AIRCRAFT BRIEF
The Supermarine Spitfire is one of the most iconic aircraft in aviation history, defending Britain during the Battle of Britain in 1940. The Mk IX variant, introduced in 1942, was developed as a rapid response to the superior Focke-Wulf Fw 190, featuring the Merlin 66 engine with a two-speed, two-stage supercharger. The 'LF' (Low Fighter) Mk IX was optimized for low-to-medium altitudes, excelling in the ground-attack and escort roles across Northwest Europe from 1943 onwards.
SPECIFICATIONS
- manufacturer
- Supermarine (Vickers-Armstrongs)
- first Flight
- 1941 (Mk IX)
- role
- Air superiority fighter / fighter-bomber
- crew
- 1 pilot
- engines
- 1x Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 (1,720 hp)
- max Speed
- 656 km/h (408 mph)
- range
- 756 km (470 miles)
- ceiling
- 42,500 ft
- weight
- 3,400 kg (MTOW)