Picture of Supermarine Spitfire MkIX WW2 Fighter

The Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX (Supermarine Type 361) was introduced as a temporary measure to counter the introduction of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in late 1941 as the Spitfire MkV, even with four feet clipped off it's wing-span by unbolting the wing tips and fitting blanking plates (LF MkV or Clipped Spit), was at a disadvantage. The Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX had a strengthened Spitfire MkV airframe fitted with the new 61 series Merlin engine coupled to a new high efficiency four bladed propeller. The Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX proved to be a very successful fighter and 7180 were produced, surviving aircraft were re-designated as fighter bombers when their role as tactical air superiority fighters was taken over by the newer Griffon-engined Spitfires. A trainer version of the Mk IX, the Spitfire Tr9, was produced after the war by converting existing Mk IX by the addition of a second cockpit.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX Specifications:

• Length: 31 ft 3½ in

• Wingspan: Standard 36 ft 10 in (Clipped 'LFIXe' 32 ft 2 in)

• Height: 11 ft 9 in

• Empty Weight: 5,610 lbs (2,545 kg)

• Maximum Weight: 7,500 lbs (3,402 kg)

• Engine: Single 1,515 hp V-12 Rolls-Royce Merlin 61 or 1,712 h Merlin 63

• Maximum Speed: 408 mph (657 kph) @ 25,000 ft

• Service Ceiling: 40,000 ft

• Maximum range: 434 miles (698 km)

Armament:

• Twin 20mm Hispano cannon and either four .303 inch machine guns or twin .50 machine guns

• Bombs: Single fuselage mounted 500 lb bomb and two wing mounted 250 lb bombs