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Supermarine
Spitfire / Seafire (Variants/Other Names: See History
below)
History: Undoubtedly the most famous British
combat aircraft of World War II, the Spitfire is as deeply ingrained in the collective
psyche of most Britons as the P-51 Mustang is in most Americans'. First flown on 5 March
1936, the Spitfire sprang from the design desk of R.J. Mitchell, who had previously
submitted an unsuccessful design for a similar fighter, the Type 224. Once given the
freedom to design an aircraft outside of the strict Air Ministry specifications, his Type
300 emerged as a clear winner; so much so that a new Air Ministry
specification was written to match the new design. The Spitfire Mk I became
operational at Duxford, Cambridgeshire, in July 1938, and as time went on, the Spitfire
was to become one of the most versatile and most-modified aircraft in existence, with
various wing designs, armament changes, and engine changes dictating its many identities. By the time WWII began in September 1939, nine squadrons of
Spits were operational with the RAF, and the Spitfire quickly lived up to its good
reputation by downing a German He 111 over the UK the following month. Ten more Spitfire
squadrons were on strength by the fall of 1940, when the Battle of Britain tested the
nation's resolve and military resources. Spitfires soon began overseas operations, in
Malta, the Middle East, and the Pacific. The Spitfire served, and continued to be built, throughout
WWII. It served in many theaters, and with many Allied nations, including the USA and the
Soviet Union. The Royal Navy, noting both the success of the Spitfire in
land-based service, and also the success of their own Sea Hurricanes, ordered the
production of the Seafire, a carrier-based version of the
Spitfire. Deliveries began in January 1942, and the Seafire was used in growing numbers
and variants throughout the remainder of the war. While certainly not all-inclusive or comprehensive, this list
of some of the most significant variants of the Spitfire/Seafire gives some idea of the
complexity of the aircraft's history: The last operational mission of the Spitfire took place on 1
April 1954, when a Spitfire PR.Mk 19 flew a photo-reconnaissance mission over Malaya. The
final mission of the Seafire was in 1967, after many years of faithful service with the
Fleet Air Arm and various training squadrons. The Spitfire, one of the most significant and revered fighter
aircraft ever built, continues to steal the lion's share of attention at airshows and
fly-ins. The remaining examples are flown with great care, and continued Spitfire
restorations ensure that this beautiful aircraft will continue to delight pilots and
spectators alike for the foreseeable future. Nicknames: Spit; Spitter; Bomfire
(Spitfires used as fighter-bombers) Specifications (Mk VA): Number Built: 20,334
Sptifires; 2,556 Seafires Number Still Airworthy: ~55
Links:
All text and photos Copyright 2016 The Doublestar Group, unless otherwise noted.
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