WIX Archives
Mach 0.96 for a Spitfire XIX
Posted by Jagan on Tue Jan 06, 2004 04:20:36 AM
In reply top Top speed straight and level, or in a dive? posted by bdk on Mon Jan 05, 2004 07:16:16 PM
: Wasn't there a story about a Spitfire that had been claime
: d to have gone supersonic in a dive?
http://www.csd.uwo.ca/~pettypi/elevon/gustin_military/spit/spit1946.html
05 February 1952 In an emergency dive from 43000ft (13100m), F/L E. Powles reaches Mach 0.96 with a PR.XIX. This is the highest speed ever recorded for a piston-engined aircraft. Mach 0.92 has been achieved by Spitfires in controlled dive experiments.
Then again this is in 1952