Which is the best Spitfire mark?

[Deleted member 68059]

Now, is that the Mk IV that became the XX and led to the XII?

The one that was later called the XX by March 1942. I particuarly like the mockup version with six hispanos.

According to Morgan`s "Spitfire The History" - its also known as type 337 (pg 137) - an astonishing book with the one flaw that it has very little at all on the engines.

 

[pbehn]

Just to be awkward I'd want a Mk III, just because I think it was such a shame it was canned and replaced with the stopgap V. Which I regard as being a retrograde step, even if they felt they had to rush it in. A mk IV would also have been great. I think most of the best Spitfires were all cancelled!

I think many of the changes intended for the cancelled variants were slowly incorporated into the "stop gap" this gives our modelling section no end of fun.

 

[wuzak]

I see the Mk XVI has got one vote and the Mk IX has 4 - shouldn't they be put together, since the main difference is the source of the motor, the XVI having a Packard.

 

[wlewisiii]

Mk II because 1940 was when it really mattered.

 

[stona]

Mk II because 1940 was when it really mattered.

That's one of the reasons I voted for the Mk I.

It was also the lightest, most manoeuvrable and, by all accounts, the nicest to fly.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Shortround6]

Technically, the last one, unless you think they went backwards

Nice or easy to fly matters a lot to modern day pilots and the late ones retain most of the problems but without proper fuel, not as much of the performance.

 

[Navalwarrior]

Which is the best Spitfire mark?
The one that just shot the Bf 109 off of my tail. Every 'Best' question needs
to be qualified, when and where.
1. The Mk.I because it was there first.
2. The Mk.II because it was there with the improvements needed.
3. The Mk.V because it more than just became a stopgap and gave hope.
4. The Mk.IX because it gave the Allies the only actual true equal balance in 1942.
5. The Mk.VIII because it took that balance that the IX gave and improved on it
in spades making it useful in the Pacific.
6. The Mk.XII because it had the low performance when needed.
7. The Mk.XIV because its speed allowed it to more than just compete, it set the
Standard. It lost some of the magnificent handling attributes of the Mk.V / IX but its
performance allowed it to set the standard that all other fighter aircraft would be
judge by. Much like comparing the handling of the P-40 against the P-51 Merlins.

Jeff

Resp:
I just finished reading about the RAAF in the Pacific during WWII, where they used the MkV and MkVIII Spitifres. There were three (3) major problems with these Spitfires; short range, too fragile for the climate and had a constant problem with the 20MM cannons (failed to function when needed). Therefore, they were used primarily for 'air defense' of Allied bases/airfields. These traits kept them from participating in the 'push' of Japanese forces eastward. However, their high altitude capability was well suited to air defense, as in the Battle of Britain.

 

[CORSNING]

Technically, the last one, unless you think they went backwards
I believe the Mk.21 was a backward step. It improved rate of roll and speed ever so slightly,
but pure handling was quite inferior to the Mk.XIV from what I have read to date. I am not
an authority, my personal opinion is the Spitfire went slightly down with the 21 and sideways
up to the 24 after the Mk.14.
Nice or easy to fly matters a lot to modern day pilots and the late ones retain most of the problems but without proper fuel, not as much of the performance.

It matters to all pilots.

 

[Navalwarrior]

That's one of the reasons I voted for the Mk I.

It was also the lightest, most manoeuvrable and, by all accounts, the nicest to fly.

Cheers

Steve

Resp:
The same could be said of the Allison engine Mustang variants, as it was much easier to fly than the P-51B onward. But air to air combat is why the Merlin was used.

 

[pbehn]

Resp:
The same could be said of the Allison engine Mustang variants, as it was much easier to fly the the P-51B onward. But air to air combat is why the Merlin was used.

A tiger moth is easier to fly, aircraft became harder to fly as technology progressed. Altitude performance was the reason for the Merlin engine and range was the reason for the P-51 airframe.

 

[Navalwarrior]

In reviewing info on RAAF Spitfires, I noticed in two b/w photos they show only one 'roundel' on the upper wings, and that it was on the right wing, instead of being on the left like US military aircraft. Am I correct in that they used the upper right wing for the national roundel?

