Supermarine Spitfire

[Aussie Dave]

I. DEVELOPMENT:
The Supermarine Spitfire, designed by R J Mitchell, had its origins in the contest to win the Schneider Trophy - an annual air-speed competition in the 1920s and '30s that attracted enormous international interest. Mitchell's seaplane designs won the trophy on numerous occasions.

When the Air Ministry announced its desire for a new fighter aircraft in 1934, Mitchell decided to adapt his trophy-winning designs for military service.

The resulting aircraft's sleek, streamlined features were a testament to its air-racing lineage.
To meet the Air Ministry's demand for eight machine-guns, Mitchell had had to increase the size of the wing, resulting in an elliptical design that also improved manoeuvrability. He'd also modified the design to take advantage of the new Rolls Royce Merlin engine.
The prototype of the Supermarine Type F37/34, as it was then known, first flew in March 1936. The design met all of the RAF and Air Ministry's requirements (the aircraft's top speed of 348mph greatly exceeded their requirement), and an order was placed for 310 aircraft.
It was given the name Spitfire by the British Air Ministry.



II. ENTERED SERVICE:
The first Spitfire Mk.Is joined 19 Squadron of the Royal Air Force in August 1938.

By the outbreak of the Second World War, nine squadrons were equipped with the Spitfire. The aircraft saw its first combat in October 1939, shooting down a German bomber attacking shipping off Scotland.

Spitfire squadrons were not sent to France in 1939, but were kept at home to provide air defence. They became involved in heavy fighting over the Dunkirk area, during the dramatic evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force in June 1940, and were to prove vital in the contest for air superiority over England that followed.

During the intense air combat of July, August and September 1940, the Spitfire would prove itself a match for any German aircraft. It was adored by the pilots that flew it. Their only caveat was that it was a tricky aircraft to taxi, because of a narrow undercarriage and poor visibility - a high proportion of Spitfires were lost to accidents on the ground. But in the air, its natural domain, the Spitfire's speed, handling and eight .303 machine-guns (firing 160 rounds per second) made a lethal combination.

At the height of the Battle of Britain, RAF Fighter Command had 33 squadrons of Hawker Hurricanes, and 18 squadrons of Spitfires. The Hurricane accounted for more 'kills' than the Spitfire, and proportionately was shot down less than the Spitfire. The main reason for this was that Hurricane squadrons were often tasked with attacking enemy bombers, whilst Spitfires, because of their superior performance, engaged the German fighter escort. But it was the Spitfire that became the symbol of the Battle of Britain - not because it was more important than the Hurricane, but simply because it was better looking.


III. SPITFIRE VARIANTS
The Spitfire's superb, streamlined metal airframe was used to create a vast number of variants, that kept the Spitfire in operational service until the 1950s. The first update, the Mk.II with the improved Merlin XII engine, became available in June 1940, although very few squadrons got this until the Battle of Britain was over.

The next significant model was the Spitfire Mk.V, which entered service in late 1941. Apart from a superior power plant, the Mk.V could carry two 20 millimetre cannon alongside four .303 machine-guns. This gave the Spitfire much greater firepower (machine-guns fire bullets, whilst cannon fire explosive shells that have much greater destructive power).

In June 1942, just in time to counter the arrival of the German Focke-Wulf FW-190, the Spitfire Mk.IX became available. This had a four-bladed propeller attached to the Merlin 61 engine, and kept the two cannon and four machine-guns of the Mk.V.

The Mk.IX quickly became the mainstay of British fighter strength in Europe in the middle of the war - more than 7,000 were produced, accounting for nearly a third of all Spitfire production.

Later variants of the Spitfire were concerned with matching the latest engines to existing airframes, adjusting the aircraft wing for low or high flying (the Spitfire handled better at high altitude with an extended wing, whilst a squared-off wing worked better at low altitude), and developing photo reconnaissance versions. The Spitfire proved an excellent platform for camera work, stripped of defensive armour and weapons to give enormous speed and range. Another development of the Spitfire was the Seafire, an attempt to provide Fleet Air Arm with an effective carrier-based fighter.


