Supermarine Spitfire Mk VIII

Supermarine · GB · first flew 1942 · fighter

The Mk VIII was the definitive development of the Merlin-Spitfire, designed from the outset for the two-stage Merlin rather than being a rushed conversion like the Mk IX.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, elliptical
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	9.54 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Retractable tail-wheel (not fixed as on Mk V and early marks)
Enlarged pointed-tip rudder standard (same as Mk IX but fitted from new)
Merlin 61/63/66/70 two-stage engine giving longer, symmetrical chin intake under nose

Distinguished from the visually similar Mk IX by its retractable tail-wheel (look under the rear fuselage — no fixed strut), the symmetrical two-stage Merlin chin intake, and the pointed rudder fitted as standard. The Mk IX kept a fixed tail-wheel on most airframes.

Specifications

The Supermarine Spitfire Mk VIII has a length of 9.54 m (31 ft).
It has a wingspan of 11.23 m (37 ft).
Its maximum speed is 657 km/h (408 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Conceived in 1941 as the proper successor to the Mk V, it introduced a retractable tail-wheel and a strengthened fuselage. Production ran to 1,658 aircraft. Most served in the Mediterranean, Burma and Australia rather than over north-west Europe.

Variants

LF Mk VIII (low-altitude, clipped wings), F Mk VIII (standard), HF Mk VIII (high-altitude, extended tips). Australian RAAF Mk VIIIs are sometimes called the 'Tropical Spit'.

Where you'll see it

RAAF, USAAF (loaned), RAF in Italy and the Pacific. Several survive in Australian museums; a handful are airworthy on the warbird circuit, including examples in the US and Australia.

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