![]() It is worth noting that the Spitfire airframe was capable of sustaining extraordinary dive speeds before pilots lost control or the aircraft began to break-up. These access panels would also often distort, and jamb, after heavy deck landings. Unlike the US-built naval fighters, the Seafire’s internal workings were difficult to access. Maintenance, however, was regarded particularly difficult. Pilots knew they could extricate themselves from virtually any trouble by pulling the nose up and letting the Merlin haul the light fighter away. Ongoing improvements saw the LF III become the fastest Seafire of World War II.Īll marks retained the Spitfire’s outstanding rate of climb and exhilarating flight characteristics. ![]() The IB proved to be the faster machine in the chase. Later that same day a patrol of two Seafires - one IB and one IIC – failed to overhaul another Ju88. One pilot broke off his approach but was unable to jettison his 30gal ventral tank – reducing his top speed to only 310mph. The first instance, when a Ju88 bombed HMS Furious, caught the Seafires landing-on. Performance concerns were raised shortly after Operation Torch in 1942 when Seafires proved unable to overhaul fleeing Ju88s. The penalty on weight and aerodynamics through the strengthening of the arrester hook, catapult spool and folding wings ranged from reductions in speed to poorer handling. Performance: Many Seafire pilots would say the IB model was the overall best of the Merlin-engined machines as it was the closest to the original Spitfire.
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