Back Supermarine Attacker Afrikaans Supermarine Attacker Czech Supermarine Attacker German Supermarine Attacker Greek Supermarine Attacker Spanish Supermarine Attacker Finnish Supermarine Attacker French Supermarine Attacker Galician Supermarine Attacker Hungarian Supermarine Attacker ID
| Attacker | |
|---|---|
| |
| Role | Naval fighter |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Supermarine |
| First flight | 27 July 1946 |
| Introduction | August 1950 |
| Retired | FAA: 1954 RNVR: 1957 PAF: 1964 |
| Primary users | Royal Navy Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Pakistan Air Force |
| Number built | 182 + 3 prototypes |
| Developed into | Supermarine Type 510 |
The Supermarine Attacker is a British single-seat naval jet fighter designed and produced by aircraft manufacturer Supermarine for the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA). It was the first jet fighter to enter operational service with the FAA.[1]
In order to rapidly introduce jet aircraft to Navy service, Supermarine proposed using the wing developed for their most advanced piston-powered design, the Supermarine Spiteful, with a new fuselage for the Rolls-Royce Nene engine. Performing its maiden flight on 27 July 1946, the flight testing phase of development was protracted due to several issues, including handling difficulties. The first Attackers were introduced to FAA service in August 1951.
Common to the majority of other first-generation jet fighters, the Attacker had a relatively short service life before being replaced; this was due to increasingly advanced aircraft harnessing the jet engine being rapidly developed during the 1950s and 1960s. Despite its retirement from front line service by the FAA during 1954, only three years following its introduction, the Attacker would be adopted by the newly formed Pakistan Air Force, who would continue to operate the type possibly as late as 1964.
- ^ Bingham 2004, p. 109.