With Leslie Howard, David Niven, Rosamund John, Roland Culver. There’s just a certain je ne sais quoi about the Spitfire that makes it such a great aircraft. Aircraft designer/patriot R. J. Mitchell, alarmed at growing German militarism, works to perfect a defense against the German Messerschmidt at the cost of his health. EXPERIMENTAL SUPER 18 • ASKING PRICE SLASHED • Wide Body, Slotted Wing, w/24 gallon tanks, O-360, Cato prop. 6. Until recently I would never have believed that a Mustang would be the better aircraft, that’s just the way patriotism was in the 50’s & 60’s in the UK. Many of them similarly said that the Spitfire was iconic. Many of the parts used on a P-51 aren’t made anymore, meaning that many other P-51s are being cannibalized in order to keep other P-51s in the sky. In part, the Swift has its origins amongst these experimental fighter prototypes that were developed. The first of these prototypes was designated as the Type 510, which was heavily based on the straight-wing Supermarine Attacker, an early jet aircraft which was procured by the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy; the principal difference from the Attacker was that it had been modified with the addition of a swept wing configuration. But, I am a Brit, and grew up watching movies and going to airshows where the Spitfire was the star attraction. Today, this $50,985 is worth $730,210 (£570,000) in 2019 pounds. It did break a number of speed records in its time; in Libya, on 26 September 1953, an F.4 (WK198) piloted by Commander Mike Lithgow broke the world absolute speed record, reaching a speed of 737.7 mph (1,187 km/h),[citation needed] though it was broken in turn just eight days later by the Douglas Skyray, a United States Navy (USN) fighter. It was developed and manufactured by Supermarine during the 1940s and 1950s. It was never taken into operational service with the Royal Air Force and was used as an instructional airframe. Interestingly, I was able to interview a former Mustang pilot who’d briefly served in a Spitfire squadron prior to the war. This is a good take on the two aircraft. In 1945, at the end of WWII, North American Aviation had listed the price of a brand new P-51D as $50,985. North American also equipped the Mustang with more weaponry, as well as a much faster climb rate. A replica on the other hand can set you back roughly $65,000 (£51,000). ", This page was last edited on 11 January 2021, at 13:25. During WWII, both the North American P-51 Mustang and the Supermarine Spitfire dominated the skies over Europe. Gareth Seagull is a traveler and former Airbus A320 pilot. Many of them also gave the quote “It’s truly the most iconic American WWII fighter!”. Over 20,000 Spitfires were produced between 1938 and 1948. 56 Squadron became the first RAF squadron to operate the type; upon its introduction, the Swift became the RAF's first swept-wing aircraft. I’m fortunate to have flown both in original configuration. The Mustang also flew much higher than the Spitfire, giving it a noticeable advantage. After the war, the USAAF consolidated itself greatly. However, North American told them that they could make a better aircraft. The Spitfire had several different variants with several different wing designs, but an esteemed 50 Supermarine Spitfire’s remain airworthy today. The third Swift variant was the F Mk 3, with 25 being built and powered by an Avon 114 engine with reheat. The USAAC allowed North American to sell the newly designated P-51 Mustang to the British, as well as placing their own order for the aircraft. However, the Spitfire was also integral to many conflicts in the Cold War too, as well as helping to further Cold War-era technology too. Directed by Leslie Howard. Boeing 747-200: The Most Versatile 747 Ever Built! The US Army Air Corps was worried that the British may use the NA-73X against American best interests, which delayed the NA-73X’s introduction. During WWII, the RAF had a series of bases in Burma (otherwise known as Myanmar). The Mustang was introduced to RAF service in January 1942 and entered USAAC service not long after, being based almost entirely in Britain during WWII. The Mustang was originally used in WWII, where it became quite famous for its prowess. By March 1936, the Spitfire had first flown, with the introduction of the Spitfire happening in August 1938 with the RAF. Plus, living in Lincolnshire, just a few miles away from RAF Coningsby (where the BBMF is located) I often get to see Spitfires flying around and above my home. However, did