Quick Spitfire Question!

Thank you, I knew I could rely on someone to correct me if I was wrong.

I think pretty much any after the MkIX with the exception of the XVI.

And the XIII.

Don’t forget some of the Mark 12’s a swell.

Good job I read right through this thread before I stuck my oar in as, after seeing the first reply, I was about to dive in with that one. I think pretty much any after the MkIX with the exception of the XVI. I may well be wrong though and if I am someone with more knowledge that I will surely correct me promptly enough.

Voytech: I wondered a little about “earlier Mark” but chose to leave it in. Your comment makes it clearer. I didn’t know for sure when the rudder first appeared on others than the Mk.XII. Examples may well have appeared before the first Mk.XII, depending upon the component production rate.

Was it you who described the Mk.XII as introducing fuselage structural changes not present on the Mk.VIII? This is a point I’m unclear about, as I assumed it applied mainly to flush rivetting which was also introduced during late Mk.VIII and Mk.IX production. It does raise the (pedantic) question as to whether the Mk.XIV was therefore based on a Mk.XII fuselage rather than a Mk.VIII, as usually stated.

Daz, when you say ‘IV’ you should say ‘F.IV’. The PR.IV had a fixed one.

Right enough.

Graham, whoever you are told by, he’s right, so you should rather say ‘lower number marks’, as they weren’t earlier chronologically speaking.

Daz, when you say ‘IV’ you should say ‘F.IV’. The PR.IV had a fixed one.

oldgit, you seem to have missed the joke, too! This thread is not about retractable legs, it’s about retractable tailwheels. I never suspected Mark12 had one…

Mk.XIIs were not built with Mk.VIII fuselages, but some of them had the same tail as the Mk.VIII. There’s a transport joint just ahead of the tailwheel. I am told (by Edgar Brooks?) that the broad chord pointed rudder was actually known as the Mk.XII rudder, despite its appearance on earlier Marks.

Antoni

I think you have missed the joke..Mark12 is a forum member

Had no iddea that Mark12 had retractable legs?..:highly_amused:

They were built with MK VIII fuselages.

Let’s see….

III, IV, VII, VIII, X, XI, some XIIs, XIV, XVIII, XIX, 21, 22, 24.

All the Griffon Seafires did as well, I think.

Had no iddea that Mark12 had retractable legs?..:highly_amused:

Don’t forget some of the Mark 12’s aswell.

PR MkXI,Mk’s 18, 20,22 and 24

MkIII 😉

DAI

But never Mark V?

VIII XIV XIX readily spring to mind for starters