Supermarine Swift

The Supermarine Swift was a British single‑seat, swept‑wing jet fighter developed by Supermarine in the early 1950s as a response to the Royal Air Force’s need for a high‑speed interceptor. First flown on 15 May 1953, the prototype evolved from the earlier Supermarine Type 505 design and incorporated lessons learned from the company’s legendary Spitfire. Production models, designated Swift F.1, F.2 and F.4, were powered by the Rolls‑Royce Avon turbo‑jet and featured a 55° wing sweep, hydraulic control surfaces, and a pressurised cockpit with ejection seats. Armament consisted of four 30 mm ADEN cannons and provisions for rockets or bombs, giving the aircraft a versatile strike capability.

Although the Swift achieved a top speed of around Mach 0.95 and set several speed records during its test program, operational service revealed problems with handling, especially at low speed and high altitude, and with engine reliability. These shortcomings limited its service life to just a few years before it was withdrawn in 1959. Nevertheless, the Swift represented a crucial transitional step for Supermarine, marking its shift from propeller‑driven fighters to jet propulsion and influencing later designs such as the Hawker Hunter and the swept‑wing era of British aviation.

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