occasionally engage Stukers and Nakajima Ki-84s in rare circumstances. However, this was not the end of the Spitfire’s flying days. Supermarine Spitfire. Under two hundred Swifts were built from an order of 497. But the Spit. Peter Thorne, who had been appointed as the senior RAF test pilot for the incoming Swift in 1954, came to doubt the aircraft's suitability; observations by Thorne and several other pilots noted the Swift to possess unusual handling qualities alongside a troublesome engine. Thanks! This flight made it the first British aircraft to fly with both swept wings and a swept tailplane. However, that wasn’t the only conflict both aircraft served in! Royal Supermarine Spitfire Mk VIII Kit .60 - .80 + Royal Spitfire Cockpit kit. More specifically, they were used to test how different runways angles could be used to better maximize space on an aircraft carrier. [11] The Swift never saw combat action with the RAF. The Balsa Basics Spitfire has been designed to be a great intermediate level flyer that is easy to build. [3] During 1948, the Type 510 had conducted its maiden flight, a year after the first navalised prototype Attacker had flown. Ultimately, the less problematic Hawker Hunter assumed much of the intended role for the type and only half as many Swifts were manufactured as had once been intended. )[22], Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era, British single-seat jet-propelled fighter aircraft, Specifications (Supermarine Swift FR Mk.5). After a protracted development period, the Swift entered service as an interceptor aircraft with the RAF in 1954. Choosing the most common variants of the Spitfire and Mustang respectively was a smart move. Unlike other warbird models out there, this one has a very light wing-loading and gentle characteristics. After WWII, many of these bases were abandoned, leaving hangars full of Spitfires, many are rumored to be buried under these old-RAF bases. It was powered by a single 7,500 lbf (33.4 kN)-thrust Avon 109 engine and carried an armament of two 30 mm ADEN cannons. By the end of the war, squadrons of Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, French and even Soviet Spitfires! Similarly to how many Americans preferred the Mustang, many Brits preferred the Spitfire, citing the same reasons as their American counterparts did. Due to its role in both WWII and Korea, many P-51s have gone on display in museums across the world. In accordance with this policy, aside from a small number of exceptions such as what would become the Hawker Sea Hawk for the Royal Navy, the majority of Specifications issued by the Air Ministry for fighter-sized aircraft during the late 1940s were restricted to research purposes. Both the Spitfire and Mustang served in WWII, often side-by-side. © International Aviation HQ. The P-51 Mustang was originally designed for the RAF. Not to mention the insurance premiums! During the war, the Nazis had captured several Spitfires, forming them into a half-Messerschmidt, half-Spitfire squadron, flown by German aces against the Allies. For me, the Spitfire is truly the most iconic aircraft to have ever flown. By the late 1940’s, it looked as though the Mustang was obsolete. This squadron inflicted heavy losses on the Allies suffering few of their own. [3] All fighter variants of the Swift were withdrawn from service by the RAF, after a short time in service, to be replaced by the more capable Hawker Hunter. As such, we will compare the specifications of the two most common variants of the Mustang and Spitfire. The most common variant of the P-51 Mustang is the P-51D, previously in service with the RAAF, SAAF and USAF. The Swift has the distinction of being the last British production aircraft to hold this record (the Fairey Delta 2 was experimental). [10] By autumn 1954, the issues with the Swift had become public knowledge and reports of the pending cancellation of the Swift were being printed by the national press; Under-Secretary of State for Air Sir George Ward stated of the aircraft in Parliament that: "Aerodynamic difficulties have been encountered, and it is not possible to say with certainty if they can be overcome in version under development". Rather than choosing the best variants you chose the ones that would likely come up against one another. Two further variants were designed; the PR Mk 6 was an unarmed photo reconnaissance variant. Both the Mustang and the Spitfire are icons in their own right. Today, this £12,604 is worth £830,042 ($1,062,000) in 2019 