The Spitfire Mk. XIV was the first of the Griffon-powered Spitfires to be powered by the Griffon 65 inline engine, which was fitted with a two-stage supercharger to overcome the poor high-altitude performance of the earlier, single-stage Griffon engines. At maximum power, this new engine model could produce 2,050 horsepower. In addition to the new engine, a new five-bladed Rotol propeller was also fitted to the plane.
The initial armament of the Mk. XIV consisted of 0.303 Browning light machine guns and 20 mm Hispano Mk. II cannons fitted in the wings. Later, during the summer of 1944, the 0.303s were replaced with a pair of Browning M2 0.50 caliber heavy machine guns. To gain extra performance while chasing V-1 flying bombs in the summer of 1944, some squadrons removed the machine guns and faired over the firing ports. A lead-computing gyroscopic gunsight could also be fitted.
The Spitfire Mk. XIV could be fitted with bomb racks to carry 250 lb. and 500 lb. bombs, although operationally this was limited to one squadron from February 1945. To improve turning performance, Mk. XIVs began being fitted with clipped wingtips in the winter of 1944-45.
Production of the Spitfire Mk. XIV began in late 1943, and the first handful of planes was issued to No. 610 Squadron at the end of December 1943. Besides hunting for V-1s, this model of the Spitfire eventually became the 2nd Tactical Air Force’s main high-altitude air superiority fighter over northwestern Europe. Mk. XIVs began to be sent to southeastern Asia in June 1945, but these saw no usage against the Japanese.All told, 957 Mk. XIV Spitfires were built. After the end of World War II, the plane was exported to a number of foreign countries, including Belgium, India, and Thailand.
In addition to Quick Mission Builder, Advanced Quick Mission Generator and Multiplayer modes, you can fly it in Career mode during Battle of Normandy and Battle of Bodenplatte timeframes.
- Default armament ("c-type" wing): two 20mm guns "Hispano Mk.II" (150 rounds per gun, 650 rounds per minute) and four 7.7mm machine guns "Browning .303" (350 rounds per gun, 1150 rounds per minute).
- Default armament ("e-type" wing): two 20mm guns "Hispano Mk.II" (150 rounds per gun, 650 rounds per minute) and two 12.7mm machine guns "Browning .50" (250 rounds per gun, 850 rounds per minute).
- Bombs: 250 lb general purpose bombs "250 lb. G.P." and 500 lb general purpose bomb "500 lb. G.P."
- Length: 9.9 m
- Wingspan: 11.21 m
- Wing surface: 22.48 m²
Armaments and Modifications
- 150 grade fuel allowing +21 lb boost. Automatic supercharger gear shifting is disabled, stages should be manually switched at 11000ft altitude (20 km/h estimated speed increase at sea level).
- MkII Gyro Gunsight (5.2 kg weight increase).
- Removal of wing-mounted machine guns to reduce total weight (95 kg weight loss, 8 km/h speed gain).
- Clipped wing (4 kg weight loss).
- E-type wing with two 12.7mm "Browning .50" machine guns instead of four 7.7mm "Browning .303" machine guns (48 kg weight increase, 5 km/h speed gain).
- Two 250 lb G.P. bombs with racks (250 kg weight increase, 22 km/h speed loss, 11 km/h speed loss after drop).
- 500 lb G.P. bomb with rack (237 kg weight increase, 12 km/h speed loss, 6 km/h speed loss after drop).
- Rear view mirror (1 kg weight increase, 1 km/h speed loss).
Skins
- Standard paint scheme (customizable tactical number).
- Default RAF markings with June 6th - July 6th, 1944 invasion stripes (customizable tactical number).
- Default RAF markings with July 6th - August 25th, 1944 invasion stripes (customizable tactical number).
- Default RAF markings with August 25th, 1944 - January 3rd, 1945 invasion stripes (customizable tactical number).
- Sqn Ldr R A Newbery, No 610 'County of Chester' Sqn, West Malling, Kent, England, June 1944. He personally destroyed eight V1 missiles in his Spitfire 'DW D'.
- No 322 (Dutch) Sqn, Deanland, August 1944. The squadron claimed 108 V1 missiles destroyed in total.
- "BrĂĽmhilde". Flt Lt H. D. Johnson, No 91 Sqn, West Malling, Kent, Great Britain, July 1944. 8 V1 missiles were brought down in this aircraft, starting from 23 June. The squadron claimed 184 V1 missiles destroyed in total.
- Sqn Ldr W. G. Dodd, No 402 Sqn RCAF, Hawkinge, England, August 26th, 1944.
- Wg Cdr Colin Gray, Lympne Wing, Lympne, England, October 1944. He was the most successful New Zealand fighter pilot of World War 2.
- Sqn Ldr John Shepherd, DFC, No 41 Squadron, Royal Air Force, April 1945. Flying this aircraft, 20-victory ace John Sheperd shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 110 towing a Messerschmitt Me 163 rocket fighter on April 14th, 1945, destroying both.
- Default RAF markings in 1945 (customizable tactical number).
- Sqn Ldr J. H. 'Ginger' Lacey, No 17 Sqn, Autumn 1945.
