NEW SPITFIRE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 94, 21 April 1944, Page 5

NEW SPITFIRE

LOW ALTITUDE TERROR IT COMBINES Al l, QUALITIES OF ITS FORERUNNERS Recd. 6 p.m. Rugby, April 19. To the famous family of Spitfires has been added yet another successful design, the Mark XII, in which outstanding performances at low altitudes has been added to those fighting qualities which have kept the Spitfires series in the forefront of the air battles in this war. It was realised, even prior to the Battle of Britain, that performance at low altitudes might~become one of the deciding factors of the war, so, to supplement the high altitude fighters already being built, the manufacturers began the design of an improved singleseater fighter to be powered by the Rolls Royce engine. That was in 1940, and in 1942 the first machine was available for the Air Force. In the meantime, some acute pro blems of design had been solved, inc substantially increased size and weight of the new engine, in comparison with the Merlin, necessitated modification to many sections of the aircraft. A new fuselage, reinforced and strengthened to support the heavier engine, was designed and an entirely new engine mounting introduced. The prototype, first flown in 1941, was fitted with standard type Spitfire wmgs, but it was soon evident that stil .further improvements should be made. Clipped wings were substituted for the standard type, and an improved rudder was another addition, giving maximum manoeuvrability. The lines of the cowling were also modified, and a fixed tail wheel was replaced by the latest retractable type. The new Spitfire proved, from the very first, to be highly successful. Greatly improved manoeuvrability, increased speed and rapid climb at low altitudes, combined to produce a machine with a much better combat performance.—B.O.W.