Spitfire IA & IB Original production model with 1,030hp Merlin II, eight browning 0.303 in. machine guns (initially only four fitted because of short supply) or Mk IB two 20mm and four .303 machine guns.

Spitfire II Castle Bromwich aircraft with small minor changes and 1,175hp Merlin XII engine.

Spitfire III Experimental prototype (one only) with 1,280hp Merlin XX engine.

Spitfire IV Griffon prototype - same mark number used for 229 PR versions of Mark V.

Spitfire V Strengthened fuselage for 1,440hp Merlin 45 or 1,470 Merlin 50, drop tank and bomb provisions. F or LF span with A, B or C armament.

Spitfire VI High altitude interceptor with 1,415hp Merlin 47, pressurised cockpit and HF 40ft 2in pointed wings.

Spitfire VII High altitude interceptor with two stage Merlin 61, 64 or 71 engine, pressurised cockpit, retractable tailwheel, often with broad pointed rudder.

Spitfire VIII Two stage Merlin 61, 63, 66 or 70 engine, unpressurised, LF, F or HF wings.

Spitfire IX Temporary stop gap marriage of uprated two stage engine, Merlin 61, 63, 66 or 70 with the Mk V airframe. LF F or HF wings, B, C or E armament.

Spitfire X Pressurised version of PR-XI with Merlin 77 - one example with HF wing.

Spitfire XI Unarmed reconnaissance aircraft with Merlin 61, 63 or 70.

Spitfire XII Low level interceptor with single stage Griffon II or IV rated at 1,735hp, LF wing and B guns.

Spitfire XIII Low level PR aircraft based on Mk V but with Merlin 32 (three blade propeller of DH type - unlike other late Spitfires) Four .303 in guns.

Spitfire XIV Two stage Griffon 65 or 66, 2,050hp with five blade propeller and redesigned and strengthened airframe with symmetric deep radiators, broad tail and often teardrop canopy, F or LF span with C or E armament.

Spitfire XVI Basic Mk IX with Packard Merlin 266, F or LF span usually fitted with C or E armament and many fitted with teardrop canopy.

Spitfire XVIII Definitive fighter with two stage Griffon, F span, E guns, teardrop canopy and extra wing fuel. FR XVIII with rear fuselage reconnaissance camera (post war FR18)

Spitfire XIX Unarmed PR version, two stage Griffon and mostly pressurised.

Spitfire XX Single prototype rebuilt from MkIV and prototype MKVII

Spitfire 21 Redesigned airframe, mainly Griffon 61 or 64 with five blade propeller, 4 20mm guns.

Spitfire 22 Minor changes some with 2,375hp Griffon 85 and contra-propeller.

Spitfire 24 Minor changes, Spiteful tail and short barrel MkV cannon.

Seafire IB Navalised Spitfire Vb

Seafire IIC Catapult hooks and strengthened landing gear, Merlin 32 and four blade propeller.

Seafire III Double folding wing, Merlin 55M 1,585hp.

Seafire XV Single stage 1,850hp Griffon VI and asymmetric radiators as Spitfire XII, most with sting hooks and later versions with production teardrop canopy.

Seafire XVII As Seafire XV with teardrop canopy, often strengthened landing gear, some (FR17) with camera in place of rear tank.

Seafire 45 Same airframe as Spitfire 21, non folding wings, Griffon 61 (Five blade) or Griffon 85 (contraprop)

Seafire 46 As Seafire 45 with teardrop canopy, FR46 with rear fuselage camera and late production Spiteful tail.

Seafire 47 Folding wing, mostly hydraulic, 2,375hp Griffon 87 or 88 with contraprop and carburettor air inlet just below spinner, increased fuel capacity, all late production FR type with camera.

