Christer A Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Hello! Here in Sweden we do have (currently just one) a flying Spitfire, owned by cheap autopart chain store Biltema. Old news probably, but it's very nice to have it buzzing around in the sky here One thing that I cannot shake from my mind, is why the cannon fairings are placed the way they are. Picture by my coworker Erik Norberg, used with permission: Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVI by ednorberg, on Flickr Since RW386 ist stated to be a LF Mk XVIe , that would mean a .50-cal in the inner cannon position, but they never had a fairing except for the small stub, right? So why the semi-long fairing then? //Christer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Whenever a suriviving flying example of a WW2 aircraft is involved, we have to keep in mind that restorations are a bit like 1:1 models: they are not always accurate ! This can happen for many reasons but in any case the details of an aircraft as it is today may have little to do with what the same aircraft was like when it was built. In this case I simply believe that the fairings have been added to look good and the configuration is not representative of a real operational Mk.XVI. These would have had the fairing for the 20 mm cannon on the outside and the stub for the 0.50 on the inside as you said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 As a matter of fact, that fairing arrangement isn't accurate for any Spitfire, full stop! I don't know why "they" chose to do it. But then, I would build my Spitfire 18 with a PR 'bowser' wing and a jumpseat with a view out the camera ports... bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viscount806x Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 As a matter of fact, that fairing arrangement isn't accurate for any Spitfire, full stop! I don't know why "they" chose to do it. But then, I would build my Spitfire 18 with a PR 'bowser' wing and a jumpseat with a view out the camera ports... bob .....plus an additional fairing to your seat to accomodate the wallet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 Naw, I'd have staff to carry my wallet for me! bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagey Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Funnily enough, I am sure that one of the Spits at Duxford for Flying legends had this cannon configuration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 The c or universal wing could carry four cannon, and sometimes did, but with the longer length inboard. The changes to make the e wing prevented the fitting of another cannon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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