spitfire the greatest plane ever

[ioweddie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZxgEi8gEsE

 

[Dryce]

I'd say it wasn't quite the 'greatest ever'.

But it was very good in its day.

And its reputation was made by an RAF that had developed command and control techniques to use it well and understood as an organisation to set about being resilient over an extended campaign.

And of course a proper name and not just a model number (and a good name at that!) backed by a very distinctive appearance and a classy sound.

I think the Mustang and Mosquito stand up there as well - again that ubiquitous Merlin (or Merlin derived) power.

 

[whitenemesis]

The ME109 was pretty good for the time, better engine with fuel injection and better armament. The Spit quickly evolved though to match the fire power and thanks to Miss Shilling's Orifice could now out-manoeuvre the 109

 

[MancMike]

It's one of the very prettiest of planes. Perfect shapes and proportions.

It's the only airfix plane I built as a kid, the only one I was interested in.

 

[Chrishazle]

I'm with Dryce on this one - Spitfire and Mosquito equal top, will be visiting the De Havilland Museum on 4th August, and some years ago was lucky enough to see the Mossie that Duxford restored in the air, magical, unfortunately about a year later it piled into the ground killing both pilots and totalling the plane.

 

[brucemillar]

I am fortunate to live in Kent near Detling Aerodrome and between Headcorn & Bigginhill. Most summer weekends (and a good few week days) we get free air displays provided by a variety of Spitfires.

You just never take that merlin engine note for granted, never. On really good days we get other treats.

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[wu56Shoozz]

I'm with Dryce on this one - Spitfire and Mosquito equal top, will be visiting the De Havilland Museum on 4th August, and some years ago was lucky enough to see the Mossie that Duxford restored in the air, magical, unfortunately about a year later it piled into the ground killing both pilots and totalling the plane.

The above Photo was taken in 2014 when the Canadian Lancaster visited the UK and Flew with and Avro Vulcan..as a sign of respect to Avro...

Thee are now going to 3 Mosquitos flying in the world..one in Canada, UK and US..

Here's The UK One:

Newsletter Signup - The People's Mosquito

At Elvington the FB Mosquito is being restored to taxi runs only.. the first engine has been restored and ready for taxi runs...

http://yorkshireairmuseum.org/latest-news/farewell-mosquito/

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Easily beaten by the Boeing 747 and the Cessna 172 Skyhawk.

The first because it transformed long haul travel, the second because it was THE student plane.

Spitfire: great fighter plane, but not the greatest plane ever.

 

[AMGeed]

Has to be Concorde surely?

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Has to be Concorde surely?View attachment 78382

I still need to make time to visit the one at Manchester Airport. Stunning thing it is.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I guess it depends on your generation, for mine it might be the Harrier Jump Jet.

 

[Dryce]

Has to be Concorde surely?View attachment 78382

National vanity project.

Brilliant bit of engineering.

Hard to denigrate but the reality was that maximum take off weight was about the same as 767-300ER - which could fly about 3 times as many passengers about twice as far half as quickly.

 

[ioweddie]

Without the spitfire, none of the others would have happened as we would have been part of Germany

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Without the spitfire, none of the others would have happened as we would have been part of Germany

Righto.

 

[Dryce]

Without the spitfire, none of the others would have happened as we would have been part of Germany

The RAF also had the Hurricane - more of them than the Spitfire. Not as iconic. But very useful and quite effective. Allegedly higher serviceability. And ...... also that ubiquitous Merlin.

Not having the Spitfire might have made things a bit harder. But not I suspect the outcome of the BoB.

I will repeat the RAF itself - its organisation, tactics, resilience are what made the difference. The reason the Spitfire is iconic is in large part because of the Royal Air Force and not just the merits of the airccratf itself.

 

[wu56Shoozz]

I still need to make time to visit the one at Manchester Airport. Stunning thing it is.

Oi! Don't you dare Traitor! Lols! There's one over at East Fortune Airfield and you can go onboard..

Concorde G-BOAA

Plenty more to see over there to - then on to Gullane for a Ploughmans & pint!

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Oi! Don't you dare Traitor! Lols! There's one over at East Fortune Airfield and you can go onboard..

Concorde G-BOAA

Plenty more to see over there to - then on to Gullane for a Ploughmans & pint!

I’m not traitor mucca. I’m a Manc lad through & through.

 

[wu56Shoozz]

Ha Ha... just foolin' ..But East Fortune would be the easiest..

 

[st13phil]

This thread is a great example of why “greatest ever” aircraft is undefinable.

Combat aircraft have such a different role to civilian aircraft that comparison is pointless, and projects such as Concorde have had a disproportionate effect on high performance airframe and propulsion systems that completely overshadow their own direct utility.

So what’s the greatest ever aircraft? It depends...


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[whitenemesis]

The RAF also had the Hurricane - more of them than the Spitfire. Not as iconic. But very useful and quite effective. Allegedly higher serviceability. And ...... also that ubiquitous Merlin.

Wood and canvas. The frame could be repaired by any carpenter. The Spit needed specialist aluminium skills