Incidentally, the first iteration of the streamlined screen and canopy, that came in to service on the Seafire XVII and later on the Seafire 47 was heavily criticised by Jeffrey Quill. Both side panels of the screen were armoured, unlike the conventional internal armoured main stream Spitfire screen. Reflections et al were pronounced OK for ‘weekend warriors’ of the RNVR but pretty useless for serious fighting.

With the advent of the looming Korean War, that would possible see the Seafire 47 in to battle, a rapid programme of fitting revised screens and canopies was instigated. This introduced an additional panel at the top of the screen, as seen on the Mk 21 proto above, and changed the steepened angle of the screen to canopy engagement back to or close to the conventional Spitfire set-up.

Mark