Spitfire (1938-59)

FOR PHOTOS CLICK ON THUMBNAILS

The Spitfire must surely be the best known of the RAF's fighters of World War Two, but it may not be widely known that later versions were in service with the RAF until 1959. The Spitfire was designed by R J Mitchell to specification F.37/34 for an eight gun fighter with a speed of not less than 275 mph. The prototype was built in a remarkably short time and first flew on 5 March 1936.

Spitfire prototype K5054 at Martlesham Heath

The type entered squadron service with 19 Squadron from August 1938 and its Merlin II or III engine conferred a top speed of 362 mph. This brief reference to the initial version is given solely to put the Mark V and later variants which served after the War into some context. By the end of 1945 the Marks I (Type 300),II (Type 329), IV (Type 353) and VII (Type 351) were out of service completely. The Mark III was intended to incorporate improvements but was not developed. Some Marks were allocated to second-line units only, but in its Mark IX, XIV and XVI form the Spitfire was the primary day fighter, yet to be eclipsed by the new jet types.

Spitfire IA X4474/QV-I of 19 Sqn in 1940

Spitfire I PR X4492 of the Photographic Development Unit in 1940

Spitfire IIB P8348/NS-Y of 52 OTU

Spitfire III N3297 with standard wings

Spitfire IV BP888 at Benson

Mark V The Type 349 was essentially a Mark I or II with fuselage strengthened to accommodate the Merlin 45 engine. Other changes included metal covered ailerons and numerous minor improvements added in the course of production. The V came in three main versions but the VA with eight machine-gun armament was out of service by September 1945. The VB had an armament of four .303 machine guns and two 20mm cannon while the VC had the universal wing which would take two or four cannon and four machine guns. There was provision for the carriage of 500lb of bombs. Many of each variant of the Mark V were equipped with deep beard tropical filters for service in the Middle East and each variant was also produced with wings clipped from 36'10" to 32'2" for low altitude work. The Mark V was produced in greater numbers than any other version, some 6,487 new-build machines being supplemented by a large number of Mark I and II conversions.

Service (post 1945) ASR/Met 269; 1413, 1414, 1415, 1563, 1564, 1566, 1567 Met Flts; Calibration 527 Training 203 AFS; 1686, 1687, 1688 BDTF; CCFATU; 61 OTU

Spitfire VB ??623/S

AB910 of the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight as ZD-C of 222 Sqn

Mark VI The Type 350 was a high altitude version of the Mark V with wing-span extended to 40'2" and a pressurised cabin. The Merlin 47 drove a four-blade airscrew, which remained the standard until the introduction of five-blade screws on the Griffon-engined Mark XIV.

Service (post 1945) Meteorology 519

Mark VI clearly showing wing planform

As mentioned above, the photo-reconnaissance Mark VII (Type 351) was out of service by 1946.

Mark VII AB450

Mark VIII The Type 359 preceded the Mark IX on the drawing board but entered service later. The Mark VII, outside the scope of this book, improved on the Mark VI by the fitting of a Merlin 61 and a retractable tailwheel; later versions had a wider chord rudder. The Mark VIII was the medium/low altitude version of the Mark VII without pressurisation; a total of 1,658 was built. Armament fit now included provision for one 500lb and two 250lb bombs and top speed was 408 mph compared to 357 mph for the Mark V. All aircraft of this version were fitted with unobtrusive tropical filters in production and by 1946 the Mark VIII equipped units in the Middle and Far East only. The last RAF Mark VIII departed 253 Sqn in December 1947.