- No 132 Sqn RAF, India, 1945.
- Belgian Air Force, Florennes Air Base, 1948.
- No 130 Sqn, late Summer 1944.
Technical details
Indicated stall speed in flight configuration: 152..172 km/hIndicated stall speed in takeoff/landing configuration: 145..163 km/h
Dive speed limit: 756 km/h
Maximum load factor: 12.5 G
Stall angle of attack in flight configuration: 19.0 °
Stall angle of attack in landing configuration: 16.2 °
Maximum true air speed at sea level, 2750 RPM, boost +18: 574 km/h
Maximum true air speed at 4000 m, 2750 RPM, boost +18: 671 km/h
Maximum true air speed at 8100 m, 2750 RPM, boost +18: 720 km/h
Service ceiling: 13400 m
Climb rate at sea level: 23.8 m/s
Climb rate at 2650 m: 23.5 m/s
Climb rate at 6750 m: 18.2 m/s
Maximum performance turn at sea level: 18.1 s, at 270 km/h IAS.
Maximum performance turn at 3000 m: 21.0 s, at 260 km/h IAS.
Flight endurance at 3000 m: 1 h 45 m, at 350 km/h IAS.
Takeoff speed: 170..195 km/h
Glideslope speed: 180..210 km/h
Landing speed: 140..160 km/h
Landing angle: 12.5 °
Note 1: the data provided is for international standard atmosphere (ISA).
Note 2: flight performance ranges are given for possible aircraft mass ranges.
Note 3: maximum speeds, climb rates and turn times are given for standard aircraft mass.
Note 4: climb rates and turn times are given for 2750 RPM and boost +18.
Engine:
Model: Griffon 65
Maximum power in Take-off mode (2750 RPM, boost +12, low gear) at sea level: 1565 HP
Maximum power in International power mode (2600 RPM, boost +9, low gear) at 4270 m: 1520 HP
Maximum power in International power mode (2600 RPM, boost +9, high gear) at 8070 m: 1375 HP
Maximum power in Emergency Max All Out mode (2750 RPM, boost +18, low gear) at 2134 m: 2063 HP
Maximum power in Emergency Max All Out mode (2750 RPM, boost +18, high gear) at 6400 m: 1845 HP
Engine modes:
Max Cruising power (unlimited time): 2400 RPM, boost +7
International power (up to 1 hour): 2600 RPM, boost +9
Emergency Max All Out power (up to 5 minutes): 2750 RPM, boost +18
Water rated temperature in engine output: 105..115 °C
Water maximum temperature in engine output: 135 °C
Oil rated temperature in engine intake: 90 °C
Oil maximum temperature in engine intake: 105 °C
Supercharger gear shift altitude: automatic with possibility of manual switch to low gear
Empty weight: 3295.0 kg
Minimum weight (no ammo, 10% fuel): 3422.7 kg
Standard weight: 3862.7 kg
Fuel load: 363.3 kg / 504.6 l / 111 gallons
Maximum useful load: 1027.8 kg
Combat debut: January 1944
Operation features
- The engine is equipped with the automatic governor of the manifold pressure that works when the throttle is set to 1/3 position or above.
- The engine has a two stage mechanical supercharger which does not require manual control. It can be switched to the low gear manually.
- The engine is equipped with an automatic fuel mixture control which maintains optimal mixture.
- Engine RPM has an automatic governor that controls the propeller pitch to maintain the required RPM.
- The water and oil radiators shutters are operated automatically, but there is a special manual mode that forces radiator shutters to open completely.
- The aircraft has a neutral static stability. The elevator effectiveness is high, so the aircraft should be controlled carefully, not giving too much flight stick input.
- The aircraft becomes unstable with extended landing flaps.
- The aircraft is equipped with elevator and rudder trimmers.
- Landing flaps have a pneumatic actuator so they can be extended to maximum position only. Speed with extended landing flaps is limited to 160 mph.
- The tail wheel rotates freely and does not have a lock. Since the landing gear wheels are relatively close to each other, it is necessary to confidently and accurately operate the rudder pedals during the takeoff and landing.
- The aircraft has differential pneumatic wheel brakes with shared control lever. This means that if the brake lever is held and the rudder pedal the opposite wheel brake is gradually released causing the plane to swing to one side or the other.
- The aircraft is equipped with a siren that warns a pilot if the throttle is set to low position with landing gear retracted.
- It is impossible to open or close the canopy at high speed due to strong airflow. The canopy has an emergency release system for bailouts.
- The aircraft is equipped with two underwing formation lights.
- Standard gunsight is adjustable: both the target distance and target base can be set.
- The gyroscopic gunsight automatically calculates required angular deflection while firing at a target. It has 4 modes: fixed reticle, fixed and gyro reticle, gyro reticle, gyro reticle with the target range fixed at 150 yards (night mode). The angular deflection will be calculated correctly only if the target range is set properly. To set the range, adjust the target base first using separate controls and then set the range by adjusting the size of the range finding reticle to be the same as the target size.
- Both gunsights have sliding sun-filters.
