Seafire Mk III
The Seafire Mk III was a naval variant of the Supermarine Spitfire, designed for carrier operations and improved upon from earlier Seafire models. Key details:
- Designation: Seafire Mk III
- Type No.: 358
- First Flight: 9th November 1942
- Type: Naval Fighter
- Dimensions:
- Wingspan: 36 ft 10 in (11.23 m)
- Length: 29 ft 11 in (9.12 m)
- Height: 11 ft 5½ in (3.49 m) (tail up, tip of propeller)
- Engine: Single-speed, single-stage Merlin 55 producing 1,470 hp (1,096 kW)
- Performance:
- Max Speed: 348 mph (560 km/h) at 6,000 ft (1,830 m)
- Service Ceiling: 32,000 ft (9,755 m)
- Range: 493 miles (748 km)
- Fuel Capacity:
- 85 Imperial gallons (386 liters) in fuselage tanks
- Provision for a 30 Imperial gallon (136-liter) auxiliary tank
- Armament:
- Cannons: Two 20 mm Hispano (120 rounds per gun)
- Machine Guns: Four 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Browning (350 rounds per gun)
- Capacity to carry:
- Four 25 lb (11.4 kg) or 60 lb (27 kg) 3 in rockets
- Two 250 lb (113 kg) bombs under wings
- One 500 lb (227 kg) bomb on a centerline rack
- Cockpit: Unpressurized, with internal bulletproof glass
- Tailwheel: Fixed
- Naval Equipment:
- Arrester hook
- Catapult spools
- Slinging points
- Strengthened undercarriage
- Double-folding wing for carrier storage
- Propeller: Rotol, four-blade, constant-speed Type R12/4F5/4, Jablo or Hydulignum
- Radio Equipment: TR. 5043, ARI. 5307, and R.3067
- Gunsight:
- Early: GM.2 reflector
- Later: Gyro Gunsight Mk IID (when Mod. 300 incorporated)
- Production: 1,220 units of the Seafire Mk III produced
- Special Note: Some Irish Seafire Mk IIIs were denavalized to Mk Vc standards but retained the four-blade propellers.
The Seafire Mk III was significant for its double-folding wing design, which made it more practical for carrier operations compared to earlier models. This feature, along with its strengthened undercarriage and naval adaptations like the arrester hook and catapult spools, made it an effective fighter for carrier-based missions. It also maintained the firepower of its predecessors while adding the capability for ground-attack roles with rockets and bombs.