Service (post 1945) Fighter 20, 92, 136, 152, 155, 253, 273 Meteorology 1563 Met Flt

Spitfire Mk VIII JC204

Mark IX The Type 361 was moved swiftly into production to meet the threat of the FW 190. Whereas the lineage of the Mark VIII was through the VI and VII, the Mark IX was an upgraded Mark V, many of which were production-line or retrospective conversions of the Mark V to the later specification. Engine and performance were similar to those of the Mark VIII, although the tailwheel was fixed. The Mark IX came in three forms in respect of altitude, the LF with clipped wings, the standard span medium altitude fighter and the HF with standard wingspan but the Merlin 70 engine. By now the eight machine gun armament had been superseded by combinations of machine gun and cannon or cannon alone. Variants of the Mark IX were fitted with the B, C and E wing, the latter accommodating two 20mm cannon and two .5 calibre machine guns. Some later models had the broad-chord rudder, cut-down rear fueslage and tear-drop canopy. 5,665 of this popular version of the Spitfire were built from new and its final operational service with the RAF was with 73 Sqn whose last aircraft were withdrawn in May 1948.

Service (post 1945) Fighter 32, 43, 72, 73, 87, 111, 129, 130, 164, 165, 208, 225, 234, 318 Army Co-operation 288 Meteorology 1401 Met Flt Training 61, 80 OTU Other 18 APC; CFE; 12 GCF

Spitfire Mk IX MK264/ZF-R of 308 Sqn

Preserved ML417 in invasion stripes as 21-T of 443 Sqn showing the distinctive clipped wings

Mark X The Type 362, like the Mark VIII, was produced out of sequence. It was a pressurised Mark XI, unarmed for photographic reconnaisance, and fitted with the Merlin 77. It was distinguished by a deeper nose for an enlarged oil cooler. Only sixteen were built.

Service (post 1945) Photo-reconnaissance 541

Mk X MB789

Mark XI The Type 365 was the photo-reconnaisance version of the Mark IX with the same engine. Armament was replaced by cameras in three fits. The X fit was two F.8 cameras with 20in lens, the Y fit one F.24 camera with 14in lens and the Z fit one F.52 camera with 36in lens. Production was 471 plus some Mark IX conversions.

Service (post 1945) Photo-reconnaisance 2, 26, 541, 681 Meteorology 1401, 1561, 1562 Met Flts Training 237 OCU; 8 OTU

Spitfire Mk XI in invasion markings

The fighter Mark XII (Type 366) and photo-reconnaissance Mark XIII (Type 353) were out of service by 1946.

First Griffon Spitfire - Mk XII trials aircraft MB878 with 500lb bomb

Prototype PR Mk XIII L1004

Mark XIV The Type 379 was the second of the Griffon engined Spitfires; the first, the Mark XII was out of service by 1946. For some time it had been intended to fit the more powerful engine and the prototype, built to specification F.4/40, first flew in 1941. The variant was essentially the Mark VIII with the Griffon 65 or 67, with the camshaft and supercharger gear moved forward in order to keep overall length broadly the same as in the Merlin engined versions. Notwithstanding the modification to the engine, the Mark XIV was longer than the Mark IX by 1½ ft. The five-blade airscrew had a larger spinner and the added length was compensated for by a larger fin and rudder. The fuselage contours changed on the nose with fairings on either side to accommodate the cylinder blocks. As with later models of the Mark IX for better all-round vision the rear fuselage was cut down and a tear-drop canopy fitted, albeit at the expense of slight deterioration in directional stability. Some aircraft had the clipped wing for low altitude work, including a number of the FR variant which were equipped with an obliquely mounted F.24 camera. Apart from the four 20mm Hispano cannon there was provision for one 500lb bomb or mark IX rocket projectiles. Service (post 1945) Fighter/FR 2, 11, 16, 17, 20, 26, 28, 41, 132, 411, 412, 416, 443, 451, 600, 602, 607, 610, 611, 612, 613, 615 Training 203 AFS; 226 OCU; 61 OTU Other CGS

Mk XIV TP330/GZ-G of 32 Sqn in Palestine

Mark XVI The Type 380 was the next Spitfire variant; the Mark XV was a Seafire. This final Merlin version of the Spitfire was similar in all essential features to the Mark IX but fitted with a US build Packard Merlin 266. At one stage the production line was delivering both marks depending on which engine was to hand. Like some late model Mark IXs some XVIs had the cut-down rear fuselage and rear-view canopy. The last Merlin engined Spitfire XVIs in RAF front-line service were withdrawn from 63 Sqn in May 1948 but the type continued in service with the RAuxAF until June 1951 (612 Sqn) and well into the mid-fifties with second-line or training units.

