Supermarine Spitfire facts for kids
The Supermarine Spitfire was a famous British single-seat fighter plane. It was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many different versions of the Spitfire were built, from the early Mk 1 to the powerful Mk 24. It was the only British fighter plane made continuously throughout the war. The Spitfire is still very popular today; about 70 of them can still fly, and many more are on display in museums around the world.
The Spitfire was designed by R. J. Mitchell, the chief designer at Supermarine Aviation Works. He wanted to create a fast plane that could quickly stop enemy aircraft. Mitchell designed the Spitfire's special elliptical wing to be very thin. This helped the plane fly faster than other fighters of its time, like the Hawker Hurricane. Mitchell kept improving the design until he passed away in 1937. Then, his friend Joseph Smith took over and continued to develop the Spitfire into many different versions.
During the Battle of Britain (July–October 1940), many people thought the Spitfire was the main RAF fighter. However, the Hurricane was actually more common and did a lot of the fighting against the German Luftwaffe. Still, the Spitfire was a better fighter plane. Spitfire squadrons lost fewer planes and shot down more enemy planes than Hurricane squadrons, probably because the Spitfire was faster and more agile. In the battle, Spitfires usually fought against German Messerschmitt Bf 109E fighters, which were very similar in performance.
After the Battle of Britain, the Spitfire became the main plane for RAF Fighter Command. It was used in battles across Europe, the Mediterranean, the Pacific, and Southeast Asia. Pilots loved the Spitfire because it could do many jobs, like stopping enemy planes, taking photos from the sky, bombing, and training new pilots. It was used until the 1950s. The Seafire was a special version of the Spitfire that could take off and land on aircraft carriers. It was used by the Fleet Air Arm from 1942 until the mid-1950s. The original plane was designed to use a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine with 1,030 hp. It was strong enough to use even more powerful Merlin engines later, and then Rolls-Royce Griffon engines that produced up to 2,340 hp. This meant the Spitfire kept getting better and more capable throughout its time in service.
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How the Spitfire Was Made
Early Ideas
In 1931, the Air Ministry asked for a new fighter plane that could fly at 250 miles per hour (400 km/h). R. J. Mitchell designed the Supermarine Type 224 for this. It was an open-cockpit plane with large wings and fixed landing gear. It first flew in February 1934. Out of seven designs, the Gloster Gladiator biplane was chosen instead.
Mitchell and his team were disappointed. They immediately started designing a "cleaned-up" version, using what they learned from their Schneider Trophy seaplanes. This led to the Type 300, which had retractable landing gear and smaller wings. This design was shown to the Air Ministry in July 1934 but was not accepted. It then went through many changes, including a closed cockpit, oxygen system, even thinner wings, and the new, more powerful Rolls-Royce "Merlin" engine. In November 1934, Mitchell began detailed work on this improved Type 300.
On 5 March 1936, the first prototype Spitfire, called K5054, took its first flight from Eastleigh Aerodrome. Captain Joseph "Mutt" Summers, the chief test pilot, flew it for eight minutes. This was four months after the Hurricane's first flight.
After a few more flights and a new propeller, the Spitfire reached 348 mph (557 km/h) in May. The RAF test pilot, Flight Lieutenant Humphrey Edwardes-Jones, gave a positive report. He only asked for a landing gear position indicator. Just a week later, on 3 June 1936, the Air Ministry ordered 310 Spitfires, even before a formal report was finished!
Starting Production
The public first saw the Spitfire at an air show on 27 June 1936. Even though full production was supposed to start right away, there were many problems. The first production Spitfire, K9787, didn't leave the factory until mid-1938.
Supermarine was a small company, already busy building other planes. So, they couldn't build Spitfires fast enough. The original plan was to have other companies help build parts, but Supermarine was slow to share the designs.
Because of these delays, the Air Ministry even thought about stopping Spitfire production after the first order. But Supermarine and its parent company, Vickers-Armstrongs, convinced them that the problems could be fixed. A second order for 200 Spitfires was placed in March 1938.
The first production Spitfire was flown on 15 May 1938, almost two years after the first order. Each plane cost about £9,500. The most expensive parts were the fuselage (the main body) at £2,500, and the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine at £2,000.
