spitfire research

Hi chaps, more on wings and all things Spitfire - C wings were 4 cannon (in total+ 500 lb bomb load) and can be spotted in B config by two blanking stubs outboard (+ the 4 machine guns).
E wings on a Mk 9 were 2 x cannon (outboard) + 2 x .5 " US Browning machine guns inboard. Mk9 was powered by Merlin 60 series engine but based on a MkV (stretched a bit) + 4 blade rotol, double s'charger, twin rads, as a quick fix to cope with those darn 'fokkers' . 7's and 8's were even better updrades (from the 3's) showing that Mk development was not linear - unlike their fire power !
HF had extended tips (Merlin 70) giving 3 variations for altitude as mentioned.
clever clogs still need feet

QUOTE: Originally posted by Gustavo Hi there folks, The letters were to designate the armament in the wings, as follows: A - 8 machine guns B - 2 cannons and 4 machine guns C - universal wing which could receive A or B armaments There was also other letters of reference. As follows: LF - Low altitude fighter (these are the spitfires with the clipped wings, but I'm not so sure) F - medium altitudes HF - High altitude fighter Bye, Gustavo

Gustavo, You are right about A,B & C type wings. However modifications LF and HF differed only by engine, i.e. the LF could have normal or clipped wing. Of course, clipped wingtip helped to improve manoeuvrability at low altitudes, but the wing tip was fitted witg bolts and easily changeable.
I have little if no knowledge about E wing, but some sources claim, that it had 2*.50cal machineguns instead of 4*.303's and the usual 2*20mm cannons.

P.S. I have read an interesting fact. When Supermarine staff started developing cannon armed Spitfire, they have tested 8 (!) cannon armament. When the test pilot fired all 8 guns in flight, kickback almost completely stopped the airplane :) He hardly saved it from crash.

Talking of Spitfire wings, you may be interested to know that Supermarines last piston fighter, the Spiteful was a Spitfire 24 fuselage married to a new laminar flow wing borrowing heavily from the P51. This and the naval version the Seafang, (with 6 blade contraprop) were not produced partly due to the wings homicidal stall characteristics. and yet the same wing was transplanted to Supermarines first jet the Attacker, which was a very pilot friendly machine.

Found it a last!
The reference you are looking for is in FSM Feb 2001 Page 43
Arfa

Bern:

I recall many years ago that a fellow named John Beaman did something for IPMS called "Calling All Spitfires" that covered all of the Spitfire variants and the differences between them. I cannot recall if John's work was included in the IPMS journal, or was a separate publication ( or both ). Perhaps you can find out from IPMS. Oh yes - the "C" wing could also be fitted with 4 20mm cannon - seen some photos of 5C's in the MTO that had the four 20's. I think "Killer" Caldwell's Mk. VIII had four 20's for a short period of time.

Jim

I thought FSM had done a list as well but I couldn't find it! However there are some other useful references i do have which I hope are available to you in the USA also.
Noses- line drawings and details of all marks ; -Scale Aircraft Models September '98 Page 343
Wings - types and plans of all; - Scale Aircraft Modelling International March '96 Page 164
Wings and fuselages - drawings of all differences - Scale Aircraft Models November '89 Page 70 and December 89 Page122

Types - conversions; details- Scale Aircraft Models October '89 Page 22

Hope this of of use
Arfa

Hi there folks,

The letters were to designate the armament in the wings, as follows:
A - 8 machine guns
B - 2 cannons and 4 machine guns
C - universal wing which could receive A or B armaments

There was also other letters of reference. As follows:
LF - Low altitude fighter (these are the spitfires with the clipped wings, but I'm not so sure)
F - medium altitudes
HF - High altitude fighter

Bye,
Gustavo

Hey Bern ,
At the moment I cant recall the differences(minor changes thou to the MkVb and the Vc)but "In Action" did a book on the Spitfire.
It gives ya a short discription on the various wing types.
Flaps up,Mike