R. J. Mitchell died of bowel cancer in 1937 at the age of 42. He originally had a colostomy in 1933 and it seemed this had been successful. However, the cancer returned in 1936.
In his short life he designed a wide range of sea planes from the Walrus to the Stranraer. He pushed the boundaries of high speed flight with the S4, S5, S6 and S6b. The S6b set a world speed record of 407mph in 1931. The Spitfire, as well as all its other positive attributes, had the highest critical mach number of all of the piston engine fighters of the time. I've seen figures as high as 0.86 Mach, and on another site some joker suggests the Spit airframe could have withstood Mach 1.3 if it had been given enough thrust.
So, what would have happened if he'd never developed cancer in the first place, or if the 1933 surgery had been successful?
Obviously he would have continued to have influence on the Spitfire project, as well as the Supermarine B.12/36 four engine bomber. If we allow him the same life span as Sydney Camm he would have lived until 1967 and therefore had a major influence on the development of high speed flight in Britain post war. At the very least we would have been spared that eyesore the Attacker. Surely Mitchell would have created something more asthetically pleasing.
And, of course, in the hands of a man of Mitchell's genius, the Supermarine Swift could really have been something special rather than the crushing disappointment it was.
So, how big a loss was he? Where could British aviation have been with him?
In his short life he designed a wide range of sea planes from the Walrus to the Stranraer. He pushed the boundaries of high speed flight with the S4, S5, S6 and S6b. The S6b set a world speed record of 407mph in 1931. The Spitfire, as well as all its other positive attributes, had the highest critical mach number of all of the piston engine fighters of the time. I've seen figures as high as 0.86 Mach, and on another site some joker suggests the Spit airframe could have withstood Mach 1.3 if it had been given enough thrust.
So, what would have happened if he'd never developed cancer in the first place, or if the 1933 surgery had been successful?
Obviously he would have continued to have influence on the Spitfire project, as well as the Supermarine B.12/36 four engine bomber. If we allow him the same life span as Sydney Camm he would have lived until 1967 and therefore had a major influence on the development of high speed flight in Britain post war. At the very least we would have been spared that eyesore the Attacker. Surely Mitchell would have created something more asthetically pleasing.
And, of course, in the hands of a man of Mitchell's genius, the Supermarine Swift could really have been something special rather than the crushing disappointment it was.
So, how big a loss was he? Where could British aviation have been with him?
