Long Range Spitfires???

[ArtKramr]

I don't know much about Spits other than how they perform as fighter cover. But
I am curious about the concept of " Long Range" as applied to Spits. I had
never heard that phrase during the war.Is it a phrase only used on this NG or
is it a commonly used term about a special class of Spits?. And are we talking
long range as in Mustangs? Or to put it anohrer way, how long is long range as
applied to Spits?


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Guy Alcala]

ArtKramr wrote:

> I don't know much about Spits other than how they perform as fighter cover. But
> I am curious about the concept of " Long Range" as applied to Spits. I had
> never heard that phrase during the war.Is it a phrase only used on this NG or
> is it a commonly used term about a special class of Spits?.

It's a term we're using on the NG, to define what mods would have been needed to
improve the Spit's range for bomber escort in the late-'43-early '44 period. Late
in 1944 -early '45 there were versions of the Spit with much increased internal
tankage, but they were never (to my knowledge) referred to as long range.

> And are we talking
> long range as in Mustangs?

More like long range roughly equal to ETO P-47s. Getting a fighter Spit to carry
combat fuel equal to a Mustang is probably impossible, and would definitely take
too long for the time frame of interest.

> Or to put it anohrer way, how long is long range as
> applied to Spits?

For what's likely to be doable in the limited time frame, 300-400 mile escort
radius, vs. 150-175 miles typical of Mk. V/IXs. We'll take 250 miles for a start,
which should definitely be achievable right out of the box by substituting Mk.
VIIIs for Mk. IXs. 250 miles encompasses Emden and the Ruhr, Paris and maybe out
to St Nazaire, from the nearest bases. 350 miles gets us to Bremen, Hannover,
Kassel, Frankfurt, and probably Kiel/Hamburg. 400 miles should take in Brunswick,
and maybe Oschersleben, Halberstadt, and Schweinfurt.

Guy

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: Long Range Spitfires???
>From: Guy Alcala
>Date: 9/9/03 1:18 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: >
>
>ArtKramr wrote:
>
>> I don't know much about Spits other than how they perform as fighter cover.
>But
>> I am curious about the concept of " Long Range" as applied to Spits. I had
>> never heard that phrase during the war.Is it a phrase only used on this NG
>or
>> is it a commonly used term about a special class of Spits?.
>
>It's a term we're using on the NG, to define what mods would have been needed
>to
>improve the Spit's range for bomber escort in the late-'43-early '44 period.
>Late
>in 1944 -early '45 there were versions of the Spit with much increased
>internal
>tankage, but they were never (to my knowledge) referred to as long range.
>
>> And are we talking
>> long range as in Mustangs?
>
>More like long range roughly equal to ETO P-47s. Getting a fighter Spit to
>carry
>combat fuel equal to a Mustang is probably impossible, and would definitely
>take
>too long for the time frame of interest.
>
>> Or to put it anohrer way, how long is long range as
>> applied to Spits?
>
>For what's likely to be doable in the limited time frame, 300-400 mile escort
>radius, vs. 150-175 miles typical of Mk. V/IXs. We'll take 250 miles for a
>start,
>which should definitely be achievable right out of the box by substituting
>Mk.
>VIIIs for Mk. IXs. 250 miles encompasses Emden and the Ruhr, Paris and maybe
>out
>to St Nazaire, from the nearest bases. 350 miles gets us to Bremen, Hannover,
>Kassel, Frankfurt, and probably Kiel/Hamburg. 400 miles should take in
>Brunswick,
>and maybe Oschersleben, Halberstadt, and Schweinfurt.
>
>Guy
>
Thanks for the clarification. But remember that in 1944 there were Spit bases
in Northern Belgium. We got fighter cover from those guys from time to time.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Guy Alcala]

ArtKramr wrote:

> >Subject: Re: Long Range Spitfires???
> >From: Guy Alcala
> >Date: 9/9/03 1:18 PM Pacific Daylight Time
> >Message-id: >
> >
> >ArtKramr wrote:
> >
> >> I don't know much about Spits other than how they perform as fighter cover.
> >But
> >> I am curious about the concept of " Long Range" as applied to Spits. I had
> >> never heard that phrase during the war.Is it a phrase only used on this NG
> >or
> >> is it a commonly used term about a special class of Spits?.
> >
> >It's a term we're using on the NG, to define what mods would have been needed
> >to
> >improve the Spit's range for bomber escort in the late-'43-early '44 period.
> >Late
> >in 1944 -early '45 there were versions of the Spit with much increased
> >internal
> >tankage, but they were never (to my knowledge) referred to as long range.

<snip>

> Thanks for the clarification. But remember that in 1944 there were Spit bases
> in Northern Belgium. We got fighter cover from those guys from time to time.

Which is why the period of interest was specified as late '43 - early '44, before
continental bases were available. Besides, post invasion in addition to having
fighters on the continent, the RAF would also have their own P-51s available for
long-range escort.

Guy