Building at Castle Bromwich
In 1938, a huge new factory called the Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory (CBAF) began construction. It was managed by Morris Motors, a car company, and funded by the government. The idea was to build planes using mass production methods, like cars.
However, building Spitfires was much harder than building cars. It needed very precise engineering skills that the local workers didn't have. They needed a lot of training. There were also problems with management and workers asking for higher wages.
By May 1940, the factory still hadn't built its first Spitfire. The Minister of Aircraft Production, Lord Beaverbrook, took over the factory. He brought in experienced people from Supermarine. Slowly, things improved. In June 1940, 10 Spitfires were built. By September, 56 were made.
By the time the factory stopped making Spitfires in June 1945, it had built 12,129 planes! This made CBAF the biggest Spitfire factory in the UK.
Spreading Out Production
During the Battle of Britain, the German Luftwaffe tried to bomb the main Spitfire factories near Southampton. On 26 September 1940, both factories were destroyed. Many people were killed or injured.
Luckily, many of the tools and machines had already been moved to smaller locations around Southampton. For example, a garage in Reading started making Spitfire fuselages. Another company in Salisbury made wing fuel tanks for photo-reconnaissance Spitfires.
New factories were built, and the main design office moved to Hursley Park. Completed Spitfires were taken by special trucks to airfields to be put together, tested, and then given to the RAF.
Testing the Planes
Every Spitfire had to be flight tested before it was delivered. Jeffrey Quill was the chief test pilot for Vickers Supermarine in the Southampton area. Alex Henshaw was the chief test pilot at the Castle Bromwich factory. He tested 2,360 Spitfires and Seafires between 1940 and 1946!
Henshaw said that testing a Spitfire involved a quick flight. He would check the engine, dive the plane at high speed, and do some aerobatics (fancy flying moves). He loved the Spitfire, but noted that later versions were faster but also heavier, so they didn't handle as well.
By February 1948, a total of 20,351 Spitfires of all types had been built. Some Spitfires were still used into the 1950s. The Spitfire was the only British fighter plane that was made continuously before, during, and after World War II.
Spitfire Design
The Airframe
In the 1930s, plane designers around the world were creating new fighter aircraft. These new planes used modern building methods and powerful engines. They also had new features like retractable landing gear, closed cockpits, and smooth, all-metal wings.
Mitchell wanted the Spitfire to be a well-balanced, high-performance fighter that was also easy to fly. The Spitfire's body, called the airframe, was complex. It had a smooth, metal-skinned fuselage (the main body) built over a skeleton of frames. This made it light but strong.
The skin of the plane was held on by rivets. In important areas, like the front of the wing, the rivets were flat so they wouldn't disturb the airflow. At first, parts like the ailerons (on the wings), elevators (on the tail), and rudder (on the tail) were covered in fabric. But pilots found that fabric-covered ailerons were hard to use at high speeds. So, they were replaced with light metal, which made the controls much better.
Elliptical Wing Design
In 1934, Mitchell and his team decided to use a special semi-elliptical (half-oval) wing shape. This shape was the best for two reasons: it helped reduce drag (the force that slows a plane down), and it was thick enough inside to hold the retractable landing gear, guns, and ammunition.
The elliptical shape was very efficient for flying. Beverley Shenstone, an expert on Mitchell's team, explained that the ellipse allowed them to make the wing as thin as possible while still having room for everything inside. He also said, "And it looked nice."
A clever part of the wing was its main spar, which was made of five square tubes that fit inside each other. This made the wing very strong and light. The landing gear was attached to this spar and folded outwards into the wing.
The front edge of the wing was shaped like a "D" and was very strong. This part was later used to hold extra fuel tanks. The airflow through the main radiator (for cooling the engine) was controlled by flaps that opened and closed automatically in later models.
Another important feature was the "washout" of the wing. This meant the wing twisted slightly upwards towards the tips. This design made the wing roots (the part closest to the body) stall (lose lift) before the tips. This was important because it warned the pilot by making the plane shake, helping them avoid dangerous spins.
The complex design of the wing, especially the precise parts needed for the spar and leading edge, caused some delays in production at first. But by June 1939, most of these problems were solved.
The Spitfire also had detachable wing tips. For high-altitude flying, longer, "pointed" tips were used, making the wingspan wider. For other missions, "clipped" wings were used, which made the wingspan shorter.
