Spitfire FR Mk XIVe (France)

This page is about the fighter Spitfire FR Mk XIVe (France). For other versions, see Spitfire (Family).

▄Spitfire FR Mk XIVe

◘Firefly F.Mk.IV

▄Meteor F Mk.8

▄Spitfire FR Mk XIVe

◘Firefly F.Mk.IV

▄Meteor F Mk.8

France

IV Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
5.3	5.7	5.3

Class:

Fighter

Research:63 000

Purchase:200 000

Show in game

Description

The ▄Spitfire FR Mk XIVe is a rank IV French fighter with a battle rating of 5.3 (AB/SB) and 5.7 (RB). It was introduced in Update "Seek & Destroy". After WWII, Belgium's air force was able to be rebuilt, with Spitfires being selected to fill the role of general fighter. This aircraft's camouflage is of Spitfire FR Mk XIVe 'SG108' of the Belgian Air Force.

The Spitfire FR Mk. XIVe was a purpose-built low-altitude Reconnaissance airframe. This plane is an example of the 1945 "e" equipped with a clipped "e" type wing, allowing it to mount the respectable armament of 2 cannons and two .50 calibre machine guns. It has a camera for reconnaissance and the "bubble" canopy. The short wing tips vastly increase the roll rate of the aircraft but sacrifice some horizontal and vertical manoeuvrability. The powerful Griffon Mk.65 allowed it to climb better than the majority of enemy fighters at nearly all attitudes; however, the performance drop at altitudes compared to full winged XIVe's is noticeable.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 8 077 m730 km/h

Turn time20 s

Max altitude12 000 m

EngineRolls-Royce Griffon-65

TypeInline

Cooling systemWater

Take-off weight5 t

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics	Max speed (km/h at 8,077 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	698	676	12000	21.5	22.4	18.1	18.1	400
Upgraded	776	730		18.8	20.1	32.0	23.7

Details

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

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
794	260	N/A	N/A	260	~10	~6

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 321	< 400	< 350	> 500

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural794 km/h

Gear260 km/h

• 38 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
• 4 mm Steel plates in pilot's seat
• 7 mm Steel plate behind the pilot
• 12.7 mm Steel plate between the fuselage fuel tank and oil cooling system
• 6 mm Steel plate in front of liquid cooling system
• 3 mm Steel boxes around wing ammunition

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB2 868 → 3 731

RB6 812 → 8 862

SB9 728 → 12 656

Total cost of modifications52 700

91 000

Talisman cost1 700

Crew training57 000

Experts200 000

Aces1 100

Research Aces520 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

100 / 230 / 480 %

172 / 172 / 172 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 2 600 Cost: 4 500 185 Radiator Research: 2 600 Cost: 4 500 185 Compressor Research: 3 000 Cost: 5 200 220 Wings repair Research: 3 300 Cost: 5 700 240 Engine Research: 3 300 Cost: 5 700 240 Engine injection Research: 5 700 Cost: 9 800 410	Airframe Research: 3 000 Cost: 5 200 220 Cover Research: 5 700 Cost: 9 800 410	bmg50_belt_pack Research: 2 600 Cost: 4 500 185 hispano_belt_pack Research: 2 600 Cost: 4 500 185 bmg50raf_new_gun Research: 3 000 Cost: 5 200 220 hispano_mk2_new_gun Research: 3 000 Cost: 5 200 220 SMBC mk.2 Research: 3 300 Cost: 5 700 240 Mk.II year 1942 Research: 3 300 Cost: 5 700 240 Mk.II year 1943 Research: 5 700 Cost: 9 800 410

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 12 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.II cannon

Ammunition270 rounds

Fire rate600 shots/min

Weapon 22 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun

Ammunition520 rounds

Fire rate750 shots/min

The Spitfire FR Mk XIVe (France) is armed with:

• 2 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.II cannons, wing-mounted (135 rpg = 270 total)
• 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, wing-mounted (260 rpg = 520 total)

Suspended armament

List of setups (2)

Setup 11 x G.P. 500 lb Mk.IV bomb

Setup 21 x M.C. 500 lb Mk.I bomb

The Spitfire FR Mk XIVe (France) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 1 x 500 lb G.P. Mk.IV bomb (500 lb total)

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Pros and cons

Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".

Pros:

• Clipped wings increases the roll rate.
• Has a strong rate of climb.
• Upgrade from 7.7mm machine guns to .50 cals for efficient firepower.
• Good turning capabilities.

Cons:

• Due to the clipped wings, it's Maneuvering energy retention (MER) is poor.
• No wide range of flaps: only "landing".
• Fuel consumption is higher than other fighters at it's BR while using WEP.

History

Following the end of World War II, like many formerly occupied European countries, Belgium started rebuilding its Air Force and turned towards the British government who agreed to supply aircraft. The original plans called for the establishment of two day-fighter wings, "A-Wing" and "B-Wing", each of which would consist of two squadrons, each numbering 16 aircraft.

As part of the reconstruction of the Belgian Air Force, two fully Belgian-manned squadrons of the Royal Air Force, nos. 349 and 350 Squadron, were transferred from British to Belgian command on October 15th 1946. Under RAF command, 349 Squadron had been standardised on the Spitfire LF Mk.XVIe variant, while 350 Squadron flew a mix of both the Mk.XIV and LF Mk.XVIe. However, while the RAF was prepared to hand over both squadrons to Belgium, one condition was the return of the Mk.XVI Spitfires. To replace these, the Belgian Government placed an order for 100 Griffon-engined Spitfire Mk.XIVs, all of which would receive a Belgian serial with an SG-prefix (Spitfire-Griffon; serving alongside Merlin-engined Spitfires with an SM-prefix standing for Spitfire-Merlin).

