What happened to Eric lock?
Within less than six months of becoming one of the most famous RAF pilots in the country, he crash-landed in the English Channel after his Supermarine Spitfire was damaged by ground-fire. Lock was posted missing in action. He was never seen again.
What was the best Spitfire variant?
Johnnie Johnson, the top scoring RAF fighter pilot of WW2, thought that, the Spitfire Mk. IX was the best version. It retained the sweet handling of the earlier versions, while having performance to match contemporary Luftwaffe fighters. Although the later Griffon engined versions were faster (the Mk.
How much is a flying Spitfire worth?
As mentioned above, the 100 point restoration of this Spitfire took 11 years to complete, and the aircraft is now listed for sale with an asking price of £3,500,000, which works out to approximately $4,710,000 USD.
What is the Spitfire in real life?
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II.
What guns did the Spitfire use?
From June 1940, thirty of the aircraft were equipped with twin 20mm cannons. To distinguish between the two variants, the Spitfire Mk I’s equipped with lethal . 303 machine guns were designated IA’s. These machine guns were able to deliver a concentration of 160 rounds per second.
Was the Spitfire the best plane?
A symbol of victory. The Spitfire is the most famous plane of World War Two. Its groundbreaking design and superior specifications gave the British a decisive advantage fighting the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain.
How many versions of Spitfire are there?
There were 24 marks of Spitfire and many sub-variants. These covered the Spitfire in development from the Merlin to Griffon engines, the high speed photo-reconnaissance variants and the different wing configurations.
How many planes did the Supermarine Spitfire shoot down?
529 enemy aircraft
Spitfires shot down a total of 529 enemy aircraft, for a loss of 230 of their own. The Hurricane was the most numerous of RAF Fighter Command’s aircraft during the Battle of Britain, equipping 33 squadrons by September 1940.
Was the tempest better than the Spitfire?
the Tempest is 20 mph faster than the Spitfire XIV. There is little to choose until 22,000 ft. when the Spitfire XIV becomes 30-40 mph faster, the Tempest’s operational ceiling being about 30,000 ft. as opposed to the Spitfire XIV’s 40,000 ft.
How big is a Spitfire engine?
27-litre
After adoption for the prototype Spitfire, the engine, now named ‘Merlin’ was a 27-litre, liquid-cooled V12, producing an initial power output of 1000 horsepower, which was to all but double during the course of the war.
What happened to Eric Stanley Lock?
Among many Battle of Britain heroes was British native, Eric Stanley Lock who flew with No. 41 Squadron during the Battle of Britain and became the top scoring Spitfire pilot of that action with 16 ½ victories. Unfortunately, Lock passed away when he was shot down while flying Spitfire Vb, W3257.
What happened to Spitfire pilots during the Battle of Britain?
During the Battle of Britain, many of Spitfires’ pilots became aces and went on to become heroes. Among many Battle of Britain heroes was British native, Eric Stanley Lock who flew with No. 41 Squadron during the Battle of Britain and became the top scoring Spitfire pilot of that action with 16 ½ victories.
Was the Spitfire better than the Bf109E in a dogfight?
The Spitfire offered performance similar to that of the superb Bf109E, but people today still argue as to which of the two had better performance in a dogfight. During the Battle of Britain, many of Spitfires’ pilots became aces and went on to become heroes.
What plane did Richard Lock shoot down?
While flying this aircraft, on August 15, 1940, Lock shot down his first enemy plane, a Me110 while engaging Ju88’s and Me110’s. A few months later, on September 5, 1940, Flying Officer Anthony Desmond Lovell was under attack by enemy fighters and baled out whilst flying this aircraft EB-Q, R6885.