Service (post 1945) Fighter 19, 63, 65, 126, 164, 302, 308, 317, 349, 350, 443, 501, 601, 603, 604, 609, 612, 614; AAC 5, 17, 20, 21, 287, 567, 577, 587, 595, 631, 691, 695 Communications 31; FCCRS; FCCS; 12, 13, 21 GCF; HCCS; MCS; MCCS; RCCS Training 202, 203 AFS; 1689 FPTF; 101, 102, 103 FRS; 226, 236 OCU; 6, 10, 17, 61, 111 OTU; 7, 17 SFTS; 1380 TSCU Other 11 AGS; 2 APS; BCIS; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 CAACU; CBE; CFS; CGS; CRS; EAAS; EANS; 1 OFU; 1 PRFU; 5 PAFU; SLAW; 1353 TTF

Spitfire LF Mk XVI RW396 JWL-F of the Central Gunery School

TD248 in post-war markings of 41 Sqn

Mark XVIII The Type 394 was the next Spitfire variant, the XVII being allocated to the Seafire. This Mark was a XIV but with a new wing with increased fuel capacity. All had clear-view canopies and 300 were built of which 200 were fighter-reconnaisance variants fitted with one oblique and two vertical F.24 cameras. Production was barely under way before the war ended. In the Far East, with 60 Sqn, the FR18 flew the last RAF Spitfire fighter sortie on 1 January 1951 with an attack on a terrorist hideout in Johore.

Service (post 1945) Fighter 11, 28, 32, 60, 81, 208 Training 203 AFS; 1335 CU; 226 OCU; 61 OTU Other CFE; ECFS; FECS; 2, 4 FP; FCCRS

Mark XVIII NH872 trials aircraft

Mark XIX The Type 389 was a Griffon-engined hybrid for unarmed photographic reconnaisance tasks. It was built around a Mark XIV fuselage with the Mark Vc wing; engine was a Griffon 66. The Mark XIX, of which 225 were built, entered service with 541 Sqn in June 1944 and was finally withdrawn from front-line units in June 1951 (2 Sqn). The version was the last Spitfire Mark to fly in British military markings when the remaining three aircraft of the Temperature and HUMidity (THUM) Flight at Woodvale were withdrawn in June 1957. All three are now operated by the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Service (post 1945) Photo-reconnaissance 2, 31, 34, 81, 82, 541, 681 Meteorology THUM Flt Training 226, 237 OCU

Spitfire PR Mk 19 PS925/6C-X of the PRDU

The RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Griffon-engined PM631 in SEA markings

F Mark 21 The Type 368 (the Mark XX was the Mark IV renumbered and not built) introduced a new strengthened wing of subtly different planform with the span increased by 1". The original fuselage profile and canopy was retained and armament fixed at four 20mm cannon. Powerplant was the Griffon 61 or 64, although some later aircraft were fitted with the Mark 85 driving contra-rotating propellors. Late production aircraft were also fitted with a 24 volt electrical system. The undercarriage was strengthened to cope with a greater all-up weight. The F21 entered service just as the war in Europe was ending.

Service (post 1945) Fighter 1, 41, 91, 122, 600, 602, 615 Army co-operation 595 Training 226 OCU Other AFDU; 3 CAACU; FLS; 2 FP; HCCS; TFU

Mark IV/20 prototype DP845

Spitfire F Mk 21 LA269/LO-M of 602 Sqn

F Mark 22 The Type 356 was simliar to the F21 but with a cut-down rear-fuselage and tear-drop canopy. Some later models were fitted with a larger fin and rudder, similar to that fitted to the Spiteful; as with the F21, some were fitted with the Griffon 85 driving contra-rotating propellors. 278 were built compared with 122 of the preceding version.