pounds, however, Supermarine (nor its later merged companies) produce Spitfires today. Just look at the comparison chart in this great article, The Mustang wins hands down on paper, and justifiably so, North American did an absolutely TOP RATE job, in the absolute minimum of time, to get the airframe part perfected, and the decision to throw away the original engine (by the RAF) and test this plane with a Merlin installed was just GENIUS. The next variant was the F Mk.4, which included a variable incidence tailplane intended to correct the handling problems that the Swift suffered from. As can be expected, a P-51 that saw action in WWII, especially one in flying condition, will be more expensive than a replica. However, the development of both the Swift and the Hunter would be protracted and also encountered several considerable technical challenges; according to Wood, this had been in part due to a failure to procure interim aircraft equipped with swept wings or to proceed with development of the Miles M.52. ap_rpm: Aircraft - Fuel - Airplanes (FS/W) 0: Apr 14, 2016 11:53 AM: For Sale,"royal" Beech Staggerwing kit! [13], Data from Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 (2nd ed. On 25 August 1952, the first flight of a production standard Swift F 1 took place. [8] Externally, the Type 545 bore a crude resemblance to the Swift, and would have served as a spiritual successor to it, but was radically redesigned with an area-ruled fuselage and wing changes. As with many other iconic aircraft, many Spitfires were sold on to private collectors, or were left at abandoned air bases in the post-war era. Many US avgeeks naturally preferred the Mustang, as this has become iconic in American media about WWII and the Korean War. As usual, we asked several different groups about their opinions on the matter of “Mustang vs Spitfire?”. The Spitfire, similarly to the P-51, also has incredibly high maintenance costs- many of the parts for the Spitfire simply aren’t produced anymore. [11], The FR.5 was the last Swift variant to enter service with the RAF and was eventually replaced by the Hunter FR.10, leaving RAF service entirely in 1961. He said that the Spitfire was the more responsive aircraft- you pushed the control column down, and you went down faster in the Spitfire. Specifically, a number of Supermarine-built prototypes had been ordered under Specification E.41/46, which had sought the production of an experimental fighter aircraft furnished with a swept wing. A replica can cost anywhere between £30,000 ($38,000) and £50,000 ($64,000). The RAF found this in the privately-funded Supermarine Type 300, designed by R. J. Mitchell. Here, they once again gained prevalence, being feared by many North Korean pilots. Supermarine Aviation Works (Vickers) Ltd. https://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/swift/history.php, "Exhibitions – Cobham Hall – Reserve Collection – Supermarine 510 (VV106). This was practically the same as the earlier F 1, except for being fitted with two extra ADENs and the leading edge of the wing being altered from straight to a compound sweep configuration. The FR 5 also reverted to the F 1's twin ADEN cannon armament. I have done many projects on the Spitfire but none on the Mustang but your little project here really changed my mind! [1] The incoming Attlee government's initial stance on defence was that no major conflict would occur for at least a decade, and thus there would be no need to develop or to procure any new aircraft until 1957. Many of these factories were subsequently shut down. In 1940, the British Royal Air Force fights a desperate battle to prevent the Luftwaffe from gaining air superiority over the English Channel as a prelude to a possible Axis invasion of the U.K. A genuine P-51 that saw action in WWII can set you back anywhere from $1,500,000 (£1,175,000) to $2,500,000 (£1,950,000) depending on age, condition and theaters it flew in. It first flew in 1955 and entered service the following year. [3], The initial order that had been placed in 1950 for 100 aircraft was intended to serve as an insurance policy in the event of the Hawker effort failing to produce a viable aircraft; these two aircraft would later become known as the Supermarine Swift and the Hawker Hunter respectively. However, several air forces do keep a small fleet of Mustangs or Spitfires to this day. [4] In 1950, the outbreak of the Korean War and Britain's heavy involvement in this conflict led to a flurry of orders being issued; in particular, the RAF felt that