Supermarine Spiteful

Supermarine Spiteful
Name	Supermarine Spiteful
Caption	A Supermarine Spiteful F.14
Type	Fighter aircraft
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Supermarine
Designer	Joseph Smith
First flight	30 June 1944
Introduced	1945
Retired	1951
Status	Retired
Primary user	Royal Air Force
Number built	19
Developed from	Supermarine Spitfire
Developed into	Supermarine Seafang

Supermarine Spiteful. The Supermarine Spiteful was a British piston-engined fighter aircraft developed during the Second World War as a successor to the famous Supermarine Spitfire. Designed by Joseph Smith at Supermarine, it featured a new laminar-flow wing and a more powerful Rolls-Royce Griffon engine. Intended to counter high-performance German fighters like the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the Spiteful arrived too late for combat and was rapidly rendered obsolete by the advent of jet propulsion.

Development

The development of the Spiteful was driven by the need to overcome the aerodynamic limitations of the Spitfire's wing at high speeds, particularly compressibility issues encountered by later marks like the Spitfire Mk XIV. Under the leadership of Joseph Smith, the design team at Supermarine initiated Project 470, focusing on a new laminar-flow wing design. This work was supported by research from the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough Airfield. The first prototype, a modified Spitfire Mk XIV airframe designated NN660, flew on 30 June 1944, piloted by Jeffrey Quill.

Design

The Spiteful's most significant design departure from the Spitfire was its new wing, which had a thinner, laminar-flow section and a straight-tapered planform, eliminating the Spitfire's distinctive elliptical shape. The aircraft was powered by a Rolls-Royce Griffon 69 engine, driving a new five-bladed Rotol propeller. The fuselage retained a strong familial resemblance to late-model Spitfires but was structurally revised. Armament consisted of four 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannon mounted in the wings, and the cockpit was enclosed by a clear-view bubble canopy similar to that used on the Spitfire Mk 21.

Operational history

The Spiteful's operational history was brief and uneventful. By the time it entered limited service with the Royal Air Force in 1945, the Second World War in Europe had ended, denying it any combat role. The rapid advancement of jet fighters like the Gloster Meteor and the imminent arrival of the de Havilland Vampire made the piston-engined Spiteful obsolete for frontline duties. The aircraft was used primarily for trials and evaluation work, including testing at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down. Its naval derivative, the Supermarine Seafang, also saw minimal service with the Fleet Air Arm.

Variants

The primary land-based variant was the Spiteful F.14 (later F.14/46), which was the main production model. A proposed reconnaissance version, the Spiteful FR.14, was not built. The most significant development was the navalized Supermarine Seafang, which featured an arrestor hook, folding wings, and other modifications for carrier operations. The Seafang itself had several marks, including the Seafang F.31 and F.32, powered by different versions of the Rolls-Royce Griffon engine. A single Spiteful F.15 prototype (NN667) was also built, differing in engine and propeller details.

Operators

The sole military operator of the Supermarine Spiteful was the Royal Air Force. A small number were delivered to No. 1 Squadron RAF and No. 41 Squadron RAF for service trials, but the type never equipped an operational squadron. The naval Supermarine Seafang variant was operated in limited numbers by the Fleet Air Arm for evaluation, including use by 778 Naval Air Squadron at Royal Naval Air Station Ford.

Specifications (Spiteful F.14)

* Crew: 1 * Length: 32 ft 11 in (10.03 m) * Wingspan: 35 ft 0 in (10.67 m) * Height: 13 ft 5 in (4.09 m) * Wing area: 210 sq ft (19.5 m²) * Empty weight: 7,350 lb (3,334 kg) * Gross weight: 9,950 lb (4,513 kg) * Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Griffon 69 liquid-cooled V12 engine, 2,375 hp (1,771 kW) * Propellers: 5-bladed Rotol constant-speed propeller * Maximum speed: 483 mph (777 km/h, 420 kn) at 21,000 ft (6,400 m) * Range: 564 mi (908 km, 490 nmi) * Service ceiling: 42,000 ft (13,000 m) * Rate of climb: 5,100 ft/min (26 m/s) * Armament: 4 × 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannon

Category:British fighter aircraft 1940–1949 Category:Supermarine aircraft Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft Category:Aircraft first flown in 1944