Spitfire development culminated in the Mk.24, entering service in 1946. By that stage, about 22,000 Spitfires had been built in over forty variants.

Wingspan: 36 ft 10 in (11.23 m)
Wing area: 242.1 ft² (22.5 m²)
Length: 29 ft 11 in (9.12 m)
Height: 9 ft 10 in (3.02 m)

Service Ceiling:
Mk Ia 32,000 ft (9,750 m)
Mk Vb 35,000 ft (11,300 m)
Mk IXe LF 41,500 ft (12,650 m)
Mk XIVe 44,500 ft (13,560 m)

[Jim O]

Great stuff Dave. Thanks for the lesson and the eye candy.

[lufttiger]

Love that first pic, you really did your home work too!

[Aussie Dave]

Originally Posted by lufttiger

Love that first pic, you really did your home work too!

Yeah, I thought the first picture was a suitable choice for the Spitfire name.
(It certainly does "spit fire".)

Cheers,
Dave

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Aussie Dave

Yeah, I thought the first picture was a suitable choice for the Spitfire name.
(It certainly does "spit fire".)

Cheers,
Dave

Outstanding post, Dave! You have some of the best Spit pics I've ever seen.

[McCoy]

Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IIa


Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Vb


Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX

[McCoy]

A paintin' that shows the mighty rollover manouver before a dive.

[mfg495]

Great post about an excellent aircraft. I wish to add a bit information on the reconnaissance variants.

The Story of the Spitfire as a photographic reconnaissance aircraft starts at the end of 1939, by which time operational experience with Blenheims and Lysanders used on photographic missions had shown that an aeroplane capable of flying much faster and higher was needed.

A special flight, christened the " Heston Special Flight," was formed, and was equipped with two Spitfires specially converted at RAE. Farnborough. With one F.24 camera mounted vertically in each wing these Spitfires did not prove satisfactory. The first, unsuccessful, sortie was made from a French base against Aachen on November 18, 1939; after a few more sorties the Flight returned to Heston on January 11, 1940.


Spitfire PR Mk1A about to leave on the first reconnaissance mission of WW2

Re-named No. 2 Camouflage Unit, the Flight studied its mistakes and the shortcomings of the Spitfire as then converted, and there was evolved the first of a series of Photographic Reconnaissance Spitfires, forerunners of the Spitfire P.R.MkXI, probably the most successful photographic aeroplane in the world.

The original R.A.E. modification was designated the Spitfire A; the next model, a service conversion made at Heston was the Spitfire B. One of the disadvantages discovered with the Spitfire A was the lack of range, so a 29-gallon fuel tank was introduced into the rear fuselage, behind the pilot, on the Spitfire B. One vertical camera was carried in a fairing beneath each wing; only a few Spitfire Bs were produced. At his point, the Heston Aircraft Co., Ltd., was asked to under-take the development work on the Spitfire, and to that company must go the credit for the ground work which eventually enabled the RAF, to obtain complete photographic coverage of enemy territory.

The first Heston Aircraft conversion was the Spitfire C, which for the first time used a vertical camera in the fuselage. The wing blisters were retained, but carried two cameras under the port wing, and additional fuel under the starboard wing. Extra oxygen was carried for maximum high altitude flying, and the 29-gallon rear fuselage tank was also retained. Next in line came the first variant used in appreciable numbers.

The Spitfire D, as it was designated, incorporated several important modifications; a fuel tank of 66 gallons capacity was fitted in the leading edge of each wing, which gave a total fuel capacity of 218 gallons, there being no rear fuselage tank. No cameras were carried in the wings, but two F 8 (20-in.), F.24 (20-in.) or F.24 (14-in.) were mounted in tandem in the fuselage; these were "split,' i.e., both were slightly off vertical so that two overlapping photographs were taken simultaneously, Other features were hot air camera heaters, glycol cockpit heater and extra oxygen. The additional petrol necessitated more oil being carried, and this was provided in a 14-gallon tank in a small teardrop fairing beneath the port wing. Records of the Spitfire E are incomplete. It was a modification jointly evolved by R.A.E. and Photographic Development Unit (which the Camouflage Unit had now become) at Benson, and apparently mounted a camera in each wing, and one for oblique shots in the fuselage side behind the pilot.

