Seafire LF Mk.III (France)

This page is about the fighter Seafire LF Mk.III (France). For the British version, see Seafire LF Mk.III. For other versions, see Spitfire (Family).

▄Seafire LF Mk.III

VB.10-02

◘Sea Fury FB 51

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▄Seafire LF Mk.III

VB.10-02

◘Sea Fury FB 51

France

IV Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
5.0	5.0	5.0

Class:

Fighter

Naval aircraft

Research:46 000

Purchase:155 000

Show in game

Description

The ▄Seafire LF Mk.III is a rank IV French fighter with a battle rating of 5.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Winged Lions". This is the only "Spitfire" in the French Tech-Tree.

General info

Flight performance

Arrestor gear

Accelerates braking by grabbing the brake cable on the deck of the aircraft carrier

Max speed

at 3 963 m592 km/h

Turn time16 s

Max altitude10 500 m

EngineRolls-Royce Merlin-55M

TypeInline

Cooling systemWater

Take-off weight3 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 3,963 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	561	541	10500	17.2	17.8	14.6	14.6	340
Upgraded	627	592		15.7	16.2	26.9	19.5

Details

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

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
760	270	N/A	N/A	230	~10	~5

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

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural760 km/h

Gear270 km/h

The Seafire LF Mk.III has little protection: your enemies' guns will nearly always hit something vital. The pilot is protected in the rear by a 7 mm steel plate covering the seat, but this is not enough to stop 12.7 mm and 20 mm AP rounds, the kind you will most commonly be facing. The pilot is protected from head-ons by a sloped 38 mm pane of bulletproof glass, and a small amount of armour and fuel tanks in the nose.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB2 034 → 2 631

RB4 794 → 6 203

SB6 713 → 8 686

Total cost of modifications40 600

78 500

Talisman cost1 400

Crew training45 000

Experts155 000

Aces820

Research Aces440 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

80 / 200 / 400 %

160 / 160 / 160 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 2 000 Cost: 3 900 150 Radiator Research: 2 000 Cost: 3 900 150 Compressor Research: 2 300 Cost: 4 400 175 Wings repair Research: 3 400 Cost: 6 600 260 Engine Research: 3 400 Cost: 6 600 260 Engine injection Research: 4 400 Cost: 8 500 330	Airframe Research: 2 300 Cost: 4 400 175 Cover Research: 4 400 Cost: 8 500 330	bmg303_belt_pack Research: 2 000 Cost: 3 900 150 hispano_belt_pack Research: 2 000 Cost: 3 900 150 bmg303_new_gun Research: 2 300 Cost: 4 400 175 hispano_mk2_new_gun Research: 2 300 Cost: 4 400 175 Mk.II year 1942 Research: 3 400 Cost: 6 600 260 Mk.II year 1943 Research: 4 400 Cost: 8 500 330

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 12 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.II cannon

Ammunition240 rounds

Fire rate600 shots/min

Weapon 24 x 7.7 mm Browning machine gun

Ammunition1 400 rounds

Fire rate1 000 shots/min

The Seafire LF Mk.III (France) is armed with:

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

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Not controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Separate	Not controllable 1 gear	Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

- Excellent maneuverability

- The motor does not overheat too much

Cons:

- Poor mid and high altitude performance

- Slower than nearly all opponents

- Little ammo for the 20mm, the 7.7 are useless at his rank. No bombs or rockets.

- Outperformed by most other fighters at its tier

History

France received 65 Seafire Mk IIIs, 24 of these being deployed on the carrier Arromanches in 1948 when it sailed for Vietnam to fight in the First Indochina War, the Seafires operating from land bases and from Arromanches on ground attack missions against the Viet Minh before being withdrawn from combat operations in January 1949. After returning to European waters, the Seafire units were re-equipped with Seafire XVs but these were quickly replaced by Grumman F6F Hellcats from 1950.

They were used by the 1F, 12F flotillas, and the 1S, 2S, 3S, 4S, 11S, and 54S squadrons.

These planes had the reputation of being very unstable in flight and on landing. Most of the losses of these aircraft were due to accidents during landings. Planes flipped over, breaking their engine blocks, or ripping their rear fuselages off. Due to the lack of spare parts, these planes were gradually cannibalized, down to the very last one.

Media

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQZkupimhN8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7QeE42BV6M

See also

• Planes of the Seafire sery
• Seafire LF Mk.III
• Seafire F Mk XVII
• Seafire FR 47
• Planes of the French "Aéronavale" in the 50's
• F6F-5 (France)
• SB2C-5 (France)
• F4U-7
• F8F-1B (France)

External links

• https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k33290709.texteImage
• http://www.ffaa.net/aircraft/seafire/seafire_fr.htm