Service Fighter 73, 500, 502, 504, 600, 602, 603, 607, 608, 610, 611, 613, 614, 615 Training 2 ANS; 102 FRS; 226 OCU; 4 RS Other CBE; CFE; 1 FU; IAM; MCCF; 1 OFU

Classic shot of F Mk 22 RAN-? of 607 Sqn ,arked as 4 for air racing

The F Mark 23 (Type 372) was a project only, designed as an F22 with an improved wing section. One aircraft, a converted Mark VIII flew with the new wing section.

F Mk 21 PP139 modified to Mk 23 standard

F Mark 24 The Type 356 was the definitive Spitfire. Powered by the Griffon 61 driving a five-blade airscrew it carried extra fuel tanks in the fuselage and had the enlarged elliptical fin and rudder of the Spiteful. 27 F22s were partially converted while 54 new-build aircaft were fitted with four Hispano Mk V 20mm cannon and zero-length underwing rocket launchers. The F24 served only with 80 Sqn which exchanged them for the Hornet in December 1951.

Service Fighter 80

F Mk 24 VN328

Imperial War Museum VN485

Specifications and production

Mark	Role	Engine	HP	Weight lbs	Speed mph	Numbers
I	Fighter	Merlin II, III	1,030	6,200	362	1,583
II	Fighter	Merlin XII	1,175	6,275	370	920
III	Fighter	Merlin XX	1,390	7,110	360	2
IV	Photo-recce	Merlin 45	1,470	6,850	365	229
V	Fighter	Merlin 45	1,470	6,750	369	6,487
VI	HA fighter	Merlin 47	1,415	6,797	364	100
VII	HA fighter	Merlin 61	1,565	7,875	408	140
VIII	Fighter	Merlin 63, 66	1,650	7,767	408	1,658
IX	Fighter	Merlin 61	1,565	7,500	408	5,665
X	Photo-recce	Merlin 64	1,710	7,900	422	16
XI	Photo-recce	Merlin 61	1,565	7,900	422	471
XII	Fighter	Griffon III	1,735	7,280	393	100
XIII	Photo-recce	Merlin 32	1,645	6,750	348	18
XIV	Fighter/FR	Griffon 65, 67	2,035	8,375	439	957
XV	SEAFIRE
XVI	Fighter	Merlin 266	1,580	7,500	408	1,054
XVII	SEAFIRE
XVIII	Fighter/FR	Griffon 65, 67	2,035	9,300	439	300
XIX	Photo-recce	Griffon 66	2,035	9,202	446	225
XX	Experimental	Griffon IIb	1,735			1
F Mk 21	Fighter	Griffon 61, 64	2,035	9,900	450	122
F Mk 22	Fighter	Griffon 61, 64	2,035	9,900	451	278
F Mk 23	Project	Griffon 61	2,035			1
F Mk 24	Fighter	Griffon 61	2,035	9,900	451	54

Further reading

Bachelor, L J Supermarine Spitfire Mks XIV and XVIII (Profile 246) Profile Publications, Windsor, 1972

Beaman, J R Calling all Spitfires - a Scale Modeller's Guide Privately published, 1973

Cross, R and Scarborough, G Spitfire (Classic Aircraft No 1) PSL, London, 1971

Henshaw, A Sigh for a Merlin John Murray, London, 1979

Hooton, E Supermarine Spitfire V Series (Profile 166) Profile Publications, Leatherhead, 1965

Hooton, E Supermarine Spitfire Mk I-XVI (Aircam 4) Osprey, Canterbury

Hooton, E Supermarine Spitfire Mk XII-24 (Aircam 8) Osprey, Canterbury

Morgan, E and Shacklady, E Spitfire: The Key Publishing, Stamford, 1987

Moss, P Supermarine Spitfire Ducimus, London, 1970

Moss, P and Bachelor, L J Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX (Profile 206) Profile Publications, Windsor, 1969

Price, A Spitfire - A Documentary History Macdonald and Janes, London, 1977

Price, A Spitfire at War Ian Allan, London

Price, A Spitfire at War 2 Ian Allan, London

Price, A Spitfire Story, The Janes, London, 1979

Robertson, B Spitfire - The Story of a Famous Fighter Harleyford, Letchworth, 1960

Scutts, J Spitfire in Action Squadron/Signal, Carrollton