Almost concurrently with the Spitfire D, Heston Aircraft produced the Spitfire F, which allowed for the installation of one vertical F.8 (20-in.) camera, or two F.8 (20-in.) vertical split cameras, or two F.24 (20-in.) vertical and one F.24 (14-in.) oblique cameras. Oxygen economizers were fitted for the first time, and additional oxygen bottles were carried, one in each wing and one behind the rear fuselage tank.

The alphabetical designations were not in accordance with the standard form of notation of mark numbers. So the two models for production, the Spitfire D and Spitfire G, became in production. The Spitfire P.R.MkXI and Spitfire P.R.Mk.Vll (since D and G are the fourth and seventh letters of the alphabet respectively). Whereas the Spitfire A-G series had been powered by Merlin II, III or XII motors (being Spitfire I or II conversions), the Spitfire P.R.Mk.Vll, 229 of which were produced, had variously a Merlin 45, 46, 50, 50A, 55 or 56, and also provision was made in the production versions for an oblique F.24 camera.

Provision was made for tropicalization and a number of Spitfire P.R.Mk.IV's was used in the Middle East. The Spitfire P.R.Mk.Vll, which had no provision for tropicalization, was powered by a Merlin 45 or 46. The last Spitfire for which Heston Aircraft was responsible was the Spitfire P.R.Mk.XIII, a low-level fighting scout generally similar to the P.R.Mk.VII. Prior to starting conversion of Spitfire V's to XIIl's, Heston Aircraft modified the last two Spitfire Gs up to XIII standard, but fitted them with Merlin 45 motors.

The P.R.Mk.XIII was powered by a 1,620 h.p. Merlin 32 motor, driving a four-blade Rotol airscrew, and was armed in all cases with only four 0.303-in, machine-guns. It was the first P.R. type to have provision for a flat belly drop tank of standard Spitfire type, a 30-gallon tank being applicable, camera installation was two independent vertical F.24 (5-in.), (8-in.), (14-in.), (20-in.) or (20-in. Telephoto), and one port or starboard oblique F.24 (5-in.), (8-in.). (14-in.) or (20-in,). Instead of the cockpit teardrops, a balloon hood was fitted, and the windscreen was bullet proof. Only twenty-live Spitfire P.R.Mk.XIII's were produced, these all being converted by Heston Aircraft Co., Ltd., the first seven from Spitfire VAS and the last eighteen from Spitfire VBS.


Spitfire PR XI

The last and the greatest photographic reconnaissance variant of the Spitfire was the PRXIX.

It was powered by the Griffon 66 engine, with a max ceiling of 42,000ft. Its normal safe range was 1,160 miles, but this was extended to 1,550 miles by adding a 170 gallon overloaded drop-tank.

She could have a number of camera fits, listed below are the common ones:

1. Split pair of vertical F24 cameras with 14in or 20in lenses, one oblique F24 camera, fitted with either 8in or 14in lenses

2. Spilt pair of vertical F8 or F52 20in lens cameras.

3. Spit pair of vertical F52 36in lens camera

Some 225 models came off the assembly lines with production ending early 1946, but the aircraft was used in front-line photo reconnaissance service with the RAF until April 1954.



Spitfire PR XIX

In fact the last time a Spitfire PRXIX was used to perform an operation act was in 1963 when one was used in battle trials against an English Electric Lightning to determine if a RAF Lightning could take on a piston engined aircraft.
This information was required because the RAF jets might have to engage P-51 Mustangs in the Indonesian conflict of the time.

[Jim O]

Thank you so much for that excellent post Mick. Great info and photos.

[Wustenfuchs]

Amazing photos guys!! Best Spitfire pics I think I've ever seen!