Supermarine Spitfire

přehled verzí
Supermarine Spitfire

version overview

Spitfire
K5054 - první prototyp, motor Rolls-Royce PV-XII (prototype Merlin)

Speed Spitfire - special speed version built to gain a speed record.

Spitfire Mk.I
Mk.I - the first serial aircraft with a double-bladed propeller
Mk.IA - engine Merlin II or III, armament 8 machine guns Browning caliber 7.7 mm, built 1566 pcs
Mk.IB - engine Merlin III, armament 2x cannon caliber 20 mm, later armament modified to 2x cannon and 4 machine guns caliber 7.7 mm, built a small series
PR Mk.IA - reconnaissance versions based on the Mk.I.

Spitfire Mk.II
Mk.IIA - engine Merlin XII, armament 8x machine gun caliber 7.7 mm, built 751 pcs
Mk.IIB - engine Merlin XII, armament 2x cannon and 4 machine guns caliber 7.7 mm, 170 pcs
Mk.IIC ( ASR Mk.II) - 49 pieces modified for rescue tasks
LR Mk.II - about 60 pieces were modified by installing a fixed additional tank under the wing modified to a long-range fighter
PR Mk.II - since 1941 designation for Spitfire PR Type B

Spitfire Mk.III
Mk.III - prototype with Merlin XX engine, due to lack of engines unbuilt version as standard, 1 pc
PR Mk.III - since 1941 designation for Spitfire PR Type C

Spitfire Mk.IV
Mk.IV - prototype version with a new Griffon IIB engine, 2 pcs, later redesignated Spitfire Mk.XX
PR Mk.IV - Merlin 45 or 46 engine, reconnaissance version, 229 pcs, designation also used for Spitfire PR Type D

Spitfire Mk.V
F Mk.VA - Merlin 45 engine, armament of 8 Browning machine guns caliber 7.7 mm, 94 pcs
F Mk.VB - engine Merlin 45, 46,50, 50A, 55 or 56, armament 2x cannon and 4x machine gun caliber 7.7 mm, 3923 pcs
F Mk.VC - engine Merlin 45, 46,50, 50A, 55 or 56, universal wing for armament: 8x machine gun, 2x cannon and 4x machine gun, 4x cannon, 2477 pcs
LF Mk.VB / C - engine Merlin 45M, 50M and 55M, engines had highest performance at low altitudes, some machines had a shortened span
PR Mk.V - since 1941 designation for Spitfire PR.Type E

Spitfire Mk.VI
HF Mk.VI - Merlin 47 engine, extended range, armament 2x cannon and 4x machine gun caliber 7.7 mm, 97 pcs
PR Mk.VI - since 1941 designation for Spitfire PR. Type F

Spitfire Mk.VII
HF Mk.VII - Merlin 64 engine, extended range, armament 2x cannon and 4x machine gun caliber 7.7 mm, 141 pcs
PR MK.VII - since 1941 designation for Spitfire PR.Type G

Spitfire Mk.VIII
F Mk.VIII - engine Merlin 61, engine optimized for medium heights, armament 2x cannon and 4x machine gun caliber 7.7 mm, a total of 1658 pcs version MK.VIII
LF Mk.VIII - Merlin 66 engine, engine optimized for small heights - some machines had a shortened span, armament 2x cannon and 4x machine gun caliber 7.7 mm
HF Mk.VIII - Merlin 70 engine, engine optimized for high altitudes - extended range, armament 2x cannon and 4x machine gun caliber 7.7 mm, 160 pcs

Spitfire Mk.IX
Mk.IX - first serial version, Merlin 61 engine
Since several versions of Merlin engines began to be used in the version, it was necessary to differentiate them from each other, from 1943 the designation began to be used:
F Mk.IXC (unofficially Mk.IXA ) - engine Merlin 61 and 63, armament 2x cannon and 4x machine gun caliber 7.7 mm (wing "C"), engines optimized for a height of 8500 m
LF MK.IXC (unofficially Mk.IXB ) - engine Merlin 66, armament 2x cannon and 4x machine gun caliber 7.7 mm (wing "C"), engines optimized for a height of 6700 m
HF Mk.IXC - Merlin 70 engine, armament 2x cannon and 4x machine gun caliber 7.7 mm (wing "C"), engine optimized for high altitude
F / LF / HF Mk.IXE - corresponding to previous versions, new wing type E with armament 2x cannon caliber 20 mm and 2x machine gun caliber 12.7 mm, a total of 5710 pcs version Mk.IX

