Spitfire

The Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, using several wing configurations, and it was produced in greater numbers than any other British aircraft. It was also the only British fighter produced continuously throughout the war. The Spitfire continues to be popular among enthusiasts; about 54 remain airworthy, and many more are static exhibits in aviation museums throughout the world.

The Spitfire was designed as a short-range, high-performance interceptor aircraft by R. J. Mitchell, chief designer at Supermarine Aviation Works, which operated as a subsidiary of Vickers-Armstrong from 1928. Mitchell pushed the Spitfire’s distinctive elliptical wing designed by Beverley Shenstone to have the thinnest possible cross-section, helping give the aircraft a higher top speed than several contemporary fighters, including the Hawker Hurricane. Mitchell continued to refine the design until his death in 1937, whereupon his colleague Joseph Smith took over as chief designer, overseeing the Spitfire’s development through its multitude of variants.

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• Pros & Cons
  • Pros
    • High top-speed, high altitude
    • Capable of carrying bombs (Mk-V)
    • Eight .30-caliber machine guns
    • Good durability
    • Good power to weight ratio
    • Small turn radius
  • Cons
    • Small bomb load, not very effective against ships and ground targets
• Engine
  • Mk-IA:
    • Default: RR Merlin II  (1,030 hp)
    • Upgrade: RR Merlin X  (1,130 hp)
  • Mk-II
    • Default: RR Merlin XII  (1,135 hp)
    • Upgrade: RR Merlin XX  (1,480 hp)
  • Mk-V
    • Default: RR Merlin 45  (1,515 hp)
    • Upgrade: RR Merlin 50.M  (1,585 hp)
• Armament
  • Mk-IA:
    • Default: 8 x .30 cal machine guns
  • Mk-IIA:
    • Default: 8 x .30 cal machine guns
    • Upgrade: 2 x 20mm Hispano II cannons
  • Mk-V:
    • Default:
      • 4 x .30 cal machine guns
      • 2 x 20mm Hispano II cannons
    • Upgrade 1: 2 x 100 lb bombs
    • Upgrade 2: 2 x 250 lb bombs
    • Upgrade 3: 1 x 500 lb bombs
• Stats
  • Mk-IA:
    • Max speed: 367 mph (582 km/h)
    • Max dive speed: N/A
    • Durability: 700
    • Internal fuel capacity: 102 US gallons (386 litres)
    • External fuel capacity: N/A
    • Empty weight: 4,306 lb (1,953 kg)
    • Wing area: 242.1 ft² (22.5 m²)
  • Mk-IIA:
    • Max speed: 354 mph (570 km/h)
    • Max dive speed: N/A
    • Durability:  700
    • Internal fuel capacity: 102 US gallons (386 litres)
    • External fuel capacity: N/A
    • Empty weight: 4,541 lb (2,059 kg)
    • Wing area: 242.1 ft² (22.5 m²)
  • Mk-V
    • Max speed: 371 mph (597 km/h)
    • Max dive speed: N/A
    • Durability: 750
    • Internal fuel capacity: 102 US gallons (386 litres)
    • External fuel capacity: N/A
    • Empty weight: 4,963 lb (2,251 kg)
    • Wing area: 242.1 ft² (22.5 m²)
• Variants
  • Spitfire Mk-IA of 72 Squadron in the early stage of the war, in the typical pre-Battle of Britain paint scheme and configuration.
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  • Spitfire Mk-IIA of 41 Squadron in the early stage of the war, in the typical Battle of Britain paint scheme and configuration, operating from Catterick and Hornchurch
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  • Spitfire Mk-VB:
    • 302 (Polish) Squadron with the white stripes painted on the nose and the tailplanes, in the summer of 1942
    • 145 Squadron based in North Africa in 1942-43
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    • 132 Squadron (City of Bombay) in 1944 with the invasion stripes painted on june 4th. (Coming soon)
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  • Spitfire Mk-VB LF of 401 Squadron based in Redhill in 1943 (Coming soon)
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  • Spitfire Mk-VIII (Coming soon)
    • 136 Squadron (South East Asia Command), Cocos Islands, 1945.
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    • 457 Squadron RAAF, based in Morotai/Labuan, 1945.
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  • Spitfire Mk-IXC (Coming soon)
    • Commandant Jacques Andrieux of 341 Squadron based in Belgium, late 1944.
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    •  Squadron Leader McKay of 145 Squadron, early 1945.
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  • Spitfire Mk-XIV (Coming soon)
    • Squadron Leader Newbury, CO of 610 Squadron as of September 1944
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• Premiums:
  • Spitfire Mk-VB of Maj Levine, 4th Fighter Squadron 52 Fighter Group, based in Tunisia in 1943 (USAAF) – Coming soon
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  • Spitfire Mk-VC (USAAF)  – Coming soon
    • US Tunisia Robert Levine ‘Deathskull’
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  • Spitfire Mk-VC (RAF) – Coming soon
    • Standard RAF North Africa
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    • Standard RAF Far East (Trop)
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  • Spitfire Mk-VC (USSR) – Coming soon
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