a pair of proposed fighter aircraft from Hawker Aircraft and Supermarine were of high importance and thus placed orders for these proposed fighters 'off the drawing board' in 1950. P-51 Mustang vs Spitfire- Which was the better aircraft? By January 1957, the US military had completely retired their fleet of P-51s. This can be done in one of two ways- a replica or an original. The Swift FR 5 was deemed to be suitable for its role and was based with two squadrons that were assigned to RAF Germany. [12], By its last variant many of the problems that had plagued earlier Swifts were resolved but the programme was not continued. [5] The proposed Supermarine design was designated as the Type 541, which was essentially an advanced development of the earlier Type 510 experimental aircraft. These issues with the Swift led to a public scandal surrounding the aircraft, harming the reputations of the British government, the RAF, and the aircraft industry. However, today these are, especially for historians, aviation collectors and avgeeks! Numerous further modifications were then required to resolve the issues.[3]. While subject to its own problems, the Hunter had quickly proved to be a successful fighter aircraft. Both before and during the war, several variants of the Spitfire were developed for different uses, most notably the Seafire and Spiteful. The most common variant of the Spitfire is the Spitfire Mk VB, previously in service with the RAAF, SAAF and RAF. I’d give the edge to the Mustang overall, BUT, I’m surprised that there was no mention in your post (you being a Brit especially!) Featured image courtesy of Andrew-M-Whitman via Flickr. Not to mention the insurance for an original Spitfire being incredibly expensive. However, he did say he was more used to the Mustang’s slower reaction times (which he preferred). During 1945, the Second World War came to a close and a new postwar Labour government, headed by Clement Attlee, came to power in Britain. All rights reserved. With the Bf-109, the P-51 Mustang, and P-38 Lightning in the skies, it can be hard to choose a favorite plane from World War II, but we’re giving the glory to the Supermarine Spitfire. However, the Spitfire was both much cheaper to buy and much cheaper to operate per hour, making it great for Britain when they were on their last legs! Only fourteen F 7 aircraft were built and none of these ever entered service with the RAF, being relegated – along with its prototype missiles – to conducting guided-missile trials duties only. [5] In early 1946, the Type 541 order was increased to 150 aircraft, while the Air Ministry had hopes that it would be able to enter service in advance of the rival Hunter. The P-51 has incredibly high maintenance costs. It did indeed fix the problem; however, it was found that reheat could not be ignited at high altitude which added to the Swift's list of problems. Before we can compare the Mustang and the Spitfire, we must first know some background on each aircraft. Tell me in the comments! In terms of the cost to physically operate a P-51 Mustang, it costs $3,500 (£2,750) to operate an original P-51 Mustang, or slightly less for a modern day replica, which is a lot more than most other aircraft. Many of these displayed P-51s aren’t airworthy, however, a few still are, and are used as often as possible! However, when the Korean War broke out in June 1950, the Mustang was loaded on to aircraft carriers by the thousands and were transported to Korea. Cub Yellow and ready for your panel. According to Wood, the Swift had become a national scandal by early 1955, which not only tarnished the aircraft but also the RAF and the British aircraft industry, the public and ministers alike generally adopting a more averse nature to aviation and other aircraft projects. Not to mention six Spitfires which are in the world famous Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF). P-51s were not only used in WWII, however, it is the conflict that made them famous. There was a lot of racket in the cruiser/bagger world this year, and this thing could’ve gone several ways.But we like a little performance with our cruisers, and it was Triumph’s audacious Rocket 3 that blasted off to the win. )- stating that it was a British icon from a bygone era. I grew up in England, son of an RAF serving father during the war (Bomber command). Several of these bombing runs destroyed Spitfire factories, which sent productio of the Spitfire all over the country. As a part of their bombing campaign, the Luftwaffe bombed