Originally posted by 1K3
Forget it, G-2s and G-6s are outdated and wont stand up against 1945 spits like spit 16.
You'll need a 109G-14 (light weight version of 109G-6 with nitros) or 109K to combat them effectively.
Thereby hangs the problem -
Most don't even know what a Spit XVI is or when it reached service.
Let do the 2nd one 1st -
October 1944 - NOT 1945.
What is it? -
It's a
1943 LF IX with an 'e' wing (20mms + 50cals).
Everything else is IDENTICAL to the 1943 LF IX
Same airframe, same motor.
Performance is for all purposes IDENTICAL.
A clipped wing 1943 LF IXc performs the same as a 1943 LF XIe, performs the same as an 1944 XVIe.
Why XVI? -
Because the motor was manufactured in the USA under US measurements. To prevent confusion and distinguish the different tooling required the LF IXe with a US produced Merlin 66 (Merlin 266) was redisignated the XVI.
(They couldn't use XV as it was in use for the 1st Griffon powered Seafire)
To summarise, yet again -
A 1944 Spit XVI has the same performance as a 1944 LF IXe has the same performance as a 1943 LF IXc.
It's not some 'uber' 1945 late anything, it's performance put it fairly and squarely in 1943.
The only way it would become a 1944/45 performing Spit XVI would be if the boost were increased from 18lbs to 25lbs.
The same Merlin numbering system was used for ones used in RAAF Mossies.
i.e. A number was added in-front of the Rolls Royce designation to show it was manufactured abroad.
Hence the Merlin 266 (used in the XVI) is an American built Merlin 66 (used in the LF VIII, LF IX), not some super boosted version.
To make it easy - IGNORE the XVI tag, think of it as a LF IXe.