Originally posted by SgtPappy
Hmm LET'S GET ONE! Do we have it on the wishlist?
Btw, Gupp, you wouldnt by any chance have the endurance and the range of the a/c (the XII with wing tanks) after warmup, take-off, climb etc. using different sized DT's? Thanks!
Don't have specific figures. I have copies of a lot of logbooks from pilots of 41 and 91.
Longest flights are 2hours 10 minutes, flown in August 44. Terry Spencer of 41 squadron comments on the first one of these that 'its the longest Spit XII flight yet" when they escorted buffs to Rouen. I have photos of 90 gallon tanks on Spit XIIs so I imagine this was one of those.
Average escort flights in the summer and fall of 43 were 1 hour 40 minutes when they covered Bostons, Mitchells and Marauders on numerous raids into France.
As a comparison, Bruce Moffet's logbook when he was with 91 squadron shows them escorting Halifaxes and Lancs in August 44 after they gave up their XIVs for Spit FIXs. Those flights with 90 gallon tanks were 2 hours 40 minutes. Moffett flew XIIs with 41 and 91, then XIVs and IXs with 91.
The XII clearly burned fuel faster which is why flying with the 30 gallon tank was standard.
Hope that helps a bit.
91 Squadron Spitfire IX in August 44 with a 90 gallon tank.
41 Squadron Spitfire XII in August 1944 with a 90 gallon tank.