FR Mk.IX - several machines adapted for fighter-reconnaissance tasks by adding cameras behind the cockpit

T Mk.IX / TR.9 - several pieces of the Mk.IX version were converted to a two-seater, training variant

Spitfire Mk.X
PR Mk.X - Merlin 77 engine, reconnaissance version, 16 pcs

Spitfire Mk.XI
PR Mk.XI - Merlin engines 61.63, 63A and 70, reconnaissance version based on Mk.IX

Spitfire Mk.XII
F Mk.XII - Griffon III or IV engine, armament 2x cannon and 4 machine guns caliber 7.7 mm (wing "C"), most aircraft had a shortened range, 101 pcs

Spitfire Mk.XIII
PR Mk.XIII - Merlin 32 engine, armament 4x machine gun caliber 7.7 mm, 26 pieces rebuilt from versions of the main Mk.II and V

Spitfire Mk.XIV
F Mk.XIVC / E - engine Griffon 65 and 85, armament 2x cannon and 4x machine gun caliber 7.7 mm (wing "C") or 2x cannon caliber 20 mm and 2x machine gun caliber 12.7 mm (wing "E"), some aircraft had a shortened range
FR Mk.XIV - fighter-reconnaissance version, armament preserved, added photo cameras to the fuselage.
The aircraft of the last production series had a lowered fuselage and a teardrop-shaped canopy of the cockpit, a total of 957 pieces were built.

Spitfire Mk.XVI
Mk.XVIC a LF Mk.XVIE - Packard Merlin 266 engine, optimized for small and medium heights, wing type "C" or "E", 1055 pcs
Machines with later production had a lowered fuselage and a teardrop-shaped canopy.

Spitfire Mk.XVIII
F Mk.XVIII - Griffon 65 engine, modified wing construction (type "E"), total 300 pcs
FR MK.XVIII - Fighter-reconnaissance version

Spitfire Mk.XIX
PR Mk.XIX - Griffon 65 and 66 engine, reconnaissance version, 225 pcs

Spitfire Mk.XX
Mk.XX - redesignation of Mk.IV prototypes, tested with various engines

Spitfire Mk.XXI
F Mk.XXI - Griffon 61 engine, modified wing and fuselage, armament 4x 20 mm cannon, 122 pcs

Spitfire Mk.22
F Mk.22 - Griffon 61 or 64 engine, identical to Mk.XXI - drop-shaped cab cover, 278 pcs

Spitfire Mk.24
F Mk.24 - Griffon 64 engine, drip cab, 27 pcs + 27 pcs rebuilt from version Mk.22

A total of 20,351 (according to wikipedie.org) Spitfires of all versions were built.



Sources:
Berger, Pavel - Svoboda, Zdeněk: Spitfire fighters with Griffon engine, Our Army, Prague 1994
Kolesa, Vaclav - Vraj, Mojmir: Supermarine Spitfire Mk.V, Zlinek, Zlin 1997
Hurt, Zdeněk: Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I-II, Our Army, Prague 1993
Price, Alfred: Spitfire Mark I / II Aces 1839-41, Osprey Pub., Oxford 2005
Price, Alfred: Spitfire Mark V Aces 1941-45, Osprey Pub., Oxford 1998
Price, Alfred: Late Marque Spitfire Aces 1942-45, Osprey Pub., Oxford 2000
Price, Alfred: Supermarine Spitfire, Monograph Part 1, Intermodel, Hostomice 1998
Price, Alfred: The Spitfire Story, Casell Book, London 2002
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Supermarine-Spitfire-t15651#339734 Version : 0
Spitfire development after Mk.IX version

On March 5, 1936, a prototype fighter, designed to the specifications of the British Ministry of Aviation (F37 / 34), took off from the Supermarine factory airport in Eastleigh for its first flight. It was powered by an in-line twelve-cylinder V Rolls-Royce Merlin C. The aircraft of progressive aerodynamic shapes, named Spitfire, was the work of the leading designer Supermarin Reginald J. Mitchell, from whose board emerged during the 1920s and 1930s excellent racing seaplanes S-4, S-5 and S-6. The prototype Spitfire achieved promising results during test years. During one such flight, he reached a speed of 558 km / h at an altitude of 5260 m. After the tests, Supermarine proceeded to the serial production of Spitfires marked Mk.I, based on an order from the Air Ministry.

