![[Plane]](images/rj_mitchell.jpg) |
| R J Mitchell |
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, and 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, after alternatives including Shrew and Shrike had been rejected. Mitchell himself didn't like the name, but the Air Ministry were pleased with its aggressiveness. Mitchell died from cancer in 1937.
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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.
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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 development culminated in the Mk.24, entering service in 1946. By that stage, about 22,000 Spitfires had been built in over forty variants.
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Spitfire
Mk. I |
Spitfire
Mk. V |
Spitfire
Mk. IX |
Spitfire
Mk. XIV |
| Entered service |
1938 |
1941 |
1942 |
1944 |
| Engine |
Rolls Royce
Merlin III
(1,030 hp) |
Rolls Royce
Merlin 45
(1,470 hp) |
Rolls Royce
Merlin 61
(1,720 hp) |
Rolls Royce
Griffon 65
(2,050 hp) |
| Top Speed |
362 mph |
374 mph |
416 mph |
448 mph |
| Armament |
8 x .303 MGs |
2 x 20mm,
4 x .303 MGs |
2 x 20mm,
4 x .303 MGs |
2 x 20mm,
4 x .303 MGs |
| Loaded Weight |
5,784 lb |
6,785 lb |
8,500 lb |
10,280 lb |
| Range |
395 miles |
395 miles |
450 miles |
403 miles |
| Bomb load |
x |
500 lb |
1000 lb |
1000 lb |
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| Battle of Britain day: Friday 15th September on The History Channel. Click here> |
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| Put your fighter skills to the test with our sensational Spitfire game. Play> |
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| Get up close and personal with the Supermarine Spitfire. More> |
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