"For Sweden" (rallybeetle) 02/06/2014 at 12:12 • Filed to: Planelopnik, Supermarine Spitfire, Supermarine, Spitfire, Rolls Royce Merlin, Rolls Royce, Merlin

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Planelopnik Fun Fact: The Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I's Rolls Royce Merlin II V12 engine, producing 1,030 horsepower, was carbureted. As such, it could only fly inverted for very brief periods. God Save the King.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > For Sweden 02/06/2014 at 12:16

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*feigned surprise that the British solution was not to install a second carburetor fed by a pressure bladder only operating when inverted*

Svend > For Sweden 02/06/2014 at 12:37

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There was a Battle of Britain documentary a few years ago that compared the Supermarine Spitfire to the Messerschmitt bf/me 109. The 109 came out as the more superior aircraft of the two with the main disadvantage being the distance the Messerschmitt had to fly and was able to fight before having to head home or run out of fuel.

As a Brit I feel I can look back and be honest and say it was a close call, too close.

If Germany had got airsuperiority over the U.K. and Ireland then that would of sounded the deathknell for us, but with British, Irish, Canadian, Australian, New Zealander, American, Polish, etc... coming together to fight and doing the best they could with what was available the BoB was won and we lived to turn the tide.

The Spitfire in my opinion is the most majestic of the aircraft of that time and even now she looks amazing. God save the King indeed, God save the King.

For Sweden > Svend 02/06/2014 at 12:38

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Better nuke the Germans to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Svend > For Sweden 02/06/2014 at 12:47

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No. I'd hate to fallout with her neighbours. Get it fallout. Sorry I'll get my coat.

It was a different time back then with a lot of fear and hatered of other people, I'd like to think were over that and such events can be remembered for the terrible things that happened and all the lives lost and use that as a tool to never let it happen again.

I hope I'm not wrong, especially as were always coming up with new ways to kill each other. If only we'd spend as much money looking after ourselves and each other as opposed to thinking of ways to kill each other it would be a better world.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Svend 02/06/2014 at 13:00

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The biggest problem with the majority of Bf 109 variants was the extent they were hamstrung by carrying too much weaponry for their frame and too heavy an engine. It was an extraordinarily agile platform, but never intended to carry more than light armament - as a result, its capabilities were very high but close to abject structural failure at the limits. It took a very nervy pilot (Galland, others) to be able to pull that off.

Svend > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 02/06/2014 at 13:13

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True. Just another case of an aircraft being excellent at one job that they start addding to it thinking it'll be just as excellent doing other jobs but at the same time without realising that each additional item hinders the ability to do other tasks or the very least, too much load onto a frame.

FelixScout > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 02/07/2014 at 13:26

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And that's why the upengined and lightly armed F model is considered by some to be the best with many German aces hitting high number due to the speed and maneuverability of the model.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > FelixScout 02/07/2014 at 13:51

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Yep. Second-guessing Willy on the design was never going to end well, any more than trying to use it as a bomber killer.