Supermarine Spitfire

Manufacturer: Supermarine
Type: Single-seat interceptor fighter
Powerplant: One 1074 kW (1,440 hp) Rolls-Royce Merlin 45/46/50 V-12 piston engine
Performance: Maximum speed 602 km/h (374 mph) at 3960 m (13,000 ft); climb to 6095 m (20,000 ft) in 7.5 minutes; service ceiling 11280 m (37,000 ft); range on internal fuel 756 km (470 miles)
Weights: Empty 2313 kg (5,100 lb); maximum take-off 3078 kg (6,785 lb)
Dimensions: Span 11.23 m (36 ft 10 in); length 9.11 m (29 ft 11 in); height 3.48 m (11 ft 5 in); wing area 22.48 m2 (242.0 sqft)
Armament: Two 20-mm cannon and four 7.7-mm (0.303-in) machine-guns in the wings
Development: First flight - 5 March 1936, Services - Mk I with Merlin II (August 1938), Mk II with Merlin XII (September 1940), Mk V with Merlin 45 (March 1941), Mk VB with Merlin 46/50 (mid-1941), Mk IX with Merlin 61 (mid-1942), Mk XII with Griffon IV (1943)
Variants: Mk I, Mk II, Mk IIB, Mk IV, Mk V, Mk VB, Mk VC, Mk VI, Mk VII, Mk VIII, Mk IX, Mk X, Mk XI, Mk XII, Mk XVI, Mk XTV, Mk XVIII

• Spitfire was created by designer R.J. Mitchell and descendant of the race-winning Schneider Trophy seaplanes.
• The Spitfire Mk I with Merlin II engine and eight machine-guns entered RAF service in August 1938, this version being heavily committed to combat in the Battle of Britain.
• The Spitfire Mk VB remained the mainstay of Fighter Command between mid-1941 and mid-1942 when the Spitfire Mk IX, with 1238 kW (1,660 hp) Merlin 61 with two-stage, two-speed supercharger joined the RAF.
• The Spitfire Mk Xl and Spitfire Mk VII were high-altitude fighters with extended wingtips.
• Spitfire Mk VIII fighter and fighter-bomber was used principally in the Mediterranean and Far East.
• The Spitfire Mk X and Spitfire Mk XI were unarmed photo-reconnaissance versions.
• Total production was 20,351 Spitfires and 2,334 Seafires.