WIX Archives

Re: Reno 1945

Posted by Christer on Wed Dec 25, 2002 08:32:27 AM

In reply top Reno 1945 posted by david j burke on Tue Dec 24, 2002 02:57:13 PM

I agree with Scott that a lot of development wouldn?t have happened due to the need not being that pressing.

About the Spitfire:

Joe Sheil has got the time line wrong regarding the Rolls-Royce R-engine. It was developed from the H-engine, also known as the Buzzard, for the 1929 and 1931 Schneider Trophy Races, was then shelved and eventually dusted off and developed into the Griffon.
It actually preceeded the Merlin!

What I think is, that there wouldn?t have been so many different Mks of the Spitfire.
The Mk.I would have the single-speed single-stage Merlin, the Mk.II would have the two-speed single-stage Merlin, the Mk.III would have the two-speed two-stage Merlin and probably the low-back fuselage.

If any Mks with the Griffon would have been developed, all the first ones would never have been thought of.
The Mk.IV would have the two-speed two-stage Griffon and the low-back fuselage, structurally redesigned from the start as the twenty-series actually was.

The actual prototype of the Mk.21 started its life as the Griffon engined Mk.IV and was developed in parallel with the other different Mks which all were products of war-time needs.

Without the development of all the intermediate Mks of the Spitfire, development of the Griffon engined Spitfire would have happened much earlier ...... or not at all.
Then, of course, would it have been the Spitfire Mk.IV or the Spiteful Mk.I or whichever Mk-number?

I don?t think any Seafires or Seafangs at all would have become a reality.

Would the Spiteful be successful at the races? Oh yes, it wouldn?t have kicked any butts since that?s difficult to do when the opponents are behind you ......



Christer,
speculating as usual ......

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