Spitfire rudders?

[planecrazy]

Interested to hear form those in the know as to why the Spitfire rudders went from rounded to pointy
then back to rounded. I am guessing the obvious reason was due to increased torque and therefore
more control. The pointed rudder doesn't look that much larger and it seems a little strange they
went from pointed with the Mk VIII back to rounded with the Mk IX?



Finally for all you Spitfire fans out there your preference pointed or rounded, talking Spitfire rudders?

[ErrolC]

Not back to the Mk.IX so much
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire_(late_Merlin-powered_variants)#Mark_numbers,_type_numbers

The Mark numbers did not necessarily indicate a chronological order, the Mk IX was a stopgap brought into production before the Mks VII and VIII. Some Spitfires of one mark or variant may have been modified to another; several of the first Mk Vbs were converted from Mk Ibs; the first Mk IXs were Mk Vcs converted, in some instances, by Rolls-Royce at their Hucknall facility.

[ams888]

For me the pointy tailed (Sounds like the official term ) are my favourite. They do look faster. Although in saying that, is there anything more beautiful than a Mk1 spitfire?

[planecrazy]

Oct 16, 2023 18:13:06 GMT 12 ams888 said:

For me the pointy tailed (Sounds like the official term ) are my favourite. They do look faster. Although in saying that, is there anything more beautiful than a Mk1 spitfire?

Yes, I'm a baby Spit fan, the clean wings with out the guns messing with that beautiful shape!

[ZacYates]

Oct 16, 2023 13:11:09 GMT 12 planecrazy said:

Interested to hear form those in the know as to why the Spitfire rudders went from rounded to pointy then back to rounded. I am guessing the obvious reason was due to increased torque and therefore
more control. The pointed rudder doesn't look that much larger and it seems a little strange they
went from pointed with the Mk VIII back to rounded with the Mk IX?

Torque is the reason, and they didn't go back to rounded: as Errol explained the IX came before the VIII, and later IXs had pointy ones too!

As far as preference? Mk.Vb for me!!

[thebrads]

I'm the opposite. Late models, griffon cowls, pointy rudders, clipped wings, cannon hanging out etc for me. Look like proper war machines. Clean baby Spits look like feminine toys!