factories as well as military bases. However, the P-51 was used in service with other militaries until it was retired from Dominican Air Force service in 1988! [10], In early February 1955, the Swift was rumoured to have failed its final evaluation by the RAF Central Fighter Establishment, and that the type would likely be restricted in RAF service to aerial reconnaissance or to ground attack roles as a result. Naturally, buying an original is far more expensive than a replica. The Spitfire similarly gained notoriety in WWII. The Type 510 was also the first swept-wing aircraft to take off from and land upon an aircraft carrier during trials held for the Fleet Air Arm. [3] Wood describes the Swift as being "literally an attempt to squeeze a quart into a pint pot, with 30mm Aden guns, afterburning, power controls, adequate fuel and a respectable high subsonic performance".[3]. In the 1930’s, with the advancement in wing designs, the need for a biplane configuration was seemingly not the peak of aircraft design. It can slow right down without tip-stalling, which makes landing a breeze and keeps hand launching drama free. The Supermarine Swift is a British single-seat jet fighter aircraft that was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF). The Swift F 2 entered service that same month; Wood refers to the type's introduction as having been "panicked", and that this adoption soon proved to be an "abysmal failure". On 26 September 1953, a Swift F.4 piloted by Commander Mike Lithgow broke the world absolute speed record, reaching a speed of 737.7 mph (1,187 km/h). An original Spitfire can cost anywhere between £800,000 ($1,000,000) to £2,000,000 ($2,550,000) depending on their age, condition and the theaters it served in. After the Korean War, most Mustangs were retired and were sold off. A later-produced photo reconnaissance variant of the Swift had resolved some of the teething problems that the type had suffered from, but this proved to be too late for it to regain favour. [2] Aviation author Derek Wood refers to this policy as being: "a fatal error of judgement which was to cost Britain a complete generation of fighters and heavy bomber aircraft".[1]. However, due to a spate of accidents incurred by the type, the Swift was grounded for a time, and experienced a relatively brief service life. Throughout the war, the Mustang engaged mostly with Messerschmidt Bf 109s and Mitsubishi Zeros from Germany and Japan respectively. With Michael Caine, Trevor Howard, Harry Andrews, Curd Jürgens. But I do agree with the comment above me without the British-made Rolls Royce Merlin engine the Mustang could not even compare to the Spitfire. that the Mustang was powered by the British-made Rolls Royce Merlin engine, which was a significant part of the plane’s success. Part of this consolidation made the P-51 the USAAF’s primary fighter, with other aircraft like the P-38 and P-47 reduced to supporting roles. Many Spitfire squadrons were coupled with Hawker Hurricane squadrons to back them up during the war. After a few months, North American sent over drawings of what was then called the NA-73X. The fuselage, which had been given a cross section suitable for the Nene engine, was not redesigned for the narrower AJ.65 and Avon engines, and retained a somewhat portly appearance. By the late 1950’s, the RAF had phased out their Spitfire fighter squadrons, save for the BBMF and trainer squadrons. [3], The Swift F 3 and F 4 fighters were noted to have improved performance over their predecessors; the F 4 would be the last variant that the RAF would accept in the interceptor role. The Spitfire didn’t see anymore front line action after the end of WWII. One of the smallest and lightest combat fighters fielded by any combatant during the war, its high power-to-weight ratio gave it excellent performance and it proved to be a formidable dogfighter. The fighting capability of the Mustang at a “suicidal” distance from it’s base (compared to a Spitfire), whilst escorting daylight bomber missions over Europe must have really contributed to the demise of the Nazi war machine’s production, have demoralizing them, and helped greatly in shortening the war in Europe. As a part of this, North American sent the USAAC two NA-73Xs to test them. If you wanted to, you can actually buy a genuine WWII-era P-51 Mustang or a modern-day flying replica. [3], The first production variant was a fighter designated the Swift F Mk 1, of which 18 were eventually built. Many Spitfire-derived Seafires were used by the British