This page was last edited on 4 July 2023, at 20:24. The same conversion was used on F Mk XIVe Spitfires to make FR Mk XIVe Spitfires used exclusively by No. The wheels themselves were a new strengthened Dunlop AH10019 "four spoke" pattern, replacing the "five spoke" pattern used since the first Mk Is. All three used tricycle undercarriage with the primary engine being a Merlin with an alternative being the. Registered Charity No. The cut-down rear fuselage and bubble canopy, trialled on a Spitfire Mk VIII, was incorporated into very late production Mk IXs. As well as incorporating camera equipment, a wrap-around PR type windscreen was fitted and a larger oil tank was installed under the nose. [18][nb 4] The cockpit was pressurised in a similar way to that of the Mk VI, although the details were slightly different. Built at Castle Bromwich in the early part of 1944 she entered service with the famous No. These were used exclusively by No. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. [7] The F.S. For example, even relatively minor damage on the wing leading edges could drastically reduce top speed. 1,054 Spitfire Mk XVI's rolled off the production line at Castle Bromwich. With a 170 gal tank, the aeroplane could fly over 1,500mi (2,400km). Specifications for the Vb based floatplane included a maximum speed of 324mph (521km/h) at 19,500ft (521km/h at 5,943 m), a maximum rate of climb of 2,450ft/min at 15,500ft (12.45m/s at 4,724 m) and an estimated service ceiling of 33,400ft (10,180 m). Other changes to the airframe are noted above. [7], These were made for photo-reconnaissance Spitfires, including the PR Mk X and XI; no armament was fitted and the "D" shaped leading edges of the wings, ahead of the main spar, were converted into integral fuel tanks, each carrying 66 gallons. When both were full this enabled a ferry range of over 1,200 miles (1,900km), although they made the aircraft unstable in flight and only straight flight and gentle manoeuvres at low altitudes were recommended by the pilot's manual. On the wings the ailerons were reduced in span by 8.5 inches (220mm) outboard of the outer hinges. Work on a new wing for the Spitfire started in February 1942, and resulted in the wing used in the Mk 21 and later the Spiteful and Seafang.This new wing lost the gentle curve of the classic Spitfire wing, and was such a major change that the resulting aircraft was almost renamed the Victor. The Spitfire can also mount 2 x 250 lb bombs for destroying ground targets. Spitfire Mk IX & XVI $ 200.00. On these aircraft the rear fuselage tank capacity was limited to 66 gal. All saw limited service in 541 Squadron and 542 Squadron for high altitude reconnaissance. [41], Pending development of a dedicated Merlin 61 powered PR Spitfire (the Mk XI) at least three Mk IXs (BS338, BS339 and BS473) were taken off the production line and modified to carry two vertical cameras in the rear fuselage. Cooling system Water. [nb 5] The report said; The performance of the Spitfire IX is outstandingly better than the Spitfire V especially at heights above 20,000 feet. The radio installation was either the VHF TR.1133 or TR.1143 fitted with the "Rebecca" beam approach equipment. The exhaust units were changed to six "fishtail" stacks per side. An intercooler was mounted behind the engine, on the supercharger casing. The Type C wing was fitted as standard. 260 Mk XIs were powered by Merlin 61, 63 or 63A engines, while the remaining 211 used the high-altitude Merlin 70. The British Supermarine Spitfire was one of the most popular fighter aircraft of the Second World War. As a result, the later Seafire variants were usually heavier and, in the case of the Seafire XV/XVII and F. 47 series, they were very different aircraft to their land-based counterparts. [5] The first-stage impeller compressed the air-fuel mixture and this was then fed to the smaller second-stage impeller which further compressed the mixture. Extended, "pointed" wingtips were fitted to the Type C wings, increasing the wingspan to 40ft 2 in (12.2 m). Experience with this version led to the development and production of the pressurised version of the PR Mk XIX. Its story has been told repeatedly over the years, so I won't retell it here. ; (type 361) are the drawing board design numbers allocated by Supermarine.