Deliveries of the original order for Spitfire Mk.XIVs started in April of 1947 and ran until July of 1949, with aircraft from Royal Air Force stocks being overhauled in the UK before being delivered to Belgium. The aircraft delivered were a mixed bag: some were Mk.XIVs with the classic Malcolm Hood while others had the low-cut fuselage and bubble canopy; and a handful were FR.XIVs with provisions for reconnaissance cameras in their rear fuselage. As deliveries progressed, the aircraft were initially delivered to 349 and 350 Squadron which had been organised into the 1st Wing at Beauvechain Air Base, where they replaced the Spitfire LF.XVIe, with additional aircraft being used to establish the 2nd Wing at Florennes Air Base from early 1948 onwards. Two aircraft (RM769, June 19th 1947; and MV360, March 9th 1949) were written off in accidents during test or delivery flights, while a third (MV256/SG-39) was refused on delivery by the Belgian Air Force due to corrosion damage in the cockpit; as a result two additional Spitfires were delivered as replacements. In addition, three non-airworthy Spitfires (NH694, RM712 and RM862) were delivered as instructional airframes to train ground crew.

The delivery of a considerably higher number of Spitfires than originally envisaged (the original plans called for 4 squadrons for a total of 64 Spitfires) allowed for the establishment of two extra Belgian Spitfire units: the 1st Wing at Beauvechain saw the establishment of an "Auxiliary Squadron"; while the 2nd Wing at Florennes saw the establishment of its 3rd Squadron in addition to the already existing 1st and 2nd squadron. On top of that, a number of Mk.XIVs were attached to the Day Fighter School at the Koksijde Air Base, an operational conversion unit which had already been established on the Spitfire Mk.IX.

In April of 1949, the 1st Wing at Beauvechain started receiving the Gloster Meteor F.4, with 349 and 350 Squadron converting to the new jet while its Auxiliary Squadron initially retained its Spitfires before being disbanded. At the same time, under the Western Union Defence Pact to which Belgium had subscribed together with the UK, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and France, the Belgian Air Force committed itself to an expansion which would see the establishment of at least 12 day-fighter squadrons. This planned expansion, together with a relatively high accident rate in squadron service, saw Belgium ordering an additional 30 Spitfire Mk.XIVs, all of which were delivered between August 1950 and March 1951. These new deliveries, together with Nos 349 and 350 Squadron exchanging their Spitfires for Meteors, allowed for the establishment of the 10th Wing, consisting of nos. 23, 27 and 31 squadron at Chièvres Air Base, a temporary stationing pending the construction of their permanent base at Kleine Brogel.

The increased obsolescence of the Supermarine Spitfire, as well as deliveries of the Republic F-84E/G Thunderjet under the Mutual Defence Assistance Program from April 1951 onwards heralded the end of the Spitfire Mk.XIV in frontline service. Starting in April 1951, the 2nd Wing at Florennes started converting from their Spitfires to the F-84E Thunderjet; the 10th Wing at Chièvres followed in 1952, with its no. 31 'Tiger' Squadron being the last to cede their Spitfires in November of 1952. Following the withdrawal of the Spitfire from Belgian frontline service, the 47 surviving aircraft were pooled in the Day Fighter School at Koksijde.

This was merely a stay of execution for the Spitfire, as even in its conversion role it was increasingly being replaced by jet aircraft. The Day Fighter School received its first Meteor T.7 trainers towards the end of 1952, followed by its first Meteor F.4s in early 1953 as they were starting being replaced in squadron service by the newer Meteor F.8. On May 31st 1954, the 125th Promotion of the Belgian Air Force graduated, being the last class to have received conversion on the Spitfire Mk.14; two months later the last flights of a Spitfire Mk.XIV in Belgian Air Force service were flown at Koksijde, at which point the surviving aircraft were sold in batches to scrap dealers, with airframe SG-49 (ex-RAF TX995) being the last to be struck off charge in December of 1954.

Being a difficult type to transition onto due to its powerful engine torque, narrow landing gear and limited forward sight, take-off and landing accidents were frequent, accounting for a majority of airframe write-offs of Spitfire Mk.XIVs in Belgian Air Force service. Between the first accident on May 21st 1947 and the last accident on August 5th 1954 in Belgian service, no less than 86 Spitfire Mk.XIVs were written off. The brunt of the survivors were struck off charge between March and December of 1954 and sold for scrap, with only three aircraft being retained by the Belgian Air Force purposes for museum purposes: SG-55 (MV246) at the Royal Army Museum in Brussels (in fact, a composite of the wreckage of three individual aircraft); SG-31 (RN201), originally retained at a gate guardian at Beauvechain (following a restoration in the UK in the 1980s, nowadays airworthy as G-BSKP); and SG-57 (RM921), originally retained as a gate guardian at Florennes (nowadays on display at the Florennes base museum). Two of the Spitfires disposed in the mass scrappings at the Day Fighter School also survived: out of a batch of Spitfires sold to an Ostend scrap dealer in 1957, SG-25 (RM927) and SG-108 (NH904) were retained as eyecatchers, before being sold on in 1967 and 1965 respectively; SG-108 was restored to airworthiness in 1981 as G-FIRE before eventually ending up with Palm Springs Air Museum as N1148P; while SG-25 was only restored to airworthiness as recently as 2022, being registered as F-AYXX to W Air Collection at La Ferté-Alais in France. A sixth ex-Belgian Mk.14, SG-38 (RM764, lost in a 1952 fatal accident), is rumoured to be under rebuild as OO-XIV at FAST Aero in Brasschaat near Antwerp, Belgium.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Related development

• Spitfire (Family)
  • Prendergast's Spitfire FR Mk XIVe
  • Spitfire F Mk XIVe

External links

• [Devblog] Dutch and Belgian Aircraft are Joining the French Tree!