Spitfire (Total: 20,815, Canadian: 25, Group 25)

Supermarine Spitfire

Source: Harold A Skaarup Web Page (DND Photo)
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. VI, RCAF (Serial No. X4492), in flight, 26 Feb 1944.

The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was 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; around 70 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 with cutting-edge sunken rivets (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.

The Spitfire had detachable wing tips which were secured by two mounting points at the end of each main wing assembly. When the Spitfire took on a role as a high-altitude fighter (Marks VI and VII and some early Mk VIIIs), the standard wing tips were replaced by extended, "pointed" tips which increased the wingspan from 36 ft 10 in (11.23 m) to 40 ft 2 in (12.24 m). The other wing-tip variation, used by several Spitfire variants, was the "clipped" wing; the standard wing tips were replaced by wooden fairings which reduced the span by 3 ft 6 in (1.07 m). The wing tips used spruce formers for most of the internal structure with a light alloy skin attached using brass screws.

Due to a shortage of Brownings, which had been selected as the new standard rifle calibre machine gun for the RAF in 1934, early Spitfires were fitted with only four guns, with the other four fitted later. Early tests showed that, while the guns worked perfectly on the ground and at low altitudes, they tended to freeze at high altitude, especially the outer wing guns, because the RAF's Brownings had been modified to fire from an open bolt. While this prevented overheating of the cordite used in British ammunition, it allowed cold air to flow through the barrel unhindered. Supermarine did not fix the problem until October 1938, when they added hot air ducts from the rear of the wing-mounted radiators to the guns, and bulkheads around the gunbays to trap the hot air in the wing. Red fabric patches were doped over the gun ports to protect the guns from cold, dirt, and moisture until they were fired.

The first Rolls-Royce Griffon-engined Mk XII flew in August 1942, and first flew operationally with 41 Squadron in April 1943. This mark could nudge 400 mph (640 km/h) in level flight and climb to an altitude of 33,000 ft (10,000 m) in under nine minutes. As American fighters took over the long-range escorting of USAAF daylight bombing raids, the Griffon-engined Spitfires progressively took up the tactical air superiority role, and played a major role in intercepting V-1 flying bombs, while the Merlin-engined variants (mainly the Mk IX and the Packard-engined Mk XVI) were adapted to the fighter-bomber role. Although the later Griffon-engined marks lost some of the favourable handling characteristics of their Merlin-powered predecessors, they could still outmanoeuvre their main German foes and other, later American and British-designed fighters.Wikipedia

Wikipedia Wikipedia Supermarine Spitfire

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

YouTube YouTube How the Spitfire Became an Aviation Masterpiece

Kestrel Publications RCAF Supermarine Spitfire Serials - Kestrel Publications

Spitfire TX974, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX974

VA (Supermarine)

TX 974

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

29MU 23-08-194547MU 22-09-1945Ocean Verity 07-11-1945India 02-12-1945ACSEA 27-12-19459RIAF explosion on start engine Peshawar CE dbf 16-08-1946

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX975, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX975

VA (Supermarine)

TX 975

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

39MU 13-08-194576MU 20-09-1945Ocean Viceroy 24-09-1945India 30-10-1945ACSEA 29-11-19454RIAF Japan SOC 24-03-1948

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX976, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX976

VA (Supermarine)

TX 976

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

(Interim) Super prod proto 05-09-194433MU 11-08-194582MU 05-09-1945Ocean Gallant 17-09-1945India 14-10-1945ACSEA 09-11-19451FTS stalled on landing and crashed Ambala CE 04-05-1946SOC 31-10-1946

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX977, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX977

VA (Supermarine)

TX 977

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

6MU 30-08-194547MU 18-09-1945Ocean Viceroy 24-09-1945India 30-10-1945ACSEA 29-11-19454RIAF Japan SOC 24-03-1948

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX978, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX978

VA (Supermarine)

TX 978

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

33MU 05-08-194576MU 16-09-1945Fort Michipicoten 22-09-1945India 18-10-1945ACSEA 29-11-19457RIAF Crashed in emergency landing Kohat 24-07-1946

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX979, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX979

VA (Supermarine)

TX 979

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

33MU 05-09-194576MU 17-09-1945Fort Michipicoten 22-09-1945India 18-10-1945ACSEA 08-11-19454RIAF Japan Flew into high ground in cloud Okayama CE 11-06-1947SOC 31-07-1947

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX980, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX980

VA (Supermarine)

