Spitfire Mk. XVI

[Jonny]

I’ve just seen, on a website that should know, a reference to a ‘Spitfire XVI ‘reconnaisance’.

 

I have never before heard of a ‘reconnaisance’’ version of this mark of Spitfire.  Not to say it didn’t exist ... .

 

Can anyone please either confirm or refute that such a mark existed?

 

Just rather puzzled,

 

Jonny

[gingerbob]

Nope, haven't heard any such thing, though XVIs were being used for "armed reconnaissance" in 2TAF, which just meant flying around in fighters looking for anything to mess with on the ground- or, the pilots' general desire- in the air.

[Scott Hemsley]

^{I assume they mean a Spitfire FR.XIV (Fighter Recon) as opposed to a plain ol' Spitfire Mk.XIV.  Usually the 'low back variant of the Mk. XIV with provisions for a side mounted camera on each side behind the cockpit, fwd of the roundel …  but usually only one was carried at any one time.  Employed by 2nd TAF, as was mentioned.  It's not the best illustration, I know, but these two  (both Fujimi 1/72) represent a 402 Sqn. (RCAF) Spitfire Mk. XIV and a 414 Sqn. (RCAF) Spitfire FR.XIV.}

 

Scott

 

 

Edited July 23, 2019 by Scott Hemsley

[Jure Miljevic]

There was a small number of FR Mk.IX Spitfires, although I never heard of factory built FR Mk.XVI. However, some Mk.IX fighters had been field modified to fighter-reconnaissance standard so perhaps an odd Mk.XVI also got included into a mix. Then there were post-war modifications by various air forces like Yugoslav, which equipped some of its Spitfires with vertical fuselage camera. However, these aircraft were Mk.IXc and not Mk.XVI and despite being used for reconnaissance at medium and high altitudes their armament had been retained. Cheers

Jure