Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIV

Supermarine · United Kingdom · first flew 1943 · fighter

The fastest and most powerful wartime Spitfire variant, the Mk XIV's Griffon engine gave it a longer, heavier nose, a five-blade prop, and the ability to catch V-1 flying bombs in level flight.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, elliptical
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	9.96 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Five-blade Rotol propeller — the most blades of any wartime Spitfire, immediately visible
Greatly elongated, deeper nose housing the Rolls-Royce Griffon 65; noticeably longer forward of the cockpit than any Merlin mark
Broad asymmetric chin intake offset to starboard; early marks retain tall spine, later aircraft have bubble canopy

The five-blade prop and long Griffon nose are definitive. The Mk XIV's nose is visibly longer than the Mk IX's and its prop torque swings the nose right on take-off — the Griffon turns opposite to the Merlin, which caught out many pilots.

Specifications

The Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIV has a length of 9.96 m (33 ft).
It has a wingspan of 11.23 m (37 ft).
Its maximum speed is 721 km/h (448 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

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

History

Entering service in January 1944, the Mk XIV equipped squadrons in time for the Normandy invasion and the V-1 campaign, where its superior top speed made it one of very few aircraft able to intercept the 'doodlebugs'. It also held its own against late-war Bf 109Ks and Fw 190Ds.

Variants

Early Mk XIVs had the tall spine; the Mk XIVE introduced the bubble canopy and cut-down rear fuselage. FR XIVE added a rear-facing oblique camera.

Where you'll see it

Griffon-engined Spitfires including Mk XIVs fly on the world airshow circuit; the sound alone — deeper than any Merlin — carries across an airfield.

Related aircraft

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