 

[fubar57]

Mk.VIII

 

[parsifal]

Seafire XV for me

 

[stona]

In reviewing info on RAAF Spitfires, I noticed in two b/w photos they show only one 'roundel' on the upper wings, and that it was on the right wing, instead of being on the left like US military aircraft. Am I correct in that they used the upper right wing for the national roundel?

I am no expert on Australian markings, but all their Spitfires were manufactured in the UK (and technically remained the property of the UK government). The roundels and other national markings were applied at the point of production, which means if they were absent it was the Australians who had altered them.

Spitfires in Australia, and the PTO, gradually lost the red in all their national markings, ending up with the familiar blue and white markings. These can be hard to see in some B/W images.

There are also images, including this screenshot, of modellers' favourite 'Grey Nurse' which has clearly undergone some serious repair.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Navalwarrior]

I am no expert on Australian markings, but all their Spitfires were manufactured in the UK (and technically remained the property of the UK government). The roundels and other national markings were applied at the point of production, which means if they were absent it was the Australians who had altered them.

Spitfires in Australia, and the PTO, gradually lost the red in all their national markings, ending up with the familiar blue and white markings. These can be hard to see in some B/W images.

There are also images, including this screenshot, of modellers' favourite 'Grey Nurse' which has clearly undergone some serious repair.

View attachment 500395

Cheers

Steve

I am no expert on Australian markings, but all their Spitfires were manufactured in the UK (and technically remained the property of the UK government). The roundels and other national markings were applied at the point of production, which means if they were absent it was the Australians who had altered them.

Spitfires in Australia, and the PTO, gradually lost the red in all their national markings, ending up with the familiar blue and white markings. These can be hard to see in some B/W images.

There are also images, including this screenshot, of modellers' favourite 'Grey Nurse' which has clearly undergone some serious repair.

View attachment 500395

Cheers

Steve

Thanks Steve. The other b/w photo is a MkV in natural overall metal finish. The fuselage in front of the cockpit is painted black all the way to the spinner. It has roundels and code letter on the rear fuselage, but on one roundel on top, which is the R wing.

 

[fubar57]

Found a photo of a Mk.V that had the right roundel nearly obliterated from "....many flying hours...", the left one nearly intact. It served with five different squadrons, No. 2 OTU, 457, 54, 457 again and finally 83 Squadron. It might be just a case of neglect. I've got two books on RAAF Spitfires and all photos showing the top surfaces have two roundels. It would be my luck that the aerial shots of aircraft taken from below had one roundel. Do you know the serial number or squadron?

 

[Navalwarrior]

Found a photo of a Mk.V that had the right roundel nearly obliterated from "....many flying hours...", the left one nearly intact. It served with five different squadrons, No. 2 OTU, 457, 54, 457 again and finally 83 Squadron. It might be just a case of neglect. I've got two books on RAAF Spitfires and all photos showing the top surfaces have two roundels. It would be my luck that the aerial shots of aircraft taken from below had one roundel. Do you know the serial number or squadron?

Resp:
Serial A58-250 with code letters SH K, 85 Sqd.

 

[Smokey Stover]

It's a bit of a hard question to answer. My head is saying the Mk lX as it pretty much rained supreme for the rest of the war.
But my heart says i have to agree with Stoner, the Spitfire Mk l interceptor was the first no frills advanced fighter to really make a huge tactical & psychological impact on German aircraft during the bob. And for a fighter that Luftwaffe generals described as and i quote: "A pretty little toy" that just wouldnt compare to the advanced Bf - 109. Ignorance and complacent thought are a dangerous ignorance to have. The end of the day the Spitfire Mkl did exactly what it was designed to do. Keep British skies clear of enemy aircraft. And it did that extremely well....

 

[wuzak]

It's a bit of a hard question to answer. My head is saying the Mk lX as it pretty much rained supreme for the rest of the war.

Until the XIV arrived to reign supreme.

 

[fastmongrel]

PR MkXIX looks down on your lowly Spitfires from 50,000ft