Supermarine Seafire

1942

Back to the Virtual Aircraft Museum
  NAVAL FIGHTERVirtual Aircraft Museum / United Kingdom / Supermarine  

Supermarine Seafire

The Seafire was a naval version of the Spitfire specially adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. It had folding wings and was provided with catapult, deck-arrester gear and other specialised equipment. Many versions were built with Merlin and Griffon engines, first entering service with No 807 Squadron in mid-1942 and going to sea on board HMS Furious. The last were finally withdrawn from first-line duties in 1952.

Supermarine Seafire

Supermarine Seafire

Comments
d.jay, 15.09.2010 19:47

Also note Seafires were fitted with 4 bladed props instead of 3 bladed props to get mor drive off the smaller proppeler disk. The mkIs were coverted Spitfire mkVs, mkIIs were the same as mkIs but built as seafires and mkIIIs had folding wings.

reply

merlinmac, e-mail, 15.09.2010 07:57

Fred, the FAA had a love /hate relationship with it's Seafires, they loved it in the air but hated landing it. This is hardly surprising since it was not designed for harsh carrier landings. The props were later cropped by 6 inches to reduce prop damage on landing which was quite successful. The long nose of the Seafire did not help either, nor it's narrow track undercarriage. The later Marks, MK XV, MK XVII, F46 and F47's did improve its ability on performance, range, landing,& weapons load.

reply

fred, e-mail, 24.06.2010 18:09

This machine was not best loved by FAA pilots. The prop had a habit of 'biting' the deck on landing and it had a limited range compared to other types used from carriers. Landing was made more tricky because of the long inline engine. Ditching meant turning turtle as the cooler under the nose pulled the nose deep into the water causing the plane to turn tail over nose.

reply

Luis, e-mail, 06.09.2008 23:06

I know this is another version of the Spitfire V, but its a sea borne flying veichle with several cannons(I think...)

reply

EMBER, e-mail, 23.12.2007 00:01

I LOVE THAT DESERT AIRFILTER, IT GIVES THAT OLD BIRD SUCH A STRONG CHIN. FROM THE HMS EAGAL:
DEC, 1942
"HOW ARE YOU BOBBY?"
"GOOD CAPTAIN. I OBVIOUSLY HAVE ALOT TO LEARN, AS I AM WATCHING MY GUNS BEING LOADED WITH FAGS."
" IT'S BRILLIANT ISN'T IT? MORAL BOOSTERS FOR THE MEN ON MALTA."
"I HOPE THE GERMANS WON'T KNOW."
"FAGS WON'T FLY ONE BIT, BUT DON'T FRET ANDY, YOU COULD NEVER HIT ANYTHING ANYWAY."

reply

Do you have any comments?

Name    E-mail


COMPANY
PROFILE


All the World's Rotorcraft


All rhe World's Rotorcraft AVIATION TOP 100 - www.avitop.com Avitop.com