Last use of Spitfires
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 9:18 pm
Gentlemen,
I read in a paper the other day that the Spitfire was last used by the RAF in 1963 when they brought some out of mothballs to take part in exercises against the English Electric Lightning. Apparently GB was having some sort of argument with Indonesia who still had P51 Mustangs as their main air force and the RAF wanted to use the Spitfires to give the Lightning pilots experience of fighting against slower propeller aircraft.
Does anyone know what the results were?
I would imagine that pitting an aircraft like the Lightning against another which was around 1000mph slower would have been interesting if not hilarious to say the least, bearing in mind that it was basically a rocket with wings designed as an intercepter rather than a dogfighter, in fact I would be surprised if a Lightning could manouver quickly enough to catch the Spitfire, perhaps speed is not everything!
I would be grateful for any of your comments.
I read in a paper the other day that the Spitfire was last used by the RAF in 1963 when they brought some out of mothballs to take part in exercises against the English Electric Lightning. Apparently GB was having some sort of argument with Indonesia who still had P51 Mustangs as their main air force and the RAF wanted to use the Spitfires to give the Lightning pilots experience of fighting against slower propeller aircraft.
Does anyone know what the results were?
I would imagine that pitting an aircraft like the Lightning against another which was around 1000mph slower would have been interesting if not hilarious to say the least, bearing in mind that it was basically a rocket with wings designed as an intercepter rather than a dogfighter, in fact I would be surprised if a Lightning could manouver quickly enough to catch the Spitfire, perhaps speed is not everything!
I would be grateful for any of your comments.