Spitfire wing spar material

• Jun 30, 2008

• #1

ppopsie

Senior Airman

461

6

Nov 15, 2006

East end

Does anyone know about the material of the main spar franges on the early to mid models of the Spitfire?

I have got confused because on the very last of this video the narration says the tubes were in steel. But I think that was not unreasonable at the time of building the prototype aircraft.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwima1jX1PU

 

• Oct 24, 2009

• #2

M

meritas

Recruit

1

0

Oct 24, 2009

According to Haynes "Spitfire owners manual" , p65, main was 11 SWG (4MM) alluminum alloy

 

• Dec 11, 2009

• #3

Nate

Airman

30

0

Mar 23, 2009

Spars were telescoping spring steeel, spar webs were aluminum. One version had an all aluminum spar, but that was a later varient.
Nate

 

• Dec 12, 2009

• #4

S

spitfirefive

Recruit

7

0

Mar 11, 2007

The top and bottom front spars are indeed constructed from a series on aluminum alloy box sections placed one inside the other with the number of box sections reducing towards the wing tip.
The photo gives the idea explained above. The photo shows the wing of our MkVc which is under restoration at the moment.
Hope that helps,
Kind regards,
Dave

 

• Dec 12, 2009

• Thread starter
• #5

ppopsie

Senior Airman

461

6

Nov 15, 2006

East end

Thanks guys. I got Haynes' manual too. It must be a fantastic approach in the early days of the metal skinned airframe designing, but I wonder was this RJ Mitchel's original idea or not?