Griffon-powered Spits with bubble canopy too beautiful for words. Note that they are able to drive a five-bladed prop, as compared with four on the Merlin-powered Spits and the Mustang. That's why the Griffon-powered Spits were unbeatable when they arrived on the scene. Read the log books of the pilots who flew the MK14 over Germany. You end up feeling sorry for the German pilots, who stood no chance.
@nuff said This* tells all. Terse descriptions by people who were there, flying Mk14 Spitfires. Nothing could live with them, not even 262 jets that relied on a one-off, swoop-in attack option. * www.spitfireperformance.com/spit14v109.html
@nuff said Galland said 'The best thing about the Spitfire XIV is that there are so few of them'. Osprey Publishing has an excellent book on Griffon engined Spitfire aces. Just about everything you'd want to know is in there. Claimed quite number of Me262 and Arado 234 jets destroyed. The Mk XIV was flown by 41, 91, 130, 322 (Dutch), 350 (Belgian), 402 (Canadian) and 610 Squadrons during WW2. In addition the fighter reconnaissance version (FR XIV) was also flown by 2, 268, 414 (Canadian) and 430 (Canadian) Squadrons. The aircraft in the film is an FRXVIIIe which actually came in to RAF service post-War but is essentially the same as a MKXIV. The MkXIV had a maximum speed of 448mph and maximum rate of climb of 5040 feet per minute which is, as far as I can tell, the highest of any aircraft of WW2 except the rocket powered Me163. Hope that is of interest.
I love the sound those Griffon powered spitfires....!
A great looking aircraft
Fabulous machine!
Griffon-powered Spits with bubble canopy too beautiful for words. Note that they are able to drive a five-bladed prop, as compared with four on the Merlin-powered Spits and the Mustang. That's why the Griffon-powered Spits were unbeatable when they arrived on the scene. Read the log books of the pilots who flew the MK14 over Germany. You end up feeling sorry for the German pilots, who stood no chance.
@nuff said This* tells all. Terse descriptions by people who were there, flying Mk14 Spitfires. Nothing could live with them, not even 262 jets that relied on a one-off, swoop-in attack option.
*
www.spitfireperformance.com/spit14v109.html
@nuff said Galland said 'The best thing about the Spitfire XIV is that there are so few of them'. Osprey Publishing has an excellent book on Griffon engined Spitfire aces. Just about everything you'd want to know is in there. Claimed quite number of Me262 and Arado 234 jets destroyed. The Mk XIV was flown by 41, 91, 130, 322 (Dutch), 350 (Belgian), 402 (Canadian) and 610 Squadrons during WW2. In addition the fighter reconnaissance version (FR XIV) was also flown by 2, 268, 414 (Canadian) and 430 (Canadian) Squadrons. The aircraft in the film is an FRXVIIIe which actually came in to RAF service post-War but is essentially the same as a MKXIV. The MkXIV had a maximum speed of 448mph and maximum rate of climb of 5040 feet per minute which is, as far as I can tell, the highest of any aircraft of WW2 except the rocket powered Me163. Hope that is of interest.