Spitfire 12 O-clock high

Supermarine Spitfire


Supermarine Spitfire Mk I
The Spitfire Mk I came on the scene just in time to take a starring role in the Battle of Britain. Based on Reginald Mitchell's brilliant Supermarine floatplane racers, the Spitfire put the powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin V-12 into a slim and elegant airframe with elliptical wings that carried eight machine guns. The result was the equal of--some say superior to--the Messerschmitt Bf 109, its adversary in the Battle of Britain. The Spitfire Mk I had the speed and agility of a thoroughbred, and serious punch by the standards of 1940. However, like most other front-line fighters, it could be tricky if not handled with care or skill. Its long nose made S-turns the only way to see ahead while taxiing, and a relatively narrow undercarriage combined with powerful propeller torque made takeoffs and landings a handful. Most pilots who flew the Spitfire loved it, and swear to this day that it was a machine that somehow became an extension of the pilot's nerves and muscles.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk I
Weight: 4,810 / 5,784 lbs (2,182 / 2,624 kg)
Span: 36' 10" (11.23 m)
Length: 29' 11" (9.12 m)
Engine(s): Rolls-Royce Merlin III 12-cyl V liquid-cooled, 1,030 hp
Armament: Eight .303 Browning machine guns w/300 r.p.g.
Max Speed @ Altitude: 365 mph (587 km/h) @ 19,000 ft (5,795 m)
Ceiling: 34,000 ft (10,370 m)
Climb Rate: 2,530 ft (770 m)/min
Range: 395 mi (635 km)

Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX

The Spitfire was developed continuously throughout the war, through some 24 versions. Two major revisions of the original Spitfire were the 1,440-hp Mark V, of which some 6,464 were produced in 1941-1942, and the Mk IX, a model quickly cobbled together to meet the challenge of the newly emerging Focke-Wulf 190. The high-altitude version of the Mk IX was essentially a Mk V with a 1,710-hp Merlin 70 engine, capable of more than 400 mph. From 1942 to 1944 5,665 Mk IXs were built, and at war's end many were still in RAF service.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX
Weight: 5,800 / 7,500 lbs (2,636 / 3,409 kg)
Span: 36' 10" (11.23 m)
Length: 31' 4" (9.55 m)
Engine(s): Rolls-Royce Merlin 70 12-cyl V liquid cooled, 1,710 hp
Armament: Two 20 mm Hispano cannon, four .50 Browning machine guns
Max Speed @ Altitude: 408 mph (656 km/h) @ 25,000 ft (7,620 m)
Ceiling: 44,000 ft (13,420 m)
Climb Rate: 4,100 ft (1,250 m)/min
Range: 434 mi (698 km)

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