Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aircraft and Vehicles => Topic started by: Angus on May 06, 2006, 04:06:04 AM
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Here's two.
It's been claimed that some high-alt modded Spits neared 50K. I had a pilot tell me eye-to-eye that he made it to 49K, but no chance further.
It's also been claimed that one made it to mach 0.89 in a dive trial at Farnborough.
Anyway I was looking for something totally different when I ran across this:
http://supermarine-spitfire.biography.ms/
"During the spring of 1944 high speed diving trials were being performed at Farnborough to investigate the handling of aircraft at near the sound barrier. Because it had the highest limiting Mach number of any aircraft at that time, a Spitfire XI was chosen to take part in these trials. It was during these trials that EN 409, flown by Squadron Leader Martindale, reached 606 mph (Mach 0.89) in a 45 degree dive. Unfortunately the aircraft could not cope with this speed and the propeller and reduction gear broke off. Martindale successfully glided the twenty miles back to the airfield and landed safely.
On 5 February 1952 a Spitfire Mk. 19 of No. 81 Squadron RAF based in Hong Kong achieved probably the highest altitude ever achieved by a Spitfire. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Ted Powles , was on a routine flight to survey outside air temperature report on other meteorological conditions at various altitudes in preparation for a proposed new air service through the area. He climbed to 50,000 feet indicated altitude (a true altitude of 51,550 feet) which was the highest height ever recorded for a Spitfire. However the cabin pressure fell below a safe level and, in trying to reduce altitude, he entered an uncontrollable dive which shook the aircraft violently. He eventually regained control somewhere below 3,000 feet. He landed safely and there was no discernible damage to his aircraft. Evaluation of the recorded flight data suggested that in the dive, he achieved a speed of 690 mph or Mach 0.94, which would have been the highest speed ever reached by a propeller driven aircraft. Today it is generally believed that this speed figure is actually is the result of inherent instrument errors and has to be considered unrealistic. "
Then I stumbled onto this. A german goodie about breaking mach. Never saw it before, but sure that some of you did:
http://www.luft46.com/prototyp/dfs228.html
This struck me:
"Beginning in 1940, the DFS (Deutsches Forschungsinstitut für Segelflug), or German Research Institute for Gliders, started an ambitious program to achieve supersonic flight. Since the only engines powerful enough and available at the time were rocket engines, it was realized that the solution was to have the assault on the sound barrier take place at a high altitude
Anyway, I went digging further, but haven't come up with anything more detailed on Martindale's flight. Anyone?
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I have a Spitfire book called 'The Spitfire story' by Alfred Price, revised second edition. ISBN 1-85409-305-3.
It describes both the Martindale and Powles story in great detail. I could scan them, but this is not exactly new info, not even for me.
The Mach 0.94 is an estimate though, albeit with a lot of instrumentation on board. I am not in a position to argue the issue. He got himself in an uncontrolled dive, went very fast and survived ;)
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Always wanted that book.
Got some myself. Jeff Quills Test pilot's story is nice ;)
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Well at least we KNOW that modded Spits could get over 40k.
Highest ever engagement of WWII -
44000ft.
Specially modded Spit IX of RAF Northolts Hi-Alt flight.
Flown by Prince Emmanuel Galatzine.
Sept 12, 1942.
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And that's only in 1942!
Highest formation cruise I have heard of is 43K in 1942 as well.
(Duncan Smith).
Problem there and afterwards is "bends" in unpressurized cockpits and then the breathing goes to nil at 50K. After that you need pressure breathing but not sure when they started with that.
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Originally posted by Angus
Always wanted that book.
Got some myself. Jeff Quills Test pilot's story is nice ;)
Ah well, this is the first time my 'library' (mostly a rag-tag collection I picked up in cheap/second-hand bookstores and museums) can answer a question on this forum ;)
In the city where I work, there is a specialized aviation bookstore. They have EVERYTHING. Prices are steep though, but I'am still looking for a really good book on the Bf-109 series.
Anyway, 'The Spitfire story' is really nice, it contains tons of anecdotes on all variants and is a good read, not a dull list of variants. Contains a lot of tactical trails as wel.
Sadly very few survives from German records although 'Testpilot of Beuteflugzeuge' contains a tactical trail of a captured La-5 and a lot of anecdotical info, also on Spits.