An interesting little piece here in the Telegraph, about the origins of the name Spitfire. This is reasonably well known, but the details about the personalities are well worth reading.
‘Initially the Air Ministry had reservations about the name, as did Mitchell, who argued for calling the new aircraft the Shrew; but in the end McLean prevailed.According to Morgan and Shacklady’s definitive book Spitfire – The History: “The Air Ministry agreed to adopt the name chosen by Sir Robert McLean. Sir Robert had demanded that the name of the company’s new fighter should suggest something venomous, and because of the sibilant it had to begin with the letter ‘S’. His choice was Spitfire.”
The Telegraph are pretty good with obits for WW2 veterans and have also run a fascinating tribute to Arnold ‘Blondie’ Walker, whose barnstorming career as
a fighter pilot reads like a movie script !
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/3703352/Flight-Lieutenant-Blondie-Walker.html
By: Arabella-Cox - 26th October 2011 at 14:20
Of course it shouldn’t be forgotten that Supermarine had used the name ‘Spifire’ already, unofficially, for their F7/30 contender since at least the summer of 1934.
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1934/1934%20-%200632.html?search=spitfire
By: Arabella-Cox - 26th October 2011 at 14:20
Of course it shouldn’t be forgotten that Supermarine had used the name ‘Spifire’ already, unofficially, for their F7/30 contender since at least the summer of 1934.
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1934/1934%20-%200632.html?search=spitfire
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October 26, 2011 at 9:14 am