Manufacturer (Principal): | Supermarine Division of Vickers-Armstrongs in factories at, Southampton, Winchester, Swindon and Castle Bromwich. |
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(Subcontracted to): | Variously sub-contracted. |
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Manufacturer Designation | Type 361 |
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Aircraft Mk. | Mk. IXB |
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RAF Designation: | Mk. IXB |
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Construction: | All – metal monocoque |
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Crew: | One |
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Wing Span: | 32ft. 2in. |
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Length: | 31ft. ½in. |
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Height: | 12ft. 8in. |
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Engine: | 1,720hp. Merlin 66 |
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Fuel: | |
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Internal Tanks | 85 gallons |
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Supplemental Tanks | 30, 45, 50 (cylindrical) or 90 gallon belly tanks could be carried. |
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Maximum: | |
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Weight: | |
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Empty: | 5,090lbs. |
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Loaded: | 7,320lbs. |
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Range: | 434miles on 85 gallons / 980miles on 175 gallons. |
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Bomb Load: | 250lb Bomb (2 Nr.) 1 Nr. under each wing / 500lb.bomb (1 Nr.) under centre line of aircraft’s belly. |
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Armament: | 20mm Hispano cannon (2 Nr.) 1in each wing. |
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| ·303 Browning machine gun (4 Nr.) 2 in each wing |
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Speed: | |
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Maximum: | 404mph. at 21,000ft. |
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Cruising: | 324mph. at 20,000ft. |
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Service Ceiling Height: | 42,500ft. |
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Initial Rate of Climb: | 6.4min. to 20,000ft. |
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Bradwell Bay Service: | |
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Squadron: | 126 |
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Motto: | Foremost in Attack. |
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Code: | 5J |
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Dates: | 15th July – 10th August 1945 |
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Missions: | Bomber escort. |
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Colour Scheme. | Standard RAF pattern: Dark green and Ocean grey upper surfaces. Medium Sea Grey lower surfaces. |
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Aircraft Nickname/s: | Shrew – is what R. J. Mitchell wanted call it, he thought Spitfire to be a “dammed silly” name. |
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| Spit. |
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Technical data: Aircraft of the RAF 1918 by Owen Thetford and Jane’s Fighting Aircraft of World War II |
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