| Supermarine Type 224 | |
|---|---|
 Model of the Supermarine 224 | |
| General information | |
| Other name(s) | Spitfire (not officially adopted) |
| Type | Fighter aircraft |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Supermarine |
| Designer | Team led by R. J. Mitchell |
| Owners | Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 1 |
| History | |
| First flight | 19 February 1934 |
| Fate | Destroyed in 1937 (target practice) |
The Supermarine Type 224 was a British gull-wing monoplane fighter aircraft designed by R.J. Mitchell at Supermarine in response to Air Ministry Specification F.7/30, which sought to introduce a new fighter to succeed the Gloster Gauntlet. The Type 224 was powered by a Rolls-Royce Goshawk engine, which used an experimental evaporative cooling system.
Problems with the cooling system, combined with its disappointing performance during trials, led to the Type 224 being rejected by the Air Ministry, a contract for production aircraft eventually going to the Gloster Gladiator. The type is nevertheless notable because Mitchell learnt lessons from its design that were to contribute to his success with the Supermarine Spitfire.