Spit 9 F = P-51B, Spit 9 LF = P-51D?

[Citabria]

Spit 9 F has p51B engine right and less production than LF?

Spit 9 LF has P-51D engine and is the most produced Spit 9?

[juzz]

Not quite, but close.

For starters, the Mustangs had Packard Merlin engines.

The early P-51B/C had the 1620HP V-1650-3, which was based on the Merlin 68.

The P-51D/K had the 1695HP V-1650-7, as did later production P-51B/C. I don't know which model of Merlin this engine was based on.

The Spitfire F.IX had the 1585HP Merlin 61, the LF.IX had the ~1750HP Merlin 66. The Spitfire XVI was a Spitfire IX with the Packard Merlin 266, which was a license built Merlin 66.

Critical altitudes for all of these engines differed, being approximately:

Merlin 61: MS gear at 16k, FS gear at 28k.
Merlin 66: MS gear at 8k, FS gear at 22k.
V-1650-3: MS gear at 16k, FS gear at 29k.
V-1650-7: MS gear at 12k, FS gear at 25k.

The Spitfire LF.IX was by far the most produced variant of Spitfire IX, especially if you consider the 1000+ XVI produced, which were essentially the same plane as the LF.IX.

[This message has been edited by juzz (edited 05-02-2001).]

[Swoop]

Nah, other way round Cit.  We gave you the engine's for them thar P51s......  

P51 has the Spit engine.....not Spit has P51 engine.  Christ, we'da never won the BoB if the spit used an Alison.  LOL

ok, ok, anally retentive of me, I'll be quiet.