TX 980

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

CRD R-RH 06-09-1945G65 removed after perf trials G105 install with 03-speed supercharger for comparison trials 52MU 20-10-1948CE 25-10-1948

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX981, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX981

VA (Supermarine)

TX 981

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

33MU 11-09-194576MU 26-09-1945Clan MacBrayne 29-11-1945returned 76MU for re-erection 615S 05-07-1948612S crash-landed Dyce CE 19-12-1948

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX982, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX982

VA (Supermarine)

TX 982

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

33MU 12-09-194576MU 03-10-1945Clan MacBrayne 22-11-1945returned 76MU for re-erection 6MU wheels up landing Brize Norton CB 30-12-1948sold scrap Eyre Smelting

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX983, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX983

VA (Supermarine)

TX 983

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

33MU 05-10-1945613S 'RAT-W' 02-12-1946RCMSU 14-04-1948sold VA 15-08-1952

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX984, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX984

VA (Supermarine)

TX 984

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

29MU 09-10-1945226OCU 20-01-1950FAC3R 13-02-1950ros nea 31-03-1953sold MoS 14-12-1953

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX985, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX985

VA (Supermarine)

TX 985

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

6MU 26-11-1945602S 'RAI-B' 26-11-1946RCCU 14-04-1948607S 21-11-1948CAC surplus 03-03-1949sold scrap R.J.Coley 03-02-1950

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX986, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX986

VA (Supermarine)

TX 986

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

6MU 27-04-1945222MU 01-06-19451PATP City of Chester 07-06-1945India 25-06-1945ACSEA 12-07-19454RIAF Japan SOC 24-03-1948

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX987, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX987

VA (Supermarine)

TX 987

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

29MU 03-05-1945222MU 08-06-1945Empire Gambia 05-08-1945India 30-08-1945ACSEA 13-09-1945SOC 25-09-1947

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX988, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX988

VA (Supermarine)

TX 988

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

29MU 30-04-1945222MU 01-06-1945Empire Kumasi 19-07-1945India 14-08-1945ACSEA 23-08-19459RIAF Engine cut bellylanded 20m SSW of Bhopal 19-02-1947

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX989, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX989

VA (Supermarine)

TX 989

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

29MU 02-05-1945451S 03-09-1945to BAF as SG-88 08-02-1949

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX990, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX990

VA (Supermarine)

TX 990

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

29MU 30-04-1945222MU 13-06-1945City of Hong Kong 26-08-1945India 17-09-1945ACSEA 27-09-1945RIAF 29-12-1947

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX991, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX991

VA (Supermarine)

TX 991

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

(Interim) Super prod proto 05-09-1944for hood wind gear 06-03-19451PP Benson 28-04-194582MU 07-09-1945Fort Michipicoten 23-09-1945India 18-10-1945ACSEA 29-11-1945new rear view hood 59SP 30-12-19459RIAF 8RIAF Engine cut crashlanded 30m NW of Secunderabad CE 15-03-1947SOC 24-04-1947

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX992, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX992

VA (Supermarine)

TX 992

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

29MU 30-04-194526S 14-06-1945613S 'RAT-L' 14-04-1948nea 01-08-1950sold VA 14-11-1950to BAF 15-11-1950

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX993, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX993

VA (Supermarine)

TX 993

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

29MU 02-05-194526S 12-06-1945411S 02-03-1946sold VA 10-05-1950

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX994, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX994

VA (Supermarine)

TX 994

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

29MU 03-05-1945222MU 10-06-1945Empire Gambia 06-08-1945India 30-08-1945ACSEA 13-09-1945SOC 28-08-1947

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX995, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX995

VA (Supermarine)

TX 995

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

29MU 12-05-1945453S 06-09-1945to BAF as SG-194910-07-1948

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX996, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX996

VA (Supermarine)

TX 996

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

39MU 29-04-194547MU 25-09-1945Samconstant 03-12-1945India 03-01-1946ACSEA 31-01-1946390MU SOC 13-01-1948

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX997, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX997

VA (Supermarine)

TX 997

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

6MU 03-05-1945222MU 30-05-1945Empire Kumasi 19-07-1945India 14-08-1945ACSEA 13-09-1945SOC 24-04-1947

last update: 2025-February-05

Spitfire TX998, FR Mk XIV

s/n TX998

VA (Supermarine)

TX 998

Griffon 65

airhistory.org.uk/spitfire

9MU 02-05-194526S 14-06-1945602S 29-07-194729MU surplus 10-03-1949nea 31-03-1953SOC 22-09-1953

last update: 2025-February-05