The production of all-metal aircraft, consisting of a number of intricately shaped components, lagged behind the production of fighters Hawker Hurricane Mk.I, simpler to manufacture, covered for the most part with canvas. Subsequent war events tested the true qualities of the aircraft, especially during the Battle of Britain, when they were rivaled by the German Air Force Messerschmitt Bf 109 E, powered by Daimler-Benz DB 601A engines with direct fuel injection into the cylinders. Merlins II and III used in Spitfires Mk.I were at a disadvantage in this respect.

In June 1940 began production of a newer version of the Spitfire Mk.II with Merlin XII. Although it reached a higher speed (about 25 km / h), it did not make a significant impact. The Spitfire Mk.II was actually a transitional type and was relatively short-lived in the armament of RAF fighter units. At the beginning of 1941, a new, faster, more powerful and finally the most widespread version of the Spitfire Mk.V. The original temporary production of aircraft consisted of the incorporation of Merlin 45 engines into the kites of Spitfires Mk.I and Mk.II. Higher speed, access and maintained high maneuverability were the basis of the success of the Spitfire Mk.V. The usual wing armament in the Mk.V version consisted of two 20 mm cannons and four 7.7 mm Browning machine guns (Spitfire Mk.VB). In 1942, Spitfires Mk.VC followed with a universal wing, which allowed the installation of various types of armament: eight machine guns caliber 7.7 mm, 2 cannons and four machine guns or four cannons, two in each half of the wing. Of all the Spitfires, the Mk.V version was produced the most - 6494. The machines were manufactured until the end of the war and underwent several modifications. The most important was the installation of Merlin 45M, 50M and 55M engines with the highest power at low altitudes. It was with them that the RAF embarked on large-scale daily offensive operations over Nazi-occupied territory. Especially in 1942 and 1943, the Spitfires Mk.V bore the brunt of the operational activities of the fighter aircraft. They were also the first fighter spitfires to be deployed on battlefields in Africa, Malta, Australia and Burma.

The year 1941 brought a serious problem for the RAF on the Western Front. In September, the Nazis began to arm their units on the Western Front with new machines - Focke-Wulfy Fw 190 A-1, which exceeded the Spitfires Mk.V speed (almost 40 km / h) in all levels. Even during the ascending and dive flight, they had a considerable advantage. German pilots with them attacked RAF air formations and successfully escaped due to greater speed.

The situation could now be saved only by the arrival of a more powerful engine, built into a fighter of a proven type. The development of such an engine took place since 1941 at the Rolls-Royce company and promised performance of the required level. R.R. The Merlin RM6SM, later known as the Merlin 60, was actually the first engine in this series to be equipped with a two-stage and two-speed compressor with which it achieved uniformly high performance even at altitudes above 10,000 m.Although it was used to drive high-altitude Spitfire Mk.VII, he eventually found himself in high-altitude bombers Wellington Mk.VI. However, based on the "sixties" was a modification for fighter aircraft, designated Merlin 61. In October 1941 powered the prototype of the engine Spitfire Mk.III N3267 and during test flights with it, the aircraft achieved remarkable performance. At an altitude of 8940 m, it reached a maximum speed of 662 km / h and its reach was 13,740 m. The achieved results led both to the start of production of Merlins 61 and to the realization of serial production of Spitfires for which the engine was designed. In order to speed up development work, Supermarine sent serial Spitfires Mk.VC numbers AB196 and AB197 to the Rolls-Royce Research Center in Hucknall in early 1942. Here, the aircraft reinforced the fuselage longitudinals and installed Merliny 61, powered by four-bladed Rotol propellers. Under each half of the wing, the machines had an equally large rectangular cooler. The new Spitfire Mk.IX came out of the resulting combination. The aircraft underwent thorough tests and the knowledge gained led to interventions in the planned serial production, which began in March 1942. It was decided that the initial production of Spitfires Mk.IX will be used kites Spitfires Mk.V with reinforced fuselage structure, adapted for Merlin 61. This temporary the measure is in line with the creation of the Spitfire Mk.V. The hulls of previous versions were also used.

For the Merlin 61, the development of a high-altitude fighter Spitfire Mk.VII and its classic fighter version of the Spitfire Mk.VIII. Both types had a differently designed hull, which delayed their introduction into service.

