SUPERMARINE SEA OTTER 100 YEARS OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE
PATROLLERS AND AIRLIFTERS RAF CENTENARY CELEBRATION 45Above left
The Sea Otter was
crewed by three or
four personnel and
had a range of up to
690 miles.Left
Although RAF Sea
Otter operations
ended in late 1945,
the type fl ew on with
the Royal Navy’s Fleet
Air Arm until the
1950s. This example is
being loaded aboard
HMS ‘Theseus’ on
her way home from
Korean waters.After completing its first flight on
September 29, 1938, the aircraft
was subsequently developed to
Specification S.14/39 and S.12/40.
In this latest configuration the Sea
Otter differed from the Walrus in
having a Mercury powerplant –
chosen to address cooling issues
- driving a tractor propeller.
Boasting improved aerodynamic and
hydrodynamic qualities, the new
aircraft could get off the water with
a heavier load than the Walrus and
possessed greater range than
its predecessor.INTO PRODUCTION
In January 1942 the Air Ministry
placed a production order and
assembly – originally intended to
be supplied by Blackburn – was
undertaken by Saunders-Roe on the
Isle of Wight. The first production
aircraft, JM738, was designated
Sea Otter ABR Mk.1 and made its
initial flight in January 1943. An
air-sea rescue version was designated
Sea ASR Mk.II and remained in
production until July 1946.
The first Sea Otters were supplied
to the RAF’s 277 Squadron at
Shoreham in 1943, a year before
its Royal Navy equivalents joined
a frontline squadron or embarked
on a carrier. Of the 290 airframes
produced, 141 were diverted to the
RAF, with 276 and 281 Squadrons
adopting the Sea Otter in Northern
Ireland early in 1944; followed by
282 Squadron at St Eval, Cornwall,in March 1945, 278 Squadron at
Beccles in May and 279 Squadron at
Thornaby in July that year.
By October 1945, after brief post-
war service, the Sea Otter finished its
remaining RAF duties with 278 and
281 Squadrons, continuing solely
with the Fleet Air Arm until 1952.
In India, Sea Otters equipped 292
Squadron at Jessore and Agartala,
flying rescue patrols over the Bay of
Bengal and in Ceylon and Burma
from November 1944 until June- The aircraft were replaced by
Consolidated Liberators.
CIVILIAN USE
Post-war, the Sea Otter underwent
a series of modifications to enable
it to carry passengers. The civilian
conversion included soundproofing
the cabin and fitting it with heating.
A chemical toilet was also installed
and stowage was provided for
baggage. To permit the aircraft to
be used as a cargo-carrying bush
aeroplane in remote areas, the cabin
floor was reinforced and fitted with
lashing points and passenger seats
were made easy to remove.