WIX Archives

Late Spitfire Rudders?

Posted by AndyG on Sun Jul 20, 2003 05:06:17 PM

Spitfire Rudders, Perhaps Mr Arnold may be of assistance?

Formally considering myself a bit of a wiz at identifying the various nuances between the various marks of Spits, I spotted a slight anomaly in my knowledge after studying my photos from Flying Legends this year.

This only concerns the Griffon Spit?s.

The broad chord rudder on PS853 PRXIX and RN201 F XIVE appear to have a notably narrower chord and a much shorter aerodynamic balance area than FR XIVE MV293 and F XIVE SM832.

SM845 FXVIII also has the same larger unit.

I had always thought that the retractable tail unit/fin rudder assembly fitted to the XIV was a common unit fitted up until the huge 22 and 24 tail units aside from the very early Griffon Spits with the XVI unit.

Was this larger rudder utilised for any specific higher output of Griffon?s? I can understand wishing to put the largest possible vertical tail area on a Griffon Spit, but is there a guideline as to which MK?s it was fitted too?

Also, was there any difference between the horizontal tail surfaces on the XIV?s/XIX?s? I know again that the 22 and 24 had much larger units.


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