Supermarine Capstan

[Dave Homewood]

Did you know that the RAAF renamed the Spitifre as the Capstan, after the popular cigarette brand of all things, in an attempt to fool the Japanese into thinking they didn't have Spitfires?

Why did they call it Capstan? Because that tobbacco brand had a popular line at the time called, what else, 'Spitfire' brand.

Sounds crazy eh.

[yak2]

Jeff Watson's DVD 'Spitfire Over Australia' mentions this attempted ruse in detail. The Japanese were not fooled and responded with a clever pun. Apparently there is a cost in renaming aircraft. At the time the Bell Kiowa was being produced by CAC in Melbourne, there was a proposal to give it a more Australian name. The beancounters had the final say!