The flaps on the back edge of the wing were used for landing. They could only be fully up or fully down.
The tail and rudder of the Spitfire also used the elliptical shape for good airflow. As later Spitfires got bigger engines, their tails had to be made larger to keep the plane balanced.
Armament (Weapons)
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Early Spitfires had four machine guns, but they were supposed to have eight. Because of a shortage of guns, the other four were added later. Pilots found that the guns sometimes froze at high altitude. This was fixed by adding hot air ducts to the gun bays in the wings. Red fabric patches were put over the gun ports to protect the guns until they were fired.
Even with eight machine guns, pilots soon realized they weren't powerful enough to easily shoot down larger enemy planes. Tests in 1938 showed that bigger guns, at least 20mm, were needed.
In June 1939, a Spitfire was fitted with two 20mm cannons, one in each wing. These cannons had problems and often jammed. If one jammed, the recoil from the other would throw the plane off target.
Still, 30 more cannon-armed Spitfires were ordered. These were called the Mk IB. By August, Supermarine improved the cannon system, and these planes were delivered to No. 19 Squadron. Later versions of the Spitfire had different wing types with various combinations of machine guns and cannons. For example, the "C" wing could have four 20mm cannons or two 20mm cannons and four machine guns. The "E" wing had two 20mm cannons and two .50 inch machine guns.
Spitfire in Action
Service Operations
The Spitfire officially started service with the RAF on 4 August 1938, with 19 Squadron at RAF Duxford. It became legendary during the Battle of Britain.
Even though the Hurricane was more numerous during the battle, the Spitfire had a lower loss rate and shot down more enemy planes. The main goal was to stop German bombers. Spitfires usually fought against German fighter planes, like the Bf 109s, while Hurricanes attacked the bombers.
Many famous pilots flew the Spitfire, including "Johnnie" Johnson, who shot down 34 enemy planes. Douglas Bader and "Bob" Tuck also flew Spitfires during the big air battles of 1940.
The Spitfire took on many different jobs throughout World War II and even after. It became the first high-speed photo-reconnaissance plane for the RAF. These unarmed Spitfires flew high, medium, and low, deep into enemy territory, taking photos to gather important information.
In 1943, PRU Spitfires helped confirm that the Germans were building the V1 and V2 "vengeance weapons" by photographing Peenemünde in Germany.
In the Mediterranean, Spitfires helped defend Malta from heavy German and Italian attacks. From 1943, they helped prepare for the Allied invasions of Sicily and Italy.
Spitfires also served on the Eastern Front with the Soviet Air Force. They received both the Mk VB and the improved Mk IX versions.
In the Pacific, Spitfires faced the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero. The Zero could turn better and stay in the air longer, but the Spitfire was faster. So, Spitfire pilots used "slash and run" tactics, using their speed to attack and then quickly escape, avoiding turning fights.
Spitfires also defended Darwin, Australia, against Japanese air attacks. The Mk VIII version helped the Allies gain air superiority in the Pacific.
Speed and Altitude Records
In 1943, high-speed diving tests were done to see how planes behaved near the sound barrier. A Spitfire XI was chosen because it could go faster than other planes at the time. During these tests, one Spitfire reached 606 mph (975 km/h) in a dive.
In April 1944, the same plane, flown by Squadron Leader Anthony F. Martindale, had its propeller break off during a dive. The plane reached Mach 0.92 (about 690 mph or 1,110 km/h), which was the fastest speed ever recorded for a propeller-driven plane. Martindale blacked out from the extreme forces, but when he woke up, he found the plane at 40,000 feet (12,000 m) with its wings slightly bent back. He managed to glide the Spitfire 20 miles (32 km) back to the airfield and land safely! He was given an award for his bravery.
On 5 February 1952, a Spitfire 19 reached probably the highest altitude ever for a Spitfire. Pilot Edward "Ted" Powles climbed to 50,000 feet (15,000 m) to check weather conditions. The cabin pressure dropped, and he went into an uncontrollable dive. He regained control below 3,000 feet (900 m) and landed safely. Data from his flight suggested he reached 690 mph (1,110 km/h) in the dive, which would be the fastest speed for a propeller plane if the instruments were perfectly accurate.
The Spitfire's original elliptical wing design was very good for high-speed flight.
