Supermarine Spitfire Mk I - 2
British fighter plane from the Battle of Britian

Supermarine Spitfire Mk I - 2
Type: British fighter plane.
History: Possibly the most famous combat aircraft in history, the Supermarine Spitfire was designed by the dying Reginald Mitchell to Specification F.37/34 using the new Rolls- Royce PV12 engine, later named Merlin. It was the first all-metal stressed-skin fighter to go into production in Britain.
During the Battle of Britain the presence of the Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft was crucial, since it was superior to the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 E and also had the advantage to fight over its own ground, where it's low range was not important compared to it's German rivals. Additional, every bailed out pilot of a shot down Supermarine Spitfire was again available for combat.

A Supermrine Spitfire from a fighter formation during the Battle of Britain.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk I :
The initial version from which 450 were ordered in June 1936 with 1,030hp Merlin II engine, two­blade fixed-pitch propeller and four 0.303in Browning guns.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk IA :
Armament of eight machine guns, bulged canopy and three-blade DH v-p propeller.

Supermarine Spifire Mk IB :
Armed with two 20mm Hispano guns and four 0.303 Browning guns.
Total production figure from Mk I, IA and IB: 1,566.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk 2 :
As Supermarine Spitfire Mk I, but built at Castle Bromwich with 1,175 hp Merlin XII engine and Rotol propeller.
Production: 750 Supermarine Spitfire IIA (eight 0.303 Browning MG's) and 170 Supermarine Spitfire IIB (two 20mm Hispano guns and four 0.303 MG's).
Phased out of the fighter squadrons by June 1942.

The gunner of a German Heinkel He 111 bomber is firing on a Spitfire fighter over Britain.

Here a Supermarine Spitfire is very close the gunner of the German bomber.

A Spitfire fighter during the Battle of Britain in it's element.

3d model Supermarine Spitfire Mk I A

British pilots were running to their Spitfires during the Battle of Britain.