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Which shows the danger of believing everything on the internet (especially on Wiki.)Supermarine Spitfire (early Merlin-powered variants) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
n the Mk I PR Type B (also known as Medium Range (MR)) conversions which followed, the F24 camera lenses were upgraded to an eight inch (203 mm) focal length, giving images up to a third larger in scale. An extra 29 gal (132 l) fuel tank was installed in the rear fuselage. It had been envisaged that much larger cameras would be installed in the fuselage immediately behind the pilot, but at the time RAF engineers believed this would upset the Spitfire's centre of gravity. Cotton was able to demonstrate that by removing lead weights, which had been installed in the extreme rear fuselage to balance the weight of the constant speed propeller units, it was possible to install cameras with longer focal-length lens in the fuselage(1).
The Type B was the first to dispense with the heavy bullet resistant windscreen. (2)Many of these early PR Spitfires were fitted with the Merlin XII engine and Rotol constant-speed propeller with the early, blunt spinner of the Spitfire Mk II
(1.) Constant-speed propeller units were not fitted to the Spitfire until July 1940...,
(2) The "Type B" was just the original pair of "Type A" airframes N3069 N3071, which, having been supplied in October 1939, never had the bullet-proof glass fitted in the first place (it first arrived around the time of Dunkirk (read "Fly For Your Life," in which Stanford Tuck relates how his first glass saved his life, over Dunkirk, on the day that it was fitted.)
Thank you for making it plain that you have no interest in a discussion (and learning.) Twice you've been told that a rear tank could not be fitted into the Mk.V (and I've found further confirmation, of this, as late as the end of 1942,) and yet you persist in the same tired old nonsense. I see no point in continuing this farce.No reason not to do it with Spits, as said even a Mk V with a 29 gal rear tank and a drop tank could do a 300 mile combat radius missions.
Which shows the danger of believing everything on the internet (especially on Wiki.)
(1.) Constant-speed propeller units were not fitted to the Spitfire until July 1940, and Cotton was "relieved of his post" on June 18th., so could not have had anything to do with the C.S. units. V.P. (Variable Pitch, or just two-position) units, quite possibly, but they were quickly made obsolete.
(2) The "Type B" was just the original pair of "Type A" airframes N3069 N3071, which, having been supplied in October 1939, never had the bullet-proof glass fitted in the first place
(it first arrived around the time of Dunkirk (read "Fly For Your Life," in which Stanford Tuck relates how his first glass saved his life, over Dunkirk, on the day that it was fitted.)
N3171 was a trials aircraft, and had its bullet-proof windscreen fitted 14-2-1940 (Spitfire the History, page 87.)
For what it's worth I have a document from Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd. dated 29 Jul 1939 that indicates that the Spitfire's front armour (windscreen, bulkhead armour, petrol tank sheet) will be introduced into production line on N2023 and subsequent aircraft (due for delivery 15 Aug 39). Also 15 sets per week for retrospective fitting starting 10 Aug 39.
And modification 36; note date of issue. In the Spitfire Mk.I A.P., there's no mention of windscreen or fuel tank deflection armour modifications prior to April 1940:-
The Spitfire was one of the best known planes ever, and, especially in the UK, it is still regarded as the best fighter of ww2 by many. However, it was not good in some things: the fuel tankage was modest, even with changes introduced mid-war, and (with Merlin engines, ie. most of the examples produced) it was 'only' as fast as LW opposition, unlike the similarly-engined P-51B/C/D/K.
So what would be your take: what changes to introduce, in order to push the Merlin Spitfire beyond, say, Ruhr, while gaining some speed (in 20000-35000 ft altitude range, focus being 25-30000 ft) in process? We need the plane to be fielded in May/June 1943 at least.
How about the date "cleared" for inclusion on the production line, as written in Vickers' official, original, Spitfire/Seafire modification ledger, at present held in the RAF Museum's library, and which exactly matches that leaflet date?You can't go by the dates the modifications are officially listed with reference to when the aircraft actually received said modifications..
Any Rotol props (and there were very few, in fact Supermarine don't list them) fitted to the Mk.I were 2-position, and standard radios were HF or VHF. Rotols were mostly reserved for the Mk.II, since the Merlin XII had a necked-down shaft capable of taking them.Wrong - CS Rotol props were fitted to N30 and N31xx serialled Spitfires of 54 and 66 Squadrons in late 1939/early 1940, along with UHF radio units:
How about the date "cleared" for inclusion on the production line, as written in Vickers' official, original, Spitfire/Seafire modification ledger, at present held in the RAF Museum's library, and which exactly matches that leaflet date?
You can't go by the dates the modifications are officially listed with reference to when the aircraft actually received said modifications. I had this point driven home to me when researching the Hurricane. Official publication dates for obvious things like metal wings and cannon armament were listed well after they were in service.
Any Rotol props (and there were very few, in fact Supermarine don't list them) fitted to the Mk.I were 2-position, and standard radios were HF or VHF. Rotols were mostly reserved for the Mk.II, since the Merlin XII had a necked-down shaft capable of taking them.
Aozora, I'm not the strongest student of all things Spitfire and could be mistaken, but some of those propellers in the images appear to be two-pitch airscrews.
Indeed Greyman. That reminds me of another interesting case of a modification being used in service prior to the printed publication date of the mod.