 Supermarine Spiteful F Mk.14 No: RB520 RAF

Tropical camo version for Middle East or Mediterranean campaigns
in the Spit 14 slot. Original files by Earok, Gramps,Claudio, and Flyright.

cheers 
Ade Kelly 'flying tiger'
mar 2005

Spiteful History courtesy of 
Richard "Gramps" Kaminski

Supermarine was engaged in developing a new, laminar flow, wing for the Spitfire, where the thickest part of the wing would be much further from the leading edge than in the original wing. The design of a new fighter to incorporate the wing was undertaken against specification F.1/43. The new aircraft was sufficiently different from the Spitfire as to merit a new name; Victor, proposed for the Griffon-engined Spitfires, was rejected in favour of Spiteful. The first prototype was a converted Mark XIV, NN660, which in common with the second prototype retained the Spitfire tail unit. The first true prototype, NN664, first flew in June 1944 followed by NN667. Aircraft built to production standard (RB515 to RB520) featured the new wing, an inward-retracting undercarriage and a fin and rudder and tailplane of increased area to improve directional stability. The early aircraft displayed a number of problems, none of which would have been insurmountable, although the type was probably taking piston-engine design to the limits. 373 were ordered from a revised Spitfire F21 contract, but production was cancelled with the war's end and with the introduction into service of the new jet types, the Meteor and Vampire, however the laminar flow wing of the Spiteful was used in the jet-powered Supermarine Attacker.

Supermarine's last piston-engined fighter, looking much like a Spitfire but completely redesigned, with a straight-tapered laminar-flow wing, a wide-track undercarriage, and better visibility. But it lacked the praised handling characteristics of the Spitfire, and had some undesirable ones. Performance was not much improved. Only 18 were built. 

Type: Spiteful F Mk.14 
Function: fighter 
Year: 1945
Crew: 1 
Engines: 1 * R.R. Griffon 69 
Wing Span: 10.67m Length: 10.03m Height: 4.08m Wing Area: 19.51m2 
Empty Weight: 3334kg Max.Weight: 4513kg 
Speed: 777km/h/485 mph Ceiling: 12800m/42240ft Range: 908km/567miles
Power rating : 2375 hp
Armament : 4* 20mm MG, 454kg/1000lb Bomb. 


