Supermarine Baby

The Supermarine Baby (also called the Supermarine N.1B Baby) was a First World War fighter aircraft that was the earliest example of a single-seat flying boat fighter to be built in the United Kingdom. It was designed by Supermarine to meet a 1917 Navy Board specification which stipulated the aircraft have a speed of 95 knots (176 km/h; 109 mph), a ceiling of 20,000 feet (6,100 m), and be capable of being launched from ships at sea. When it first flew in February 1918 it was one of the smallest and fastest flying boats then in existence.

Supermarine's chief designer William Hargreaves based his design on the AD Flying Boat. The Baby was given folding wings, a streamlined hull and a 150 horsepower (110 kW) Hispano-Suiza engine. A single aircraft was built by the company which performed well during trials, and the aircraft was fitted with a more powerful engine in August 1918. A production contract was not awarded, as the Admiralty decided to operate the Sopwith Pup and Sopwith Camel fighters from aboard ships. One of the designs for the Baby formed the basis for other aircraft, including the Supermarine Sea Lion I which participated in the 1919 Schneider Trophy race. Supermarine's future chief designer Reginald Mitchell was probably involved in the Sea Lion's design and preparation for the contest.