[10][11]. Spitfire LF Mk Vb of 316 (Polish) "Warszawski" Squadron. This also applied to the PR Mk Xs and most PR Mk XIs. High maneuverability in horizontal turns. [26][27] The first Mk IX was a modified Mk Vc AB505, which was tested by the Air Fighting Development Unit (AFDU) in April 1942. All Rights Reserved. In September 1941 the Spitfire Mk III prototype N3297 had been converted by Rolls-Royce at their Hucknall plant to take a Merlin 60, which had been specifically designed for use in the Wellington Mk VI high altitude bomber. Below 1500 m, it has an incredible climb rate, very good top speed and acceleration, great dive performance, and generally outmatches its opponents. An automatic valve allowed a maximum pressure differential of +2lb./sq.in. ; Difference between revisions of "Spitfire F Mk XVI" Based on figures taken from a trials report of the prototype taken at the. The Mk VI used the same airframe as the Mk V, but with a Merlin 47 engine, providing 1,415hp and a four bladed propeller. A. D. Baxter and C. W. R. Smith at Farnborough reviewed the 1940 work and concluded that it was practical but problems with drag and pressure loss were encountered and the V1 had been beaten before they were solved.[14]. Late production Mk IXs, in common with Mk XVIs introduced a new upper engine cowling which incorporated a distinct bulged top surface; this design was adopted for the Mk XVI to allow for the modified intercooler of the Packard Merlin 266, which had an integral header tank. "A Case For Standardisation: Puzzle of the Boost Gauge; British Unit an Anachronism: "Centibar" Suggested" (article and images). at 8 537 m 726 km/h. When the first Rolls Royce Griffon equipped Spitfires were tested it was obvious that a stronger airframe would be needed to harness the full power of the new engine. The first series of Spitfire Mk IXs retained the bay doors first used on Spitfire VCs; these incorporated large blisters to clear the feed motors of two Hispano cannons. On the 21st April and on his very first flight in TB 752, the Squadron 'C.O. Four of the IAC aircraft survived and two went on to join the warbird fleet in the 1970s and later. The canopy was double-glazed and used rubber tubing to create a proper pressure seal against the fuselage. The most distinctive feature of this version of the Spitfire was its . Tank tests were carried out at Farnborough, using a 1/7 scale model, it was found that the concept was basically sound, although the vertical tail surfaces would need to be enlarged to counterbalance the side area of the floats. Copyright 2020 Royal Air Force Museum Virtual Lecture Why did the West overestimate Russian military capabilities and why does this matter? "Spitfire: The History of Britain's Most Famous World War II Fighter." After the destruction of the main Itchen and Woolston works by the Luftwaffe in September 1940, all Supermarine manufactured Spitfires were built in a number of "Shadow Factories"; by the end of the war there were ten main factories and several smaller workshops which built many of the components. [6] At low to medium altitudes, the supercharger was in Moderate Supercharger or M.S. "Spitfires with Sea-Boots: The Floatplane Interlude". [4] To provide room for the belt feed system of the cannon, the inner machine gun bays were moved outboard to between ribs 13 and 14. [9] Finally, an extra radiator (mounted in the starboard radiator duct under the wing of the Spitfire) was used to dissipate the intercooler's excess charge heat. After a series of accidents to Mk Vs in 1942 the A&AEE concluded that the break ups were due to longitudinal-instability, resulting from incorrect loading of the aircraft on the squadrons causing the. [45], A policy change resulted in the pressurised PR variant of the Mk VII being renamed PR Mk X (type 387). A Spitfire V W3760 was fitted with a pair of floats 25ft 7 in (7.8 m) long, mounted on cantilever legs. [48], Additional slipper drop tanks could be fitted under the centre-section; in common with the Mk IX these could be 30, 45 or 90 gal capacity and, for the Mk XI, a tank of 170 gal capacity was also available. Great aviation gift ideas for all the family, Leave a gift that inspires future generations, Fascinating workshops to inspire the next generation, RAF Museum London, Grahame Park Way, Bachelor, Len J. The radiator and oil cooler were moved from under the wing to a duct under the fuselage. The most fundamental change made to the later Merlin (60, 70, 80, and 100 series) and Griffon engines (60 and 80 series) was the incorporation of a two-stage, two-speed supercharger, which provided a considerable increase in power, especially at higher altitudes. As a result, the maximum power generated by the Merlin 61 in F.S. A total of 1,054 Mk XVIs were built by Castle Bromwich. [48], The first Mk XIs were built in November 1942: from April 1944 production ran concurrently with the PR Mk XIX before ending in December 1944, when they were phased out in