty, and the information gathered in regards to live firing trials of the Fireflashes was invaluable.

 

Although the Swift F.7 held the distinction of being the first British aircraft fitted with missiles, the Gloster Javelin would be the first aircraft to achieve operational AAM status, specifically in later marks consisting of the FAW.7, 8, and 9.

 

Fuel and Oil Data:

Internal Fuel Capacity: 352 imperial gallons

Oil Capacity: 17 pints

 

Engine Data:

Manufacturer: Rolls-Royce

Designation: Avon 116

Type: axial-flow turbojet

Compressor Stages: 12-stage compressor

Combustion Chamber: annular

Turbine: 2-stage

Fuel Grade: AVTAG

 

Power Data:

Afterburning Power: 9950 lbf @ 7900 RPM (10 minutes takeoff/combat combined)

Intermediate Power: 7350 lbf @ 7700 RPM (30 min)

Maximum Continuous Power: ? lbf @ 7550 RPM (unrestricted)

 

Dimensional Data:

Length: 43 ft, 9 in

Height: 13 ft, 6 in

Wing Span: 35 ft  

Wing Area: 348 sq. ft

Wing Loading: 54.7 lbs/sq. ft @ normal takeoff weight

 

Weight Data:

Empty Weight: 13735 lbs

Normal Takeoff Weight: 19025 lbs (clean aircraft, full internal fuel, Fireflash pylons)

Normal Takeoff Weight w/ Fireflashes: 19670 lbs (full internal fuel + 2 Fireflash missiles)

Maximum Takeoff Weight: 20000 lbs*

Fuel Weight: 2710 lbs (AVTAG)

*maximum takeoff weight as per manual. Alternate maximum takeoff weights as per other sources is 21400 lbs.

 

Note: Maximum rate of climb @ SL is currently unknown. Speed figures are questionable due to conflicting source data. The F.7's power-off, flaps-down stall speed is currently unknown due to stalling being "forbidden". Closest approximation is glide speed in clean light configuration, so that figure is detailed below.

General Performance Data:

Max Speed: 700 mph (1126.5 kph) @ SL**

Maximum Rate of Climb @ SL: ? ft/min (? m/s)

Power-off, flaps-down Stall Speed: ? knots (? kph) @ ? lbs

Glide Speed w/ undercarriage down and full flaps: 135 knots @ normal landing weight (17000 lbs)

Takeoff Distance @ SL (reheat): 800 yards (clean), 860 yards (+2 Fireflashes)

Operational Ceiling: 41600 ft

**this speed is presumably hit when equipped with 2 Fireflashes

 

G-Limitations:
Positive: +6G (clean), +6G (one Fireflash), +5G (two Fireflashes)

Negative: -?G

 

Note: Speed figures are questionable due to conflicting source data.

Maximum Speeds:

Max Speed: 700 mph (1126.5 kph) @ SL***

***this speed is presumably hit when equipped with 2 Fireflashes

 

Second Set of Contradictory Speed Figures:

At SL: 691 mph (1112 kph)

At SL w/ two Fireflash missiles: 668 mph (1075 kph)

 

Note: Maximum rate of climb @ SL is currently unknown.

Rate of Climb @ SL (clean configuration, loaded combat weight):

At SL: ? ft/min (? m/s)

 

Time to Altitude from Sea Level (reheat, external fuel tanks):

To 10K ft: 2.5 min

To 20K ft: 3.5 min

To 30K ft: 4.5 min

To 40K ft: 6.5 min

 

Time to Altitude from Sea Level (intermediate thrust, external fuel tanks):

To 10K ft: 3.5 min

To 20K ft: 6.5 min

To 30K ft: 10.75 min

To 40K ft: 16.75 min

 

Time to Altitude from Sea Level (reheat, external fuel tanks + 2 Fireflash AAMs):

To 10K ft: 2.5 min

To 20K ft: 4.0 min

To 30K ft: 5.5 min

To 40K ft: 7.75 min

 

Armament:

Guns: None

Bomb/Rocket/Missile Ordnance: 2x Fairey Fireflash beam-riding AAMs

 

Sources:

[1] Pilot’s Notes Swift F7, 1st Edition, A.P.4348G-P.N., February 1957

[2] Swift Justice: The Full Story of the Supermarine Swift by Nigel Walpole, Pen & Sword Aviation, 2004, ISBN: 1-84415-0704

[3] Warpaint Series No.58: Supermarine Swift and Type 535 by Tony Buttler, Warpaint Books Ltd.

[4] Postwar Military Aircraft 7: Supermarine Attacker, Swift And Scimitar by Philip Birtles, Ian Allan Publishing 1992, ISBN: 0-7110-2034-5

[5] “Rolls-Royce Axial Turbojets” FLIGHT Magazine, page 369, 3 September 1954

 

Edited February 3, 2019 by Aquilachrysaetos

[leroyonly 4,310]

Open for discussion. 

[Milocat 4,854]

Why not?  +1.

[Shuri_96 1,297]

Another British Jet? of course.

[TerikG2014 1,389]

Well this has happened ....

[Miki_Hoshii 2,449]

People are wondering if it'll accurately have no gun armament. If thats the case, im hoping they remove the missile warning text.

[TerikG2014 1,389]

23 minutes ago, Miki_Hoshii said:

People are wondering if it'll accurately have no gun armament. If thats the case, im hoping they remove the missile warning text.

Pah hahaha remove something that might give Britain a very slight advantage heh nice joke.

[Miki_Hoshii 2,449]

Just now, TerikG2014 said:

Pah hahaha remove something that might give Britain a very slight advantage heh nice joke.

Nah fam. It'd also help out my T-2 and F-86 )))

[Z3r0_ 4,128]

No guns, hmm?  Well...this'll be interesting.

[Miki_Hoshii 2,449]

1 hour ago, Z3r0_ said:

No guns, hmm?  Well...this'll be interesting.

Smin posted some documents and pictures showing the F.7 had provisions for two ADEN cannons on the starboard side.

Edited August 26, 2019 by Miki_Hoshii

[gaelan@psn 1,951]

On 26/08/2019 at 21:41, Miki_Hoshii said:

Smin posted some documents and pictures showing the F.7 had provisions for two ADEN cannons on the starboard side.

He posted one document proving guns were deleted and replaced with fuel then a picture showing an empty space which doesn't actually prove it ever carried the 2 Aden's in F7 config

Edited August 30, 2019 by *gaelan

[Flame2512 3,384]

6 hours ago, *gaelan said:

He posted one document proving guns were deleted and replaced with fuel then a picture showing an empty space which doesn't actually prove it ever carried the 2 Aden's in F7 config

The argument is that if both weapon bays were replaced with fuel tanks then both would appear in the fuel flow diagram. As only one weapon bay fuel tank is listed on the diagram it suggests only one was used as a fuel tank.

 

They do not claim it was fitted with ADENs, but that if it saw combat it could be fitted with them.

[leroyonly 4,310]

As the Supermarine Swift F.7 has been implented in update 1.91,

 

Moved to Implemented Suggestions.