Vickers Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVIII and Mk XIX. Photo. Characteristics.

United Kingdom

A type: Single-engine piston fighter, fighter-reconnaissance, and reconnaissance aircraft

Crew: One pilot

The modification of the Mk XVIII and the special photo-reconnaissance modification PR XIX, which is a modification of the original Spitfire aircraft with the Griffon engine, looked like an intermediate modification of the Mk XIV, which was immediately put into operation by the Royal Air Force in 1944, and work on by the plane "Griffon Spitfire" were continued. The delay with the entry into service of these modifications meant that only the modification of the PR XIX really could participate in the fighting of the Second World War.

In contrast to the "temporary" modification of the Mk XIV (ironically, the most were built), the aircraft of the Mk XVIII / XIX modifications had a specially reinforced wing instead of the universal bearing surfaces used in early modifications, a more durable landing gear and a drop-shaped canopy providing an overview of the rear hemisphere ... The new aircraft also had an increased internal fuel reserve, which increased the range of the Spitfires. Produced both as a standard fighter (modification F XVIII, 100 were built) and as a reconnaissance fighter (modification FR XVIII - 200 were built), the aircraft appeared at the front in mid-1945 and was sent to the Far East. ... The last modification of the FR XVIII of the RAF Spitfire, which fired in anger with machine guns, was decommissioned in 1952.

Returning to the modification of unarmed PR XIX, it must be said that it is freely used as a strategic intelligence officer until the Day of Victory in Europe, and remained in operation under the symbol PR 19 1950-before's. Differs largest of all modifications of aircraft "Spitfire" flight range, modification PR XIX was built in 225 number of copies. Decommissioned in April 1954, three aircraft modification PR XIX and two aircraft variants Mk XVIII remain today in a state of airworthiness.

Basic data

dimensions (to modify the Mk XIX):

Length: 9,99 m

Wingspan: 11 m

Height: 3,9 m

Aircraft performance characteristics:

Maximum speed: 736 km / h

Flight range: 800 km

Power point: «Griffon» 65 / 66 of "Rolls-Royce"

Power: 2050 l. from. (1528 kW)

The weight:

Empty: 3016 kg

Maximum takeoff: 4740 kg

Date of first flight:

Spring 1945

Remaining airworthy modifications: F XVIII, FR XVIIIE and PR XIX