favour of the Mk XIX. [62] The British Supermarine Spitfire was facing several challenges by mid-1942. When carrying the 90 or 175 gal tank the aircraft was restricted, once airborne and at cruising altitude, to straight and level flight. - TB 752s Final Victory which is depicted in the superb painting by Michael Turner (prints of which are obtainable from the museum shop). Two Spitfire Mk IXs converted from Vcs were stripped of armour, the .303 Brownings and other equipment and repainted in a lightweight PRU blue finish. It was housed in a 48-by-30-by-15-inch (122cm 76cm 38cm) deep duct mounted on the fuselage centre line and resembled a third radiator. A PR Mk IX photographed the dams the day before the operation and photographed the Moehne Dam after the operation. [25], This variant served almost exclusively overseas in the Mediterranean, with the Desert Air Force and the USAAF, in the South West Pacific Area, with the Royal Australian Air Force and RAF and in the South-East Asian theatre with the RAF. ", This page was last edited on 30 April 2023, at 10:30. Air Ministry Specification F7/30 called for a 4 machine gun carrying fighter aircraft, capable of at least 250 mph, for which Vickers Supermarine submitted the Type 224. The Griffon powered variants are described in a separate article. ARMAMENT: 2 20 mm Hispano II cannon; 120 rpg, 2 0.50 in Browning M2 machine guns; 250 rpg. The first aircraft of the Spitfire type IX went into service with RAF No. These aircraft lacked the "wet wing" tanks, meaning that the PR Mk IX relied on drop tanks for extra range. After years of neglect 752 was removed to Manston in 1955 and stood for many proud years as station gate guardian - but sadly corroding away at an ever increasing rate. For example, the Merlin II and III which powered the Spitfire I produced a maximum of 1,030 hp (770kW) using the 87 octane aviation fuel which was generally available from 1938 through to 1941; from early 1940 increasing supplies of 100 octane fuel allowed the maximum power to be increased to 1,310hp (977kW) with an increased supercharger boost pressure, albeit for a maximum time limit of 5 minutes. As a matter of fact, the two M2s provide a significant increase in firepower. As with most of the Spitfire line, the Mk XVI possesses 2 x Hispano-Suiza Mk.II 20 mm cannons which are highly effective against most fighters, especially when utilising the "Air Targets" or "Stealth" belts. A light for the retractable tailwheel was mounted on the instrument panel, just below the main visual indicator. VII), the latter fitted with a Bendix-Stromberg "anti-g" carburettor. Problems with the licence-built engines limited introduction to front-line squadrons for several months. TB 752 is one of the few surviving Spitfires with a wartime record. The Supermarine Spitfire was a British single-engine, all-metal, low-wing monoplane fighter. This article adopts the convention of using Roman numerals for the Mks IXVI and Arabic numerals for the Mks 1724. [54], Other changes included external lifting points forward of and behind the cockpit and a spin-recovery parachute with a rudder balance-horn guard. In addition, the leg doors were slightly concave, allowing the undercarriage to sit lower in the wheel wells when retracted: this meant the upper wing skinning was free of the small bulge which had hitherto been necessary to clear the wheels. Weaponry is standard, except for the 2 x Browning M2 12.7 mm HMGs that replace the standard 4 x Browning .303 machine guns. All armament was removed and a PRU Blue finish applied. The air at higher altitudes weighs less per cubic centimetre than it does at sea-level. A Spitfire IX version equipped with the licence-built Merlin 266 engine, bubble canopy, and clipped squared-off wingtips. [22] Production of the Mk IX ended in April 1945 and, in combination with the Mk XVI this "compromise" was produced in larger numbers than any other Spitfire variant. The "2" was added as a prefix in order to avoid confusion with the engines, as they required different tooling. While early Mk VIIs were fitted with a detachable canopy, secured by four pilot-operated catches, later Mk VIIs were fitted with a "Lobelle"-type hood which opened by sliding backwards, as on non-pressurised versions of the Spitfire. When equipped with Universal or Stealth belts they provide excellent "soft" ground target dispatching performance while proving effective at setting fires due to their high incendiary content. Supermarine 312: This was the basic Spitfire Mk I adapted to take four 20mm Oerlikon cannon mounted in modified wings.
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