On April 26, 1942, engineers from Hucknal delivered to the RAF Research Center in Duxford a prototype of the Spitfire Mk.IX AB505, equipped with a C-type wing. Tests showed that the new type is much better and outperforms the Spitfire Mk.V in almost all directions, especially at altitudes above 6500 m. The Spitfire IX reached much higher speeds and was exceptionally good in ascending flight. He managed to maneuver up to 9850 m with the Spitfire Mk.V and completely surpassed his predecessor above this height. When flying at an altitude of 12,500 m, the machine reached a speed of 588 km / h while maintaining its combat qualities. Tests of the Spitfire AB505 continued in July 1942 with comparative tests with the captured Fw 190 A and was in favor of a British aircraft.

Independently of these tests, the first Spitfires left the production line as conversions of Spitfires Mk.V. These are mainly aircraft of the AB, BR, BS and EN production series. In June 1942, the 64th Squadron, operating from Honchurch Base, was the first to take over the Spitfires Mk.IX. The 611st Squadron receives them in July and the 401st in August, along with the 402nd Canadian Squadron. Production has been rising successfully since July. The manufacturer handed over 38 machines to the RAF in August and 58 in September. The plants supplied a total of 280 Spitfires Mk.IX, converted from Spitfires Mk.VB and Mk.VC. At the end of 1942, RAF fighter squadrons of pure Spitfires Mk.IX, based on newly built production lines, began to appear, with a number of small hidden deviations. In June 1943, the production of "nines" was stopped at the Vickers-Armstrong Supermarine plant in Woolston, where they built 561 machines. At that time, production was already running at full capacity in Vickers' new plant in Castle Bromwich, reaching a total of 5,104 aircraft.

Further development work on this type was to give the fighter aircraft a machine of various combat use, as already indicated by some modifications of the Spitfires Mk.V. Other versions of the Merlin engine, namely the 63 and 66, also began to be fitted to the aircraft.Because of the need to distinguish Spitfires using different engines, their official markings took place in 1943:
F Mk.IXC (unofficially Mk.IXA ) - engine Merlin 61 and 63, armament 2x cannon and 4x machine gun caliber 7.7 mm, engines optimized for a height of 8500 m
LF MK.IXC (unofficially Mk.IXB ) - Merlin 66 engine, armament 2x cannon and 4x machine gun caliber 7.7 mm, engines optimized for a height of 6700 m
HF Mk.IXC - engine Merlin 70, armament 2x cannon and 4x machine gun caliber 7.7 mm, newly manufactured version with an engine optimized for high altitude.

English abbreviations mean: F (Fighter) - classic fighter variant, LF (Low-Altitude Fighter) - fighter designed for small and medium altitudes, HF (High-Altitude Fighter) - Fighter for operation at high altitudes. The unofficial designations Mk.IXA and B can be found in the records of units before 1943, which distinguished machines with different engines.

The designation of the aircraft closed the listing of the wing used, marked with a letter. The Spitfires Mk.IX used a universal wing C, which allowed the installation of armament as was the case with the wing C version Mk.V, but only a combination of 2 cannons and 4 machine guns was used.

At the beginning of 1944, a new type E wing appeared. The type E wing underwent a number of changes compared to its predecessors. The most serious was the abandonment of the rigidly enforced small-caliber machine guns caliber 7.7 with a small range and their replacement by a 12.7 mm Browning machine gun. The E-wing had two large Browning machine guns as standard, along with two 20 mm cannons. Its equipment also included two bomb hangers, each of which could carry 226 kg of bombs. The wings were already all-metal.

The text comes from the edition: Triad - Illustrated History of Aviation (Avia BH-21; Jak-15,17 and 23; Spitfire Mk.IX and XVI) by Jan Krumbach, Jiří Vraný, Zdeněk Hurt - 1986
Edited with:
Price, Alfred: Late Marque Spitfire Aces 1942-45, Osprey Pub., Oxford 2000
Price, Alfred: Supermarine Spitfire, Monograph Part 1, Intermodel, Hostomice 1998
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Supermarine-Spitfire-t15651#184691 Version : 0
Discussion post Fact post
Attachments


Join us

We believe that there are people with different interests and experiences who could contribute their knowledge and ideas. If you love military history and have experience in historical research, writing articles, editing text, moderating, creating images, graphics or videos, or simply have a desire to contribute to our unique system, you can join us and help us create content that will be interesting and beneficial to other readers.

Find out more