Supermarine Seafire Mk III
Supermarine · GB · first flew 1943 · fighter
The Mk III introduced folding wings to the Seafire family for the first time, making it practical for carrier stowage below decks and the most-produced Seafire mark at 1,263 aircraft.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, elliptical |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Arrester hook fairing under rear fuselage; wing fold hinge visible as a line at mid-span on upper surface |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Folding wings — the first Seafire with manual (not powered) wing fold, creating a distinctive gull-kinked fold line visible when wings are spread
- Merlin 55M or 55 giving a small slipper drop tank under the centreline
- Arrester hook fairing under rear fuselage; wing fold hinge visible as a line at mid-span on upper surface
Wing fold is the key cue — the fold line at mid-span (roughly where the aileron meets the flap) is visible even when wings are spread, as a slight surface step. Distinguished from Seafire Mk I/II by the fold. Distinguished from Mk XV/XVII by its Merlin nose (shorter, narrower than the Griffon) and single-stage engine.
Specifications
- The Supermarine Seafire Mk III has a length of 9.21 m (30 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.23 m (37 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 578 km/h (359 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Derived from the Spitfire Mk VC, it entered service in 1943. The manual fold required deck crew to physically fold each panel, but it allowed hangar-deck stowage that the fixed-wing Mk I and II could not achieve. Served throughout the Pacific and Mediterranean.
Variants
Mk LIII (low-altitude Merlin 55M), Mk FIII (standard Merlin 55). Photo-reconnaissance conversions also existed.
Where you'll see it
Fleet Air Arm carrier operations 1943-46. Several preserved in UK museums (Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton). Occasional airshow appearances on the warbird circuit.
Related aircraft
- Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIV
- Supermarine Seafire
- Supermarine Seafire Mk XV
- Supermarine Spiteful
- Arado Ar 440
- Brewster F3A-1 Corsair
- Brewster XA-32
- Curtiss P-40 N Warhawk
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