The Type 508 and related studies show how far Supermarine pushed contemporary aerodynamics. The company tried split tails, very thin wings, and forward- and backward-swept wings, configurations that still resemble modern test aircraft. Plans also included a tail-warning radar, so the experimentation went beyond external shape. Supermarine needed another major success if it was to preserve an independent identity within Vickers, which gave the designers a strong incentive to take risks. The production Scimitar looked more conventional than several of its ancestors, but it inherited the knowledge developed through those experiments.
Notable Point · 7:19-10:07
Supermarine pushes unconventional aerodynamic ideas
Split tails, thin wings, and varied sweep arrangements reveal the experimental design path behind the more conventional production Scimitar.