Spitfire Mk. I P9386 / Tim Brown / Illustration

World War II Aircraft The Spitfire was a more technically advanced aircraft than the Hurricane and early production difficulties had nearly led to its cancellation, but it went on to become the most-produced British aircraft of all time - over 22,000 of all Marks were built, including naval Seafires – and arguably the best-known aircraft in the world. A match for the Bf 109 E-series it fought in 1940, the Supermarine Spitfire Mark I's Rolls-Royce Merlin III engine gave it a maximum speed of 367 mph at 18, 600 feet, a service ceiling of 34,400 feet, and its two internal fuel tanks together held a total of 85 Imperial gallons to produce a range of 425 miles. Armament was eight Browning 0.303" wing-mounted machine guns, but this was already recognised as inadequate by 1939 and some Mk.Is were converted to carry two 20 mm Hispano cannon instead and designated Mk,IB, leading to the retrospective re-designation of Mk.IA for the earlier eight-gun version. The Mk.I first entered RAF service with No.19 Squadron at Duxford on 4 August 1938 and one of that unit's aircraft is illustrated here. P9386 QV-K arrived at Duxford on 3 September 1940 and became the personal aircraft of Squadron Leader Brian Lane DFC, commander of 'A' Flight and, from 25 May, Acting Squadron Leader, when the incumbent one was shot down over Dunkirk. Rated 'exceptional' as a fighter pilot, his rank had been made substantive by September 1940 and he and his pilots were operating with Bader's 242 Squadron as part of the Duxford 'Big Wing' of 12 Group. He remained with 19 Squadron until 19 June 1941; P9386 left earlier, going to No.152 Squadron on 26 September 1940. Brian Lane was posted 'missing in action' flying a Spitfire Mk.V on 13 December 1942, last seen alone and giving chase to two Focke-Wulf 190s over the North Sea. P9386 served with various Operational Training Units from 23 March 1941 until it dived into the ground at East Lothian on 5 May 1944. Illustration (Tim Brown), 2019.

ID

AKG7771021

ProductionDate

2019

EventDate

1940

Credit line

Tim Brown Illustration / akg-images

Collection

Category

Topic

Location

High

Lossless