FSX/FS2004 – Spitfire Mk 22

FSX/FS2004 – Spitfire Mk 22. The Mk 22  had an increased fuel capacity over its predecessors, with two fuel tanks of 33 gal (150 l) each installed in the rear fuselage. There were also zero-point fittings for rocket projectiles under the wings. All had the larger “Spiteful” tail units: modifications were also made to the trim tab gearings in order to perfect the F Mk 22’s handling characteristics. The F Mk 22 achieved a maximum speed of 454 mph (731 km/h), and could reach an altitude of 30,000 ft (9,100 m) in eight minutes, putting it on a par with the most advanced piston-engined fighters of the era. Introduced into service in 1945, the F Mk 22 differed greatly from the original Spitfire Mk I in many respects and was twice as heavy, more than twice as powerful and showed an increase in climb rate of 80% over that of the prototype, ‘K5054’. These remarkable increases in performance arose chiefly from the introduction of the Rolls-Royce Griffon engine in place of the famous Merlin of earlier variants. Rated at 2,050 hp (1,530 kW), the 12-cylinder Vee liquid-cooled Griffon 61 engine featured a two-stage supercharger, giving the Spitfire the exceptional performance at high altitude that had been sometimes lacking in early marks.

By A.F. Scrub

19.5 MB