The Spiteful

Spiteful F XIV stats

In 1942, under specification request F.1/43, another aircraft was designed based on similar lines to the Spitfire. The experience gained in the Spitfire's production was used in the new design of the Type 371. But because of Spitfire production, it was two years before 371 saw its first flight. At the commencement of production the aircraft was designated the Supermarine Spiteful. It used the same fuselage as the Spitfire, a longer nose to enclose the Griffon 61 engine with two stage supercharger, completely redesigned wings that were very un-Spitfire like (in fact more like a P-51 Mustang) , a bubble canopy and larger tail fin.

Supermarine was engaged in developing a new, laminar flow, wing for the Spitfire, where the thickest part of the wing would be much further from the leading edge than in the original wing. The design of a new fighter to incorporate the wing was undertaken against specification F.1/43. The first prototype was a converted Mark XIV, NN660, which in common with the second prototype retained the Spitfire tail unit. The first true prototype, NN664, first flew in June 1944 followed by NN667. Aircraft built to production standard (RB515 to RB520) featured the new wing, an inward-retracting undercarriage and a fin and rudder and tail-plane of increased area to improve directional stability. The early aircraft displayed a number of problems, none of which would have been insurmountable, although the type was probably taking piston-engine design to the limits. 373 were ordered from a revised Spitfire F21 contract, but production was cancelled with the war's end and with the introduction into service of the new jet types, the Meteor and Vampire.

In January 1945, a second prototype included a five bladed propeller, slimmer fuselage and the Griffon 61 engine was replaced with the 2,375hp Griffon 69. Top speed of the Spiteful was a staggering 486 mph, and it would climb to 20,000 feet in just 4.9 minutes. Only about 20 were built with just 16 of them taking to the air. This was due to the fact that at the end of the war, the jet engine was making an impact in aircraft manufacture, and even Supermarine was busy designing its first jet aircraft the Attacker in 1944.

But in 1945, Supermarine was to have one last attempt at producing a piston engined propeller driven aircraft. This was the Seafang, a naval version of the Spiteful. Specifications were similar to the Spiteful with the exception that fittings that would make it destined for naval operations were included. After this, Supermarine was to enter the jet age and, Reginald Mitchell's Spitfire will go down in the annals of modern history as one of the exciting and successful fighter aircraft of the Second World War.