Spitfire LF Mk IXc (USA)

▃Spitfire LF Mk IXc

▃Spitfire LF Mk IXc

USA

IV Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
5.3	5.7	5.0

Class:

PREMIUM

Fighter

Purchase:4 880

This page is about the American fighter Spitfire LF Mk IXc (USA). For other uses, see Spitfire (Family).

Description

The ▃Spitfire LF Mk IXc is a Rank IV premium American fighter with a battle rating of 5.3 (AB), 5.7 (RB), and 5.0 (SB). This fighter has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29.

General info

Flight Performance

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 4,878 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
617	599	11500	16.9	17.5	17.3	20.4	320
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 4,878 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
?	?	11500	??.?	??.?	??.?	??.?	320

Details

Features
Combat flap	Take-off flap	Landing flap	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
X	X	✓	X	X

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flap (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
774	270	N/A	~12	~6

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 321	< 400	< 450	> 250

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
3,200 m	1,380 hp	2,084 hp
Setting 2
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
6,200 m	1,310 hp	1,978 hp

Survivability and armour

• 38 mm Bulletproof glass in front of the pilot
• 3 mm Steel plate on top of fuel tanks
• 4 mm Steel plate on pilot's seat. Behind pilot is another 6-7 mm steel plate
• 3 mm Steel plates around ammunition

• Critical components located at the front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
• Additional fuel tanks are located in the wings near the fuselage

Armaments

Offensive armament

The Spitfire LF Mk IXc (USA) is armed with:

• 2 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.II cannon, wing-mounted (120 rpg = 240 total)
• 4 x 7.7 mm Browning machine gun, wing-mounted (350 rpg = 1,400 total)

Suspended armament

The Spitfire LF Mk IXc (USA) can be outfitted with the following ordinance:

• Without load
• 1 x G.P. 250 lb Mk.IV bomb (250 lb total)

Usage in the battles

All Spitfire versions served primarily as fighter aircraft. Due to its high manoeuvrability, the Spitfire LF Mk IXc excels in dogfighting, matched only by a few opponents (mainly Japanese). Due to its vulnerabilities, namely it's low ammunition load and somewhat flimsy airframe, it is not recommended to attack bombers with heavy defensive armament. Its climb rate is one of the Spitfire's greatest advantages, being able to outclimb many rivals at its rank. Despite this, it is not recommended to try to catch up with zoom-climbing enemy fighters, because the Spitfire will most likely run out of speed before you manage to engage the opponent. Therefore, go into a shallow but high-speed climb to patiently gain the same altitude as the foe. Do not waste too much speed or altitude to the Boom & Zoom bounce from above, or else it will not work. In emergency situations, when an opponent is diving onto you, your speed is insufficient to face them and, when there are no clouds to hide in, you can descend to the tree-top level and use sharp turns and preferably uneven terrain to make dive attacks impossible for your opponent. He will most likely have to pull up before he can attack, due to his high speed. Exactly at that moment when he is pulling up, you can take initiative.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Controllable	Not controllable	Controllable	Combined	Controllable	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Radiator		Offensive 7 mm	Offensive 20 mm
II		Compressor	Airframe	New 7 mm MGs	New 20 mm cannons
III	Wings repair	Engine		SBC mark 25	Mk.II year 1942
IV	150 octane fuel	Engine injection	Cover		Mk.II year 1943

• As a premium aircraft, the ▃Spitfire LF Mk IXc's modifications are automatically unlocked upon purchase of the aircraft.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Excellent rate of climb which will rival later Griffon Spitfires and most late war props
• Excellent acceleration from a standing start due to the boost configuration
• Good manoeuvrability, albeit lower than other Spitfires (I-V Marks)

Cons:

• Features the British 7.7 mm 303 Browning machine guns
• Tendency to break its wings during high-speed manoeuvres
• Very low ammunition count, must be very conservative
• Poor engine performance at high altitudes

History

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In-game description

"Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX (Type 361) single-engine interceptor fighter/front-line fighter

A single-seat, single-engine, all-metal, low-wing cantilever monoplane fighter.

Not only the British but also quite a few pilots from other countries fought on Supermarine Spitfire fighters. The Americans used Spitfires, as well.

The beginning of the Spitfire was marked by volunteers who had joined the ranks of the British RAF before the USA joined the war. In 1941, there were three full-fledged American fighter squadrons in Britain, named the Eagles. The Americans originally flew Hurricanes, but in August 1941 they started their retraining on Spitfires. Until the autumn of 1942, the Eagles were common British squadrons with the corresponding staff, uniforms, and markings. On September 29, 1942, thanks to an intergovernmental agreement, the Eagles were transferred to the command of the Eighth Air Force of the USAAF, located in Great Britain. Three squadrons were combined to form the 4th Fighter Wing, and the tricolour British cockades on the planes were replaced with American ones.

Beginning in 1942, a number of the USAAF's fighter units which had arrived at the West European theatre of war without planes received British fighters as part of the so-called ""Reverse Lend-Lease"". These squadrons were originally based in Great Britain. Later, they were also based in North Africa. A total of about 1,000 Spitfires of various versions were handed over to the USAAF by the RAF.

For example, the 52d Fighter Wing was redeployed in July 1942 from the USA over the ocean to Northern Ireland. It was there that American fighter pilots had to master the Spitfire. The Americans flew Spitfires when they joined the North African Campaign in November 1942. American pilots fought in Spitfires in the North African theatre of war until the German troops were defeated in May 1943.

The Americans used Spitfires (Mk.VIII and Mk.IX variants) in the skies over Italy as part of the Twelfth Air Force. By March 1944, the majority of the British planes had been replaced with Mustangs, but there were still some planes with those white stars on their fuselages all the way up until the Capitulation of Germany."

Media

Premium Review: US Spitfire LF. Mk. IXc

Read also

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Sources

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