Different Versions of the Spitfire
Overview
Even though R. J. Mitchell designed the Spitfire, he died early in 1937. All the improvements after that were made by his team, led by Joe Smith, who became the chief designer.
There were 24 main versions of the Spitfire and many smaller variations. These included Spitfires with different engines (Merlin to Griffon), high-speed photo-reconnaissance versions, and different wing setups. The Mk V was the most built version (6,487 planes), followed by the Mk IX (5,656 planes).
Different wings had different weapons:
- A wing: 8 x .303 inch machine guns.
- B wing: 2 x 20mm cannons and 4 x .303 inch machine guns.
- C wing (Universal): Could have either 4 x 20mm cannons or 2 x 20mm cannons and 4 x .303 inch machine guns. This became the most common.
- E wing: 2 x 20mm cannons and 2 x .50 inch machine guns.
As the war went on, the Spitfire got faster and had better weapons. However, it always had limited fuel, which meant it couldn't fly very far or for very long. Photo-reconnaissance versions replaced their guns with extra fuel tanks to fly longer distances.
Supermarine also developed a two-seat training version called the T Mk VIII, but none were ordered. A few old Spitfires were later converted into two-seaters for training, some even by the Russians. After the war, Supermarine built more two-seat Spitfires by converting old Mk IX planes. Ten of these were sold to the Indian Air Force, and others to Ireland, the Netherlands, and Egypt.
Seafire
The Seafire was a naval version of the Spitfire, made to operate from aircraft carriers. The name "Seafire" comes from "sea" and "Spitfire." The Spitfire wasn't originally designed for carrier landings, which are very rough. For example, pilots had to learn to land with their heads out of the cockpit because visibility was poor. Also, the landing gear was quite narrow, which made carrier landings tricky.
Early Seafires were very similar to regular Spitfires. But later versions had stronger bodies, folding wings, and arrestor hooks (to catch wires on the carrier deck). The Seafire II could even outperform the Japanese A6M5 Zero at low altitudes in mock combat. However, other Allied carrier fighters like the F6F Hellcat and F4U Corsair were tougher and better suited for carrier operations.
Griffon-Engined Versions
The first Spitfire with a powerful Griffon engine, the Mk XII, flew in August 1942. It started flying missions in April 1943. This version could reach almost 400 mph (640 km/h) and climb to 33,000 feet (10,000 m) in under nine minutes.
As American fighters started escorting bombers on long missions, the Griffon-engined Spitfires took on the role of air superiority fighters. They were very important in stopping German V-1 flying bombs. While the Griffon-engined Spitfires were very fast, they lost some of the easy handling of the earlier Merlin-powered versions. Still, they could outmaneuver most German, American, and British fighters.
The very last version of the Spitfire, the Mk 24, first flew on 13 April 1946. The last production Spitfire, VN496, left the factory on 20 February 1948. Spitfire Mk 24s were used by 80 Squadron in Germany and later in Hong Kong to defend against threats during the Chinese Civil War.
Spitfires were used in the Malayan Emergency, flying over 1,800 missions. The very last operational flight of an RAF Spitfire was on 1 April 1954. It was a PR Mk 19 Spitfire taking photos of the jungle in Malaysia.
The last non-operational flight of an RAF Spitfire was on 9 June 1957. This was also the last known flight of a propeller-driven fighter in the RAF. Syria was the last country in the Middle East to use Spitfires, keeping its F Mk 22s until 1953.
In 1962, a Spitfire PR Mk 19 was even flown in mock combat against an English Electric Lightning F 3, a supersonic jet fighter! The pilots found that the jet's missiles had trouble locking onto the Spitfire because its engine exhaust wasn't hot enough. They decided that the jet's cannons were the only effective weapons, but the Spitfire's tight turns made it hard for the jet to hit. They concluded that the best way for a jet to attack a propeller plane was to fly below it and circle behind for a quick attack.
Who Used the Spitfire?
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- Australia
- Belgium
- Burma
- Canada
- Czechoslovakia
- Denmark
- Egypt
- France
- Free France
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- India
- Indian Empire
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Kingdom of Italy
- Italy (Italian Republic)
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Pakistan
- Poland
- Portugal
- Southern Rhodesia
- South Africa
- Soviet Union
- Sweden
- Syria
- Thailand
- Turkey
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Yugoslavia
Surviving Spitfires
There are 54 Spitfires and a few Seafires that can still fly around the world. Many museums also have them on display. For example, the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago has a Spitfire next to a German Ju 87 Stuka dive bomber.
