Photograph:
First Spitfire Aircraft Company replica built in the United States (Spitfire Aircraft Company)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat fighter replica
Power Plant:
One 1,044 (1,400 hp) Allison V-1710-99 twelve-cylinder VEE liquid-cooled engine
Specifications:
- TBA
History:
The Spitfire Aircraft Company Ltd was set up to build kits and parts for amateur builders interested in building and flying a full scale replica of the Supermarine Spitfire constructed from wood. Engine chosen has been the Allison V-1750 as examples of this unit are more easily obtainable than the original Rolls Royce Merlin, although some constructors have indicated an interest in installing a Merlin. The Company is owned by Ross Harmuth, who worked as a mechanic in Ground Equipment Engineering and as a Design Engineering Draftsman.
As part of the program and development Mr Harmuth looked at the design by Raymond Hilbourne, and the construction in the United Kingdom by Clive de Cros, of a wooden replica of the prototype K5054 which was powered by a Jaguar V-12 engine providing 261 kw (350 hp). The original plans were obtained so that they could be developed into a kit plane for amateur constructors.
The Company was able to provide parts to re-create Spitfire Mks III through to the IX and a complete kit includes all necessary metal parts, systems and accessories. The kits included fuselage outframes 1 to 18, inner frame spruce and plywood, fin post, main fuselage engine bearer beams and lower fuselage beams, fin and stabiliser ribs, spars, ply covering materials, elevator and rudder kits, fuselage skin birch plywood, a wing kit with prefabricated parts, ribs, leading-edge and plywood for covering. There was a wing attachment kit, aileron and flap kits, engine mounting, metal engine cowling kit etc. The Company was also able to supply the undercarriage.
Construction involved classic aircraft spruce and plywood methodology. The fuselage was built with “ply-balsa-ply” sandwich skin construction similar to that used on the Mosquito. Because of the type of construction the replica was 907 kg (2,000 lb) lighter than the original aircraft and thus provided better acceleration, rate of climb and performance than the original aircraft.
Melbourne, VIC builder, Frank Deeth, commenced a project to build a replica of a Spitfire Tr.9 two-seat fighter, having had an interest in owning a Spitfire since seeing the film “The Battle of Britain.” In 2000 he commenced construction of a Corby Starlet and after completion, in 2007, made investigations into the construction of a replica Spitfire. He obtained an Allison V-1710-99 engine, original specification canopies, windscreen, cockpit doors, and other parts to help in the construction. Jigs were designed and built and necessary parts obtained from the Spitfire Aircraft Company to build an aircraft. Another example is under construction by Bruce West in Auckland, NZ, and construction of a wooden replica of a Mk I has taken place in Tasmania.
Plans for the replica were developed from the Hilbourne plans and modified to deal with the extra weight and power of the Allison engine. Some parts were modernised to meet the builder’s needs. The Company also commenced development of working 20 mm propane powered cannons for the design, so completed aircraft could be used for Airshow displays.