Deviation Actions
Description
Spitfire PR. Mk. XIX
Dimensions:
Span: Normal 36 ft. 10 in. (11.23 m) length overall 33 ft. 3.25 in. (9.96 m). Height 12 ft. 8 in. (3.86 m) wing area 244 sq. ft. (22.68 m2)
Weights: Empty 6,520 lb. (2957 kg) Loaded 9,202 lb. (4,175 kg) Max permissible for take-off 10,450 lb. (4,740 kg)
Performance: Maximum speed 446 mph (717 km/h) at 26,000 ft. (7500 m) and 360 mph (580 km/h) at sea level. Stalling speed flaps down 75 mph (120 km/h), Max diving speed 470 mph (756 km/h). Service ceiling: 43,000 ft. (13.000 m).
Propeller: 5-blade Rotol constant-speed.
Power plant: Rolls-Royce Griffon 66 (2,035 hp.) or 65 (2,035 hp.) the 66 had a cabin supercharger.
The Mk. XIX was the final in the line of photographic reconnaissance Spitfire. No guns, and the only Griffon-engine version in that role. Basically it was a late production airframe with a Mk Vc bowser wing (adapted for fuel tanks) with a universal camera installation. It was developed in early 1944 to give a greater range, speed and sealing than existing PR Spitfires, both to elude the improved German capability to intercept and to meet the requirement of operation in the Fra East.
Delivery started in May 1944 and it was intended that it would be replaced by a proto-recco version of the Spiteful, but production of that was so retarded that a total of 225 PR XIX Spitfires was built on orders for the PR Spiteful.
It was planned that the Griffon 66 were the engine, that all had pressurized cockpit and tropicalisation but the first 25 were with Griffon 65 engine, no pressure cockpit and no tropicalisation even thug moast of them were send overseas.
Visually they differed from earlier models by the absence of the port side drop-panel at the cockpit, and by a small air intake for the cabin blower protruding slightly from the engine cowling for pressurization.
For pilots accustomed to the earlier Merlin-engined PR types it had rather different handling characteristics. The Griffon engine gave it a tendency to swing to the starboard on take-off compared to the Merlin tendency for at port swing. Due to the increase weight of the engine and higher fuel load at the wing leading edges, it was more nose-heavy than the other Spitfires and particular care had to be exercised in taxying
It was used until 1957 in the Far-east for meteorological work and Sweden and Turkey used them.
From "Spitfire - the story of a famous fighter" by Bruce Robertson