The oldest surviving Spitfire is a Mark 1, serial number K9942. It is kept at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford in Shropshire. This plane was the 155th built and first flew in April 1939. It flew in combat until June 1940.
One of the most original restored Spitfires is at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida. It was restored using almost 90% of its original parts. It even has its original machine guns, cannons, gun sight, and working radios.
The Imperial War Museum Duxford in England has the largest collection of Spitfires, with 15-20 flying and static examples.
A Spitfire model ML407 was bought by Carolyn Grace and her husband Nick in 1979. Carolyn Grace later flew this Spitfire in many airshows, including one celebrating the 60th anniversary of D-Day in 2004.
Search for Buried Spitfires in Burma
After the war ended in Asia in 1945, there were rumors that many Spitfire Mk.XIVs were buried in crates in Burma. They were supposedly greased and tarred for long-term storage.
However, excavations at Yangon International Airport in early 2013 did not find any of these rumored planes. The team found no evidence that Spitfires were shipped there in crates or buried. An RAF pilot who was in Burma at the end of the war also said that no such burying took place. The search was still ongoing in 2016.
Spitfire Memorials
- A replica of a Spitfire Mk1 is at the Battle of Britain memorial near Folkestone, along with a replica Hurricane.
- Sentinel is a sculpture by Tim Tolkien showing three Spitfires flying. It is at a roundabout in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, England, honoring the main Spitfire factory.
- A sculpture of the prototype Spitfire, K5054, stands at the entrance to Southampton International Airport, where the plane first flew.
- Jeffrey Quill, a former Supermarine test pilot, started a project to build an exact replica of K5054. It was unveiled in 1993 and is now at the Tangmere Military Aviation Museum.
- A replica Spitfire is on display at RAF Northolt, a Battle of Britain station.
- A replica Spitfire is on a pylon in Memorial Park, Hamilton, New Zealand, honoring all New Zealand fighter pilots who flew Spitfires.
- At RAF Bentley Priory, the World War II command center for Fighter Command, there are replicas of a Spitfire and a Hurricane in an attack position.
- A replica Spitfire is on the roof of the Spitfire Emporium shop in Kitchener, Ontario.
- The Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre has a full-size replica Spitfire.
- A replica of Spitfire VB BL924 is at Beale Park, honoring a Danish RAF pilot who died in 1942.
- In 2009, the Spitfire was chosen by the Royal Mail for a postage stamp issue called "British Design Classics."
Restored Planes and Replicas
The British company, Aircraft Restoration Company, has restored or built many of the Spitfires that can fly today. Other companies also make replica Spitfires, either as complete planes or as kits you can build yourself. These replicas range from 60% to full-size. Most use wood instead of the original metal design.
Supermarine Aircraft in Texas makes 80% scale Mk26 and 90% scale Mk26B replicas. Their Supermarine Aircraft Spitfire is the only all-aluminum replica Spitfire in production.
Spitfire in Movies and Media
During and after the Battle of Britain, the Spitfire became a symbol of British strength. It is still very popular at airshows and in museums. Many films and documentaries have been made about the Spitfire:
- The First of the Few (1942): This British film tells the story of R. J. Mitchell, the Spitfire's designer. It includes real footage of Spitfires flying.
- Malta Story (1953): This black and white war film shows the defense of Malta in 1942, where Spitfires were the main defense.
- Reach for the Sky (1956): This film tells the story of Douglas Bader, a famous pilot who flew Spitfires.
- Battle of Britain (1969): This movie features many flying Spitfires and other World War II planes.
- Piece of Cake (1987): A TV series about air combat during the early part of World War II, using later model Spitfires.
- Dark Blue World (2001): A story about two Czech pilots who fly Spitfires during the Battle of Britain.
- Guy Martin's Spitfire (2014): A documentary about the two-year restoration of a Mark 1 Spitfire that crashed during the Dunkirk evacuation.
- Dunkirk (2017): This film features three Spitfires defending the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk.
- Spitfire: The People's Plane (2020): A podcast about the people who built the aircraft.
See also
In Spanish: Supermarine Spitfire para niños
- Similar aircraft
