Supermarine Spiteful

Supermarine Spiteful

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08/24/2003. Remarks by Dave Simpson: "The Supermarine Spiteful is a direct development of the Spitfire using a new laminar flow wing which was hoped to offer better high speed performance. The new wing did not measure up as compared to a standard wing, as there was only a marginal performance increase and the low speed handling characteristics were inferior. RB515 is the first pre-production Type 371 Spiteful Mk.XIV powered by a 2,050 hp Griffon 65 engine. The aircraft was one of 8 production airframes built and flown prior to the end of WW II, the balance of the 17 built being broken up after the balance of 150 originally ordered were cancelled.

RB515 was nearly lost on September 28, 1945. While flying at 30,000 ft (9,144 m) a near catastrophic failure of the supercharger impeller rendered the engine, constant speed propeller and hydraulics unserviceable. The pilot, Lt. Patrick Shea-Simonds, somehow managed to get the craft back onto the grass beside the runway with minimal additional damage. The engine was replaced and soon the plane was back flying. Supermarine's Chief Designer, Joe Smith, sent a copy of a letter to Shea-Simonds a few days after the incident. It had been written by Sir Arthur Sidgreaves, the managing Director of Rolls-Royce in which he wrote: 'The failure resulted in pieces of the engine being forced through the cowlings, and due to the inertia forces I understand the engine was nearly torn from the airframe. There was also the possibility of fire, so that the pilot would have had every reason to abandon the aeroplane and descend by parachute. The fact that he held on and successfully landed the machine is of great value because it enabled the evidence to be retained and an examination made as to the cause of the trouble, whereas in so many of these instances of failure the evidence is lost.'

There were a number of prototypes constructed of the Supermarine Spiteful (and Seafang.) The initial specification F.1-43 was issued to cover proposed development of a Spitfire F.Mk.21 (laminar wing) for the RAF. The first airframe completed was actually a Spitfire Mk.VIII fuselage and tail married up to the new wing and a Griffon 61 two stage engine (NN660). This plane first flew on June 30, 1944, but subsequently crashed when the controls jammed at low altitude.

The second prototype (NN664) was completed in late 1944. It incorporated a deeper fuselage, larger cockpit and slotted ailerons. It was quickly followed by a third prototype (NN667) which incorporated an extended carburetor intake.

The Naval fighter Type 382 was slower in development. One Spiteful (RB520) was adapted with an arrester hook for trials, and I think this may be aircraft (VG471) often shown as a Seafang Mk.31, but it does not have folding wings or counter-rotating propellers. It could however also be one of 10 pre-production Seafang aircraft, maybe somebody can clarify this point.

It was not until May 1945 that the navy issued N.5-45 for an order of 150 fighters. There were two prototypes built of Mk.32; (VB893) and (VB895). Both had 2,375 hp Griffon 89 engines driving counter-rotating propellers, full naval gear, and hydraulic folding wing tips.

Further development of the Spiteful was done, resulting in the ultimate version, Spiteful Mk.XVI (RB518) with a Griffin 101 three speed blower supercharged engine. This was the fastest British propeller airplane at Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, UK.

Both the Spiteful and Seafang production orders were cancelled, as conventional winged Spitfire and Seafires were easier to construct. In all, only 17 Spitefuls were built, and two Seafangs."


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08/24/2003. Remarks by Dave Simpson: "The Supermarine Spiteful is a direct development of the Spitfire using a new laminar flow wing which was hoped to offer better high speed performance. The new wing did not measure up as compared to a standard wing, as there was only a marginal performance increase and the low speed handling characteristics were inferior. RB515 is the first pre-production Type 371 Spiteful Mk.XIV powered by a 2,050 hp Griffon 65 engine. The aircraft was one of 8 production airframes built and flown prior to the end of WW II, the balance of the 17 built being broken up after the balance of 150 originally ordered were cancelled. RB515 was nearly lost on September 28, 1945. While flying at 30,000 ft (9,144 m) a near catastrophic failure of the supercharger impeller rendered the engine, constant speed propeller and hydraulics unserviceable. The pilot, Lt. Patrick Shea-Simonds, somehow managed to get the craft back onto the grass beside the runway with minimal additional damage. The engine was replaced and soon the plane was back flying. Supermarine's Chief Designer, Joe Smith, sent a copy of a letter to Shea-Simonds a few days after the incident. It had been written by Sir Arthur Sidgreaves, the managing Director of Rolls-Royce in which he wrote: 'The failure resulted in pieces of the engine being forced through the cowlings, and due to the inertia forces I understand the engine was nearly torn from the airframe. There was also the possibility of fire, so that the pilot would have had every reason to abandon the aeroplane and descend by parachute. The fact that he held on and successfully landed the machine is of great value because it enabled the evidence to be retained and an examination made as to the cause of the trouble, whereas in so many of these instances of failure the evidence is lost.' There were a number of prototypes constructed of the Supermarine Spiteful (and Seafang.) The initial specification F.1-43 was issued to cover proposed development of a Spitfire F.Mk.21 (laminar wing) for the RAF. The first airframe completed was actually a Spitfire Mk.VIII fuselage and tail married up to the new wing and a Griffon 61 two stage engine (NN660). This plane first flew on June 30, 1944, but subsequently crashed when the controls jammed at low altitude. The second prototype (NN664) was completed in late 1944. It incorporated a deeper fuselage, larger cockpit and slotted ailerons. It was quickly followed by a third prototype (NN667) which incorporated an extended carburetor intake. The Naval fighter Type 382 was slower in development. One Spiteful (RB520) was adapted with an arrester hook for trials, and I think this may be aircraft (VG471) often shown as a Seafang Mk.31, but it does not have folding wings or counter-rotating propellers. It could however also be one of 10 pre-production Seafang aircraft, maybe somebody can clarify this point. It was not until May 1945 that the navy issued N.5-45 for an order of 150 fighters. There were two prototypes built of Mk.32; (VB893) and (VB895). Both had 2,375 hp Griffon 89 engines driving counter-rotating propellers, full naval gear, and hydraulic folding wing tips. Further development of the Spiteful was done, resulting in the ultimate version, Spiteful Mk.XVI (RB518) with a Griffin 101 three speed blower supercharged engine. This was the fastest British propeller airplane at Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, UK. Both the Spiteful and Seafang production orders were cancelled, as conventional winged Spitfire and Seafires were easier to construct. In all, only 17 Spitefuls were built, and two Seafangs."