AIRCRAFT OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN ROLLS ROYCE POWERED SPITFIRE HURRICANE FIGHTER PLANES OVER WEALDEN DISTRICT OF THIS GREEN AND PLEASANT LAND ENGLAND

SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE

The battle royal against crimnal injustices still present in the UK despite World War II

The Supermarine Spitfire

Powerplant: One 1,030 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin III twelve-cylinder liquid-cooled engine

Span: 36ft 11 in (11.25m)

Length: 29ft. 11 in (9.12m)

Max Speed:362 mph (584km/h) at 19,000 ft (5,790m)

Armament: Eight .303 in Browning machine guns mounted in wings

Accommodation: Pilot only

Recognition: Sleek, graceful fuselage, noticeably slimmer than the Hurricane. Domed canopy with a smaller, more angular fin. From below, the wings have a more 'pointed' shape housing the main undercarriage which has a narrow track.

HISTORY

The first order for 310 machines was placed three months later, followed by a further 200 the following year shortly before the tragic death of its designer at the age of 42. In April 1938 the Nuffield Organisation was awarded an order for 1,000 Spitfires to be built at a shadow plant planned for Castle Bromwich near Birmingham, and further orders in 1939 brought the number of aircraft on the order book to a total of 2,143 by the outbreak of war.

Between August and December 1938 No. 19 Squadron at Duxford was equipped with the Spitfire Mk.1. By the outbreak of war nine squadrons were fully equipped and two others were in the process of conversion. A total of 1,583 Spitfire Is were built. Deliveries of the Mk. II (basically a Mk. I powered by a 1,175-h.p. Merlin XII) began in June 1940, but widespread re-equipment with the new version did not commence until the following winter, and it was the Mk. 1 which bore the brunt of the fighting during the Battle of Britain; by July 7th nineteen Fighter Command Squadrons were operational with the type.

The Spitfire has always attracted more attention than the Hurricane, and is undoubtedly one of the most famous aircraft ever built. Its graceful lines combined with outstanding handling qualities to produce a "dream plane" extremely fast, and in comparison to contemporary types was second to none.

Spitfire - plan and elevations

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