This Supermarine Mk XVI Spitfire is an ex-wartime example, built at Vickers Armstrong’s Castle Bromwich “shadow factory”, near Birmingham, in late 1944.
The aircraft’s first action was on 24 March (wearing squadron code FU-P) when, laden with two 250lb bombs and a long range belly tank, the aircraft headed a flight of four Spitfires for an armed reconnaissance; briefed to bomb rail targets in the Utrecht/Hague/Leiden area. TB863’s cannons were fired in anger for the first time during a strafing attack on a large railway coach by the four, claimed as probably destroyed, before returning to altitude. The aircraft continued with these sorties flying twelve missions during its six weeks on operations; 23 hours 55 minutes in total.
Specifications
Engine
Rolls-Royce Merlin 70
1710 horsepower (1275.66 kW)
27 Litre liquid cooled V-12 piston engine equipped with a two speed, two-stage supercharger.
Propeller
Rotol Constant Speed
10'9" diameter (3.22m)
An engine driven propeller governor hydraulically controls four wooden blades.
Fuel
Aviation Gasoline 100 Octane
Wing Tank Capacity: 48 Imperial Gallons 218 Litres 57 U.S. Gallons
Wing Tank Capacity (2): 37 Imperial Gallons 168 Litres 44 U.S. Gallons
Dimensions
Wingspan: 32' 7" 9.93 m
Length: 31' 4 " 9.55 m
Wing Area: 242 sq. ft 22.50 sq. m
Height: 12' 7 ¾" 3.85 m
Weights
Empty: 5,985 lb 2,715 kg
Maximum Takeoff weight: 8,700 lb 3,946 kg
Armament
Two 20mm Hispano Cannons.
Provision for one 500 lb (227 kg) or two 250 lb (114 kg) bombs.
Performance
Maximum Speed: 361 knots 416 mph 669 km/h
Cruise Speed: 220 knots 253 mph 407 km/h
https://aviationmuseum.com.au/supermarine-spitfire-mk-xvi/
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