WEAPONS

Mk1 Spitfires used in the Battle of Britain had two variants:

FIRST had eight .303in Browning machine guns with 300 rounds per gun, 2,400 rounds in all and a total firing time of just 18 seconds. GUNS initially effective at 1,500 yds. But as Luftwaffe strengthened armour, range fell to less than 300yds - terrifyingly close flying at 300mph. PILOT Wilfred Duncan Smith said: ‘The eight .303 Brownings were devastating at close quarters but inadequate at longer ranges against enemy fighters, unless a hit was registered in the engine, petrol tank or cooling system.’

SECOND variant had four Brownings and two 20mm cannon capable of piercing heavy armour and tearing Messerschmitt BF 109 E German fighters apart, but this version was unreliable as cannon tended to jam and their maximum firing time was just five seconds.

BY NOVEMBER 1940 a new ‘universal’ wing resolved the cannon problem and variants of later ‘marks’ took four 20mm cannon and 0.5in Brownings. Bomb capacity developed and before long Spitfires could take 1,000lb bomb load under wing and fuselage.