British single-seat jet-propelled fighter aircraft
Swift
Swift F Mk.2 WK242 / "P" of No. 56 Sqn.
Role
Fighter, interceptor
Type of aircraft
National origin
United Kingdom
Manufacturer
Supermarine Aviation Works (Vickers) Ltd.
First flight
29 December 1948 (Type 510)
Introduction
1954
Retired
1967
Status
Retired
Primary user
Royal Air Force
Number built
197
Developed from
Supermarine Attacker
Developed into
Supermarine 545
The Supermarine Swift is a British single-seat jet fighter aircraft that was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was developed and manufactured by Supermarine during the 1940s and 1950s. The Swift featured many of the new jet age innovations, such as a swept wing. On 26 September 1953, a Swift F.4 piloted by Commander Mike Lithgow broke the world absolute speed record, reaching a speed of 737.7 mph (1,187 km/h).
After a protracted development period, the Swift entered service as an interceptor aircraft with the RAF in 1954. However, due to a spate of accidents incurred by the type, the Swift was grounded for a time, and had a relatively brief service life. The problems with the Swift led to a public scandal surrounding the development and performance of the aircraft, harming the reputations of the British government, the RAF, and the British aircraft industry.
Ultimately, the less problematic Hawker Hunter assumed much of the role intended for the Swift and only half as many Swifts were manufactured as had once been intended. A later photo reconnaissance variant of the Swift had resolved some of the teething problems, but that proved to be too late for it to regain favour. An advanced derivative of the Swift that was to be capable of transonic speeds, the Supermarine 545, was also under development during the early 1950s. However, it was cancelled in 1955, principally due to the poor performance of the Swift.
The SupermarineSwift is a British single-seat jet fighter aircraft that was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was developed and manufactured...
within the Royal Air Force. Supermarine, who was at the time engaged in the development of another front-line fighter, the Swift, decided to use this existing...
followed by the more advanced Swift, which served in the fighter and photo-reconnaissance roles. The last of the Supermarine aircraft was the Scimitar. In...
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Dunkirk against attacks by the German Luftwaffe. The second prototype SupermarineSwift appeared as the Prometheus in the 1952 film The Sound Barrier. Douglas...
viable aircraft; these two aircraft would later become known as the SupermarineSwift and the Hawker Hunter respectively. On 20 July 1951, the P.1067 made...
The Supermarine Seafire is a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. It was analogous in concept to the...
test pilot for Vickers Supermarine who became the holder of the World Absolute Air Speed Record in 1953 flying a SupermarineSwift. He died when the prototype...
Meteor NF11 (nightfighter) trials aircraft and subsequently by the SupermarineSwift fighters of No. 1 Guided Weapons Development Squadron at RAF Valley...
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equipped with swept wings from Hawker Aircraft and Supermarine, the Hawker Hunter and SupermarineSwift respectively, and successfully pressed for orders...
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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 Republic F-84F Thunderstreak Saab 32 Lansen Sukhoi Su-9 SupermarineSwift Wilson, Stewart (1994). Military Aircraft of Australia. Weston Creek...
Draken Saab Lansen SEPECAT Jaguar ST Aerospace A-4S Skyhawk Supermarine Scimitar SupermarineSwift The ADEN gun has seen use in several gun pods including:...
(original, factory-built) piston-engined aeroplane was unofficially the Supermarine Spiteful F Mk 16, which "achieved a speed of 494m.p.h. at 28,500ft during...
changing to Arabic numerals post-World War II, e.g., Supermarine Spitfire Mk I to Supermarine Spitfire Mk 24. Note 1: where possible mark numbers are...
towing a large RAF Ensign, while the final aircraft was a prototype SupermarineSwift flown by test pilot Mike Lithgow. Finally, the skywriting Venoms spelled...
museum received (on loan from its owners) the historic fuselage of the SupermarineSwift F.4 prototype, WK198, which held the World Absolute Air Speed Record...
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