369 mph
Was the Spitfire the fastest plane in WW2?
Supermarine Spitfire
The plane reached it’s record speed of 606 mph at a 45-degree dive in 1943; it was later estimated to have reached 690 mph in a dive following the war in 1952
.
What was the fastest mark of Spitfire?
During the programme, Squadron Leader J R Tobin took a Mark XI Spitfire into a 45-degree dive; the plane reached a top speed of
606mph (975km/h)
, or Mach 0.89 (Mach 1 being the technical term for the speed of sound).
What was the fastest airplane in WW2?
Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet
– (702 mph)
The fastest plane to see action during WW2, the Me 163 was powered by rockets and was lightyears ahead of its time.
How long did it take to train a Spitfire pilot?
At the start of the war it could be as little as six months (150 flying hours). On average it took between
18 months to two years
(200-320 flying hours).
How fast can a Spitfire go?
369 mph
Has a Spitfire broke the sound barrier?
A Spitfire very nearly broke the sound barrier in 1944
. In the 1930s a small number of aero-engineers recognized that the piston-engine and propeller were providing diminishing returns.
Is Spitfire better than BF 109?
The Bf 109 was arguably the best fighter in the world in 1940.
It was faster than the Spitfire at high altitude
, could dive more rapidly and carried a more effective armament of two cannon and two machine guns.
Which is faster Spitfire or Mustang?
The maximum speed of a P51D was 437mph whilst
the Spitfire was slightly faster at 448mph
. For interception, this was clearly quite important. However, the P51D was generally more specialized than the Spitfire. In it’s main role, the Mustang proved itself as a superb escort fighter in Allied bombing raids over Germany.
What was the slowest ww2 plane?
PZL M-15 Belphegor
– Wikipedia.
What was faster Spitfire or Hurricane?
The Spitfire and Bf 109E were well-matched in speed and agility, and both were
somewhat faster than the Hurricane
. However, the slightly larger Hurricane was regarded as an easier aircraft to fly and was effective against Luftwaffe bombers.
What Spitfire had the most HP?
For example, the Merlin II and III which powered the
Spitfire I
produced a maximum of 1,030 hp (770 kW) using the 87 octane aviation fuel which was generally available from 1938 through to 1941; from early 1940 increasing supplies of 100 octane fuel allowed the maximum power to be increased to 1,310 hp (977 kW) with an …
How fast was the Griffon powered Spitfire?
The F Mk 24 achieved a maximum speed of
454 mph (731 km/h)
and could reach an altitude of 30,000 ft (9,100 m) in eight minutes, putting it on a par with the most advanced piston-engined fighters of the era.
Was the Spitfire pressurized?
Designed to fulfill the high altitude fighter role,
the Spitfire VII featured a pressurised cabin
, extended span wings intially and a two speed, two stage intercooled Merlin engine.
Was the Spitfire better than the Messerschmitt?
Similar to the case of the Hurricane
the Spitfire was superior to the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter in a dogfight
, since it had considerably better turning ability than its German arch rival.
Which ww2 aircraft had longest range?
However,
the Dominator
had the longest range—3,800 miles—of any bomber built during the war. Sadly, not a single B-32 survives today. The B-29 may have been the biggest and the B-32 having the longest range, but it was the B-24 Liberator that was produced in the largest numbers in terms of bombers.
Which plane shot down the most planes in ww2?
It is accurate to state that the
P-38
did shoot down more Japanese aircraft than any other USAAF plane with 1,857, with the P-40 running a close second at 1,633.5. Even though the F6F did not start reaching Naval and Marine units in the Pacific until late 1943, once it did it came in prodigious numbers.
How much did a Spitfire cost in 1940?
In May 1940, Spitfire funds took off. The aircraft were priced at an entirely theoretical
£5,000
. Within weeks funds were set up by councils, businesses, voluntary organisations and individuals. Fired by the sight of German planes overhead during the Battle of Britain, more than 1,400 appeals were set up.
What was the life expectancy of a ww2 pilot?
The Germans generally had better aircraft and more experienced airmen, but the Canadian and Imperial fliers persevered. Historians have calculated that the life span of a pilot in action was about
ten weeks
.
Are any ww2 Spitfire pilots still alive?
As six of the seven longest surviving veterans of the battle (Squadron Leader John Hart, Flight Lieutenant Archie McInnes, Flight Lieutenant Maurice Mounsdon, Air Vice-Marshal John Thornett Lawrence, Wing Commander Paul Farnes and Flight Lieutenant William Clark) died between June 2019 and May 2020 as of 8 May 2020, …
How many seconds of ammo did a Spitfire have?
Total weight of projectiles fired was 1.8 kg (4 lb) per second. Ammunition capacity was enough for
16 seconds
continuous firing in the Spitfire, slightly more in the Hurricane.
Was the Spitfire the best plane in ww2?
A symbol of victory.
The Spitfire is the most famous plane of World War Two
. Its groundbreaking design and superior specifications gave the British a decisive advantage fighting the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain.
How long could a Spitfire glide without fuel?
About the Gliding Scene – Spitfire planes could glide for
15 miles
.
Who really broke the sound barrier first?
Breaking the sound barrier in flying was a crucial milestone in the history of aviation. October 14, marks the day when US Air Force pilot Captain
Chuck Yeager
first broke the sound barrier in 1947.
How many Spitfires are left?
Fast-forward to present times and how many are left in the world today?
Around 240
are known to exist. Of these, around 60 are airworthy. 70-odd are used for static display and around 110 across the world are either held in storage or are being actively restored.
How far can a Spitfire fly?
The Supermarine Spitfire was designed as a short-range interceptor and despite numerous upgrades and modifications throughout the course of its service career it could never fly more than
434 miles
using its internal tanks.
