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Seafire L.III


Tango 1

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Darren,

Very nice Seafire, thanks for posting the pic of your model. I build in 72nd and intend to get around to my High Planes Seafire III eventually, but I really enjoy seeing someone else's naval aircraft, especially in those colours. Keep up the great work. Does the 'L' designation mean engine modification/specification rather than any external characteristic (such as clipped wing tips)?

Cheers for now,

Andrew

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I forgot about this thread! Thanks for your kind words.

To answer your questions, I have no idea what the L means...although now you've mentioned it I intend to find out!

Also, the fuselage was rescribed as best as I could!

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L = low level. For fleet defence, it was realised that most interceptions were at low, to medium, altitudes. The Seafire F.III was fitted with a Merlin 55, and the L.III had a 55M, which had a cropped supercharger, rather like the L.F.V. In "They Gave Me a Seafire," "Mike" Crosley describes, as well, how they clipped the wingtips, cut down on the cannon ammunition, and dispensed with the outer .303, in each wing. They found that this meant that they could cope with the Fw190s; unfortunately, especially on D-Day, they could be mistaken for that a/c., and several were lost to "friendly" AA.

Edgar

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L = low level. For fleet defence, it was realised that most interceptions were at low, to medium, altitudes. The Seafire F.III was fitted with a Merlin 55, and the L.III had a 55M, which had a cropped supercharger, rather like the L.F.V. In "They Gave Me a Seafire," "Mike" Crosley describes, as well, how they clipped the wingtips, cut down on the cannon ammunition, and dispensed with the outer .303, in each wing. They found that this meant that they could cope with the Fw190s; unfortunately, especially on D-Day, they could be mistaken for that a/c., and several were lost to "friendly" AA.

Edgar

Hi Edgar,

Thanks for your answer; it's kind of what I suspected, but I didn't have my (scant) references to hand. Your explanation and the pilot's description are perfect! Darren's build has re-inspired my interest in home-grown FAA aircraft and I've recently bought another High Planes Seafire III so that I can do a European aircraft as well as a BPF example. And then there's a Sea Hurricane ........

Cheers,

Andrew.

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