Spitfire!

[Tinbasherdan]

As above, a,b and c model mustangs were Allison v1710 engines, single stage supercharger meant the engine ran out of puff above 15ish thousand. Perfectly capable engine below that though when used as a low level fighter. On the recommendation of the RAE and Eric brown, the merlin v1650 was used in the D model, with its two stage charger and aftercooler it gave the aircraft the legs to get up to bomber altitudes.

Packard did indeed build Merlin’s under licence, and streamlined the process using the mass production techniques they understood well, having sub contractors making various parts and doing the final machining/assembly in house. For instance I worked on a Packard merlin that had a crankcase cast by Maytag washing machines!

 

[Hotstuff]

I’m just outside of Headcorn. Have Spitfires overhead at least three times a week. I treat it as a personal aerobatics show, always a loop and a victory roll , with a quick waggle of the wings as it flies off.

Two just flew over my house in Hastings. Stepped outside to watch but couldn’t hear a supercharger.

I’ve watched one flying over our house before and they made a dramatic steep banked 180 turn….awesome.

 

[Johnnybravo]

Have one flying around at the moment

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Two just flew over my house in Hastings. Stepped outside to watch but couldn’t hear a supercharger.

I’ve watched one flying over our house before and they made a dramatic steep banked 180 turn….awesome.

You generally don’t hear the charger on a merlin unless you’re close up!

 

[Morris]

We overlook the Welland Valley and regularly have Spitfires flying over giving great aerobatic displays. I guess they come from Sywell which is about 20 miles away.
We occasionally have the Battle of Britain flight come past, they seem to use Rockingham Castle as a navigation point (they always turn there).