ArtKramr wrote:

Subject: 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