Hubert Scott-Paine

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Hubert Scott-Paine (11 March 1891 – 14 April 1954) was a British aircraft and boat designer, record-breaking power boat racer, entrepreneur, inventor, and sponsor of the winning entry in the 1922 Schneider Trophy.

Early life

Hubert Paine was born in

In February 1919 Scott-Paine started the first cross-channel flying boat service, between Woolston and the Channel Islands and Le Havre, using converted Supermarine AD Flying Boats. His company was named the British Marine Air Navigation Co Ltd.

Schneider Trophy

After his failed 1919 attempt for the Jacques Schneider Trophy, Supermarine won the Trophy in 1922 with its Sea Lion II. This allowed Britain to win it outright years later.

Imperial Airways

In 1923 Scott-Paine sold Supermarine (for £192,000). In 1924 Imperial Airways was formed by the merger of Scott-Paine's British Marine Air Navigation Co Ltd and three other airlines. He was a director of Imperial Airways until 1939.

British Power Boat Company

The well-financed Scott-Paine now designed and raced power boats. In 1927 he bought the

In the 1930s the British Power Boat Company supplied seaplane tenders and armoured target boats to the Air Ministry, and tenders for Imperial Airways flying boats. T E Shaw (Lawrence of Arabia) assisted in the testing of these boats.

Although the factory was destroyed by fire in 1931, it was rapidly rebuilt and no contracts were lost.

Miss Britain III

During 1932 and 1933 Scott-Paine and Fred Cooper designed and built the single-engined Miss Britain III as a Harmsworth Trophy challenger. In a 1933 race Scott-Paine was narrowly defeated by the four-engined Miss America X.

In 1934 Miss Britain III set the world record for a single-engined boat of 110.1 mph. Miss Britain III is now on display at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich.

Motor torpedo boats

From 1933 Scott-Paine designed and built hard chine motor torpedo boats, and MA/SB anti-submarine boats, from 1935 having them accepted by the Admiralty.

Scott-Paine and George Selman designed and built a new 70-foot (21 m) private venture PV70, a seagoing MTB with three marinised Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. The boat was launched in 1938, but although no orders came from the Admiralty, orders were received from friendly governments.

PT boats

In 1939 agreement was reached with the American

The Canadian Power Boat Company was set up by Scott-Paine in 1940. This produced 39 boats, mainly MTBs.

After the passing of

In December 1944, Scott-Paine received a cheque for $200,000 with an accompanying letter of appreciation for his contributions made to the development of the PT boat from Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal. The money was from Elco and was brokered by legal teams, releasing Elco from any and all further liabilities concerning the license rights.

In 1945 all contracts at both the Canadian and British Power boat Companies were cancelled.

Scott-Paine was divorced in 1946 and married Margaret Dinkeldein, his secretary, in New York in the same year. His health had not been good for years and in April, two months later, he suffered a stroke.

In 1948 he was made an American citizen. Hubert Scott-Paine died at Greenwich, Connecticut, on 14 April 1954, aged 63.

Notes

References

• Pegram, Ralph (2016). Beyond the Spitfire – The Unseen Designs of R. J. Mitchell. Brimscombe Port: The History Press.
  ISBN 9780750965156
  .
• Rance, Adrian (1989). Fast Boats and Flying Boats. Southampton, England: Ensign Publications.
  ISBN 978-1-8545-5026-2
  .

• Electric Launch Corp records