This video is of the mighty Supermarine Spitfire. Two different Spitfires are shown. The startup is of a Mark 14 and the remainder of the clip is of a Mark 9 (clipped wing version). Both aircraft are owned by the Friedkin Family Trust and are currently based in Texas, USA. My video was filmed at Chino Airport, California, home of the Planes of Fame Museum. These are two of the world’s truly great warbirds and they are maintained in fully flyable condition. The Mark 14 has a V-12 Rolls-Royce Griffon engine of about 2000 horsepower (2240 cu. in., 37 litres) and the Mark 9 has a Rolls-Royce V-12 Merlin of about 1520 horsepower (1650 cu. in., 27 litres). I’ve been told by pilots that the Griffon-powered Spitfire variants pretty much tell YOU where THEY want to go; they are basically a huge engine that happens to have wings! See the ASB.TV website for a great video on flying the very Mark 14 Spitfire shown in my video. John Maloney is the pilot in the Mark 14 and Chris Fahey is the pilot in the Mark 9. Thanks!
#1 by 423FGFDFHFHV on November 8th, 2011
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Can someone please explain alot to me?
#2 by v8luver64 on November 8th, 2011
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1 question did australia have these in ww2
#3 by RRYankfan on November 8th, 2011
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@mtllilac main simmilairity is the beautiful sound
#4 by TopGunSGA on November 8th, 2011
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@MarsFKA Glad I could help
#5 by MarsFKA on November 8th, 2011
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@TopGunSGA Hmm. You learn something new every day. Thanks.
#6 by TopGunSGA on November 8th, 2011
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@MarsFKA additional: The Mk IXs you’ve seen would be the Mk IXc, which as you have said had the same rudder as the Mk V
#7 by TopGunSGA on November 8th, 2011
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@MarsFKA The Mk IXe had the same pointed rudder as the Mk VIII and the Mk XVI
#8 by apelsinas691 on November 8th, 2011
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it’s best music for my
#9 by kirkconway on November 8th, 2011
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@mtllilac
THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
im glad you put it straight.
that was really good of you to explaion the differences between the these two plane’s.
I know alot of people will really like that you explained the difference between them.
and that you cant compare them on anything.
Two totally different plane’s.
#10 by MarsFKA on November 8th, 2011
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At the risk of being shot down in flames, are you sure that is a Mark 9? Every Mark 9 I saw had the smaller Mark 5 tail, while the Marks 8 and 16 had the tail we see on this aircraft.
#11 by eimb1999 on November 8th, 2011
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@vlad007001 : I’ll bet the guys who flew in combat and got shot at sure as hell don’t fantasize about it anymore!
#12 by vlad007001 on November 8th, 2011
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that spitfire looks so fucking sweet and the engine too and when it prepares to fly i already fanasize about a ww2 scenario
#13 by wheelsdown1 on November 8th, 2011
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what frequently confused the pilots of the later spits (mk14 onwards) was that the Griffon engine prop turned the opposite direction to the merlin due to standardisation of propeller rotation that came in after the merlin. As the merlin required full right rudder on take off to stop it ground looping (swerving violently to the left due to engine torque and prop walk), the occasional forgetful pilot would apply the same to the griffon (rather than full left rudder )with predictable results.
#14 by N37BU6 on November 8th, 2011
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@bsg1206
They filled different roles.
And if this is just a case of bias on your part: You do realize the P-51 was designed by a German, right?
#15 by ThunderAppeal on November 8th, 2011
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It had to clear its throat, but its all right.
#16 by RickDev15 on November 8th, 2011
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@mtllilac Finally someone who isn’t obsessed about Spitfire vs Mustang
#17 by XxeventerxX1 on November 8th, 2011
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@19Ron66
Umm, No! The Seafire was produced at Westlands in Yeovil and had the normal elyptical wing form.
#18 by MrAngelosilvestri on November 8th, 2011
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Rolls Royce Merlin! Excellent engine! I like the sound..
#19 by mtllilac on November 8th, 2011
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HistoryGypsy
The clipped wings were to improve low level flight. The added wing area was just not needed at denser air levels. More area is needed in higher (less dense) air. You cannot compare the Spitfires with the P51s.The Spitfire was designed to be a home defence air superiority interceptor, so it had a short range and rapid climb rate. The P51 was designed to be a long range escort. Two entirely different needs resulting in 2 entirely different aircraft, and designed years apart.
#20 by 19Ron66 on November 8th, 2011
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@EnterpriseXI
I do agree though – the rounded wing tips do look much better!
#21 by 19Ron66 on November 8th, 2011
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@EnterpriseXI
Indeed you are right – I stand corrected! According to Wikipedia (so it must be right!): “..some Spitfires had their rounded wingtips replaced by shorter, squared-off fairings to improve low-altitude performance and enhance the roll rate. This designation referred to the low-altitude version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and while many “L.F” Spitfires had the “clipped” wings, a number did not.”
#22 by EnterpriseXI on November 8th, 2011
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@19Ron66 i don’t think that it. the clipped wings were to make the aircraft more maneuverable. now if the clipped wings were for use for carriers then there wont be a lot of space on the deck. look up the Seafire. a carrier version of the spitfire
#23 by 19Ron66 on November 8th, 2011
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@EnterpriseXI
The clipped wings were so it could operate off an aircraft carrier…
#24 by 19Ron66 on November 8th, 2011
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@bsg1206
The Mustang wasn’t better than the Spitfire, but it came close when the manufacturers realised how good the Spit was and decided to use the same RR Merlin engines. It then got the speed and the altitude it needed, but was never as manouverable as the Spitfire.
#25 by BasicModelling on November 8th, 2011
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@EnterpriseXI Surely you mean that the Hawker HURRICANE saved Britain from the German invasion, shooting down more enemy aircraft during the BOB, than ANY other means of defence put together.. The combination of the two aircraft is what saved Britain, but the majority of the effort was done by the Hurricane pilots..