to test out new air carriers. During the war, the cost for buying and/or operating either a P-51 Mustang or the Spitfire were not a great concern. Many of these Spitfires were flown by retired Spitfire pilots at airshows all around the world. This one was perhaps the most divisive of them all. British WW2 Aircraft: Supermarine Spitfire No single aircraft has so captured the world’s imagination as the Royal Air Force’s sleekly elegant Spitfire. Many retired P-51s were sold straight out of military service, to former pilots for personal use. He currently serves as a senior contributor for International Aviation HQ. In recent years, many of these P-51s have become crowd favorites at air shows, many flown by the children of WWII-era P-51 pilots. In 1939, Supermarine had the list price of the Spitfire as £12,604. The Supermarine Swift is a British single-seat jet fighter aircraft that was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF). Throughout and after the war, several variants of both the P-51 Mustang and the Spitfire were developed. But look at it this way, the Mustang was designed in 1942? Supermarine Spitfire Vought F4U Corsair Axis All Axis Focke-Wulf Fw-190 Fw-190 Heinkel HE162 Salamander Macchi C.202 Veltro Macchi C.202 Folgore Messerschmitt BF 109 Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero Civilian All Civilian GeeBee Piper J-3 Cub Modern Supermarine Spitfire Cost: $3 million. According to Wood, volume manufacturing commenced in advance of the implementation of modifications based on the results of flight experiences with the prototypes; "too much had been asked for in too little time and production aircraft were rolling off the production line before a major redesign could be accomplished". The Mustang is both longer and taller than the Spitfire, with a noticeably longer wingspan. It performed its reconnaissance mainly at low level, making the reheat problem at high altitude irrelevant. During the late 1940s, in the face of the emerging Cold War scenario, the RAF came to recognise that it would urgently require the development and procurement of fighters equipped with features such as swept wings; this need was felt to be so pressing that they were willing to accept interim fighter aircraft while more capable fighters would continue to be pursued. As such, they never fought one another. Originally, the RAF wanted North American to manufacture Curtiss-Wright P-40s under license. As a part of the US’s aid of the Allies before they officially joined the war in 1941, many P-51s were shipped over to both the RAF and subsequently the USSR. However, one was developed in the US, where the other was developed in the UK. Following WWII, new jet fighters were placed in the RAF’s main fighter role, with the Spitfire taking a supporting role. A number of Swift airframes went to Australia for Operation Buffalo in 1956, being placed at various distances from a detonating atomic bomb. The Hunter, performing satisfactorily in the same roles, removed any requirement to persist with the Swift. The last variant was the F Mk 7; this model was the first Swift variant to be fitted with guided missiles, having been armed with the Fairey Fireflash air-to-air missile and was powered by a new model of the Avon engine. ", "The fabulous flying boats of the Solent Sky museum. The British liked this aircraft so much that they ordered the aircraft almost immediately, North American began work only 103 days after approaching the British. Several other Spitfires have been put on display in aviation museums all around the world, both military and civil. A Spitfire for Everyone. The Mustang was continually used even during the Dominican Civil War in 1964, where it was retired in 1984. 6 × 0.50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns (380 rounds per gun); 1,000 pounds (450 kg) of bombs, 8 × .303 in Browning Mk II machine guns (350 rounds per gun). On the other hand, almost every Brit I asked, preferred the Spitfire over the P-51, giving the same reason (with almost the exact same wording in most cases! Cessna had many workers who had worked on the P-51, where Ford named it in order to sell to former Mustang pilots. The Mustang was also much quicker than the Spitfire, with a much longer combat range. Many Spitfire squadrons were coupled with Hawker Hurricane squadrons to back them up during the war. Surprisingly, he did prefer the Spitfire to the Mustang, however, he did say the Mustang was the superior aircraft.
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