The unsteady laminar thermal boundary-layer flow over an impulsively. started translating and spinning isothermal body of revolution in the case of mixed convection is investigated. Velocity components and temperature are obtained as series of functions in powers of time. The general results are applied to a spinning sphere and the development of the surface heat flux evaluated at the separation point as it advances upstream is determined. The surface heat flux evaluated at the separation point as it moves forward decreases due to the increasing magnitude and influence of the centrifugal force and it is augmented by the opposing flow and reduced by the aiding flow. Reduction of the surface heat flux at the separation point is as low as 50 per cent as compared to the heat flux at the front stagnation point. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.