Reading the discussion on the Top 3 mistakes... thread
i get this question, the Spitfire was so advanced (or best fast) in the summer of '38 that ll the other seem obsolete or obsolescent.so see what was the situation starting from the event of the polikarpov I-16 the precursor of modern fighter
The I-16 get service in '34 but at time was new concept but was nothing of exceptional as performances but the typ 4, in '35, with M-25 engine (Cyclone soviet built) give an up to the performance get a 450 km/h fighter (the Gauntlet of the same year was a 370 km/h plane ).
In 1936 Curtiss P-30 get service this was a two seat fighter with turbosupercharger, this was a 440 km/h at high altitude (7,5 km) but had a "regular" speed at the normal altitude
In 1937 we have the Seversky P-35, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and 110 with the Jumo engine however the 109 can be faster of I-16, at end of year the Hawker Hurricane broke the 500 km/h (515 km/h).
In 1938 other the Supermarine Spitfire with its 590 km/h we had the much slower M.S. 406, G.50, Hawk 75, Ki 27 and the twin engined G I, Potez 631 and Blenhei I F, actually see a limited service also the He 112 (510 km/h).
Before of start of war the Messerschmitt change the engine to their fighters and both with the Daimler Benz broke the 550 km/h wall. So w/o the RR Merlin and the DB 601 a 480 km/h fighter would have been a fast one
i get this question, the Spitfire was so advanced (or best fast) in the summer of '38 that ll the other seem obsolete or obsolescent.so see what was the situation starting from the event of the polikarpov I-16 the precursor of modern fighter
The I-16 get service in '34 but at time was new concept but was nothing of exceptional as performances but the typ 4, in '35, with M-25 engine (Cyclone soviet built) give an up to the performance get a 450 km/h fighter (the Gauntlet of the same year was a 370 km/h plane ).
In 1936 Curtiss P-30 get service this was a two seat fighter with turbosupercharger, this was a 440 km/h at high altitude (7,5 km) but had a "regular" speed at the normal altitude
In 1937 we have the Seversky P-35, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and 110 with the Jumo engine however the 109 can be faster of I-16, at end of year the Hawker Hurricane broke the 500 km/h (515 km/h).
In 1938 other the Supermarine Spitfire with its 590 km/h we had the much slower M.S. 406, G.50, Hawk 75, Ki 27 and the twin engined G I, Potez 631 and Blenhei I F, actually see a limited service also the He 112 (510 km/h).
Before of start of war the Messerschmitt change the engine to their fighters and both with the Daimler Benz broke the 550 km/h wall. So w/o the RR Merlin and the DB 601 a 480 km/h fighter would have been a fast one
