Britain Supermarine Spitfire Bob Hart September 25, 2006

This article is part of a continuing series by Bob Hart on the Best Fighter Aircraft of WWII. Feedback and discussion is welcome.

Max Speed:	448 mph
Climb rate:	4,580 ft per minute
Ceiling:	44,500 ft
Range:	460 miles
Loaded weight:	10,280 lbs
Armament:	Armament 4 x 20mm. (This weapon mix could vary.)
Top Aces:	Douglas Bader. Johnnie Johnson Robert Stanford-Tuck Clive 'Killer' Caldwell
** All stats for Mk XIV model **

The brilliance of the Spitfire lay in the marriage of the superb Merlin to a well designed airframe and a generous wing area. The elliptical wings would eventually number four different types, each suitable for different roles. The clipped wing version improved handling at lower altitudes in the later marques. Mitchell was intent on creating the best fighter available and drove himself to exhaustion resulting in his death at age 42.

Originally the Spitfire was armed with eight .303 calibre Brownings and though effective many pilots demanded a heavier, so from 1941 cannon armed variants entered service. The key to the Spitfire's success was it's superb handling capabilities and this attribute was widely admired by the pilots who flew against the Spitfire. With the introduction of the Messerschmitt Me-109f there were German pilots who claimed they could out turn the Spitfire, but it was not until the service introduction of the radial engine Fw-190 the Luftwaffe had a machine inherently superior to the British fighter in all aspects. The introduction of the Mk IX version redressed the balance somewhat and German pilots soon learned to give all Spitfires healthy respect.

Supermarine continued to improve the breed with a bewildering array of sub versions, over forty in total and late model Merlin powered Spitfires were produced concurrently with the Griffon powered series. From low altitude to 44,000 feet the various models of Spitfire were superior in many cases to the latest German fighters. The pilots who flew the Spitfire share a common bond of affection for the plane and a consistent compliment is the ease of flying it. And in combat ease of flying is a definite advantage.

By the end of the war, over twenty thousand Spitfires had been produced and though the Hawker Tempest was becoming more numerically important the Spitfire was still the premier fighter of the RAF. If there were any failings in the Spitfire it was two things it shared with it's old adversary the Messerschmitt Me-109, a short range which became problematic when the RAF went on the offensive in 1941.

Now the Spitfires were experiencing the same problems as the Me-109 did over Britain and though the introduction of drop tanks eased the situation, operational constraints remained. The other problem never entirely resolved was a weak undercarriage, which caused many accidents and casualties especially, to less experienced pilots.

The late war Griffon powered versions with bubbletop canopies were perhaps the best looking fighter of the war. But often looks belie the true nature of the beast, because these late models were powerful and lethal. Perhaps they were the best of one of the greatest fighter aircraft of the war.

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