The Supermarine Spiteful was a British Rolls-Royce Griffon engined fighter aircraft designed by Supermarine to Air Ministry specification F.1/43 during the Second World War as a successor to the Spitfire.
It had a new wing design to improve its critical Mach number, and allow safe operations at higher speeds.
The new design also had a modern inwards-retracting undercarriage.
Other changes included a larger fin to improve the somewhat marginal stability of Griffon Spitfires and changes to the mounting of the engine to tilt it down slightly for better visibility over the nose.
The Spiteful was ready for production as the war was ending but was passed over in favour of jet-powered designs.
As it was not clear jets could safely operate from aircraft carriers, but the success of the de Havilland Sea Vampire led to this project being cancelled in 1945.
Discussions with the French firm SNCAC to produce the Spiteful under licence were abandoned when France produced jet engines.
Of the original order for 150 Spitefuls, only a small number were completed.
Variants
Spiteful F Mk 14
19 built (two prototypes and 17 production)
Engine: Griffon 69 – 2,375 hp (1,771 kW)
Weight: 9,950 lb (4,513 kg)
Max Speed: 483 mph (777 km/h)
Spiteful F Mk 15
1 built – converted to Seafang prototype
Engine: Griffon 89 – 2,350 hp (1,752 kW)
Weight: 10,200 lb (4,627 kg)
Max Speed: 476 mph (766 km/h)
Spiteful F Mk 16
2 built – simple, three-speed Griffon conversions from F Mk 14s
Engine: Griffon 101 – 2,420 hp (1,805 kW)
Weight: 9,950 lb (4,513 kg)
Max Speed: 494 mph (795 km/h) at 28,500 ft, 408 mph (656 km/h) at sea level
