In the Schneider Trophy race of 1926 both competing countries, Italy and the United States, had used military pilots.

[1] The Air Ministry therefore agreed to support a British team, with pilots drawn from the RAF, and so the High Speed Flight was formed at the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment Felixstowe in preparation for the 1927 race.

[2] For the 1927 competition, six aircraft, from three manufacturers, were taken to Venice: a pair of Supermarine S.5s, three Gloster IVs and a single Short Crusader.

The Treasury agreed to fund the aircraft for the next event but the Air Ministry objected initially to the use of serving pilots.

In March 1928, Samuel Kinkead made an attempt on the air speed record using a Supermarine S5.

[7] Rolls-Royce had now developed the supercharged R engine, giving Supermarine's designer R.J. Mitchell far more power for his new S.6 than the naturally aspirated Napier Lion VIIB of the S.5.

The Gloster VI had been withdrawn before the race, but Stainforth used it to set a new speed record the following day.

The official attitude after the 1929 victory was summed up by the Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, "We are going to do our level best to win again.

A wealthy benefactor, shipping heiress Lady Lucy Houston, offered to pay £100,000 towards its cost.

[9] Work then began on the record attempt, which suffered a setback when a minor accident led to S1596 sinking.

[10] In comparison, land speed records didn't achieve this for 15 years, until after the Second World War and John Cobb's Railton Mobil Special.