![]() Spitfires were dispatched to attack German fighters since they were faster and more maneuverable than their German foe, the Bf 109. The plane had a wingspan of 36 feet 10 inches (11.2 meters), a length of 29 feet 11 inches (9.1 meters), a top speed of 360 miles per hour (580 kilometers per hour), and a ceiling of 34,000 feet (10,400 meters). Deliveries to the Royal Air Force (RAF) began in the summer of 1938, and it had exceptional performance and flying qualities.Ī 1,030-hp Merlin engine powered the variant of the Spitfire that fought in the Battle of Britain. built the Spitfire in accordance with a 1934 Air Ministry need for a high-performance fighter with eight wing-mounted 0.303-inch (7.7-mm) machine guns. The cockpits of all Spitfires, whether powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin or a Griffon, are almost similar and remarkably compact. It was the symbol of Britain’s resistance during that gloomy summer of 1940. Between 20,000 to 30,000 aircraft were manufactured, more than any other British warplane. The Spitfire, which first flew in 1936, would go on to become the most iconic British fighter of WW II. However, the British de Havilland Vampire, a jet fighter that was decommissioned in the late 1950s, was the last non-American-designed plane operated by Canada. Spitfire played a major role during World War II. In the 1940s, the Royal Canadian Air Force operated the Spitfire, a British warplane. This raises a significant question - will Canada free itself from America’s influence and choose a European fighter jet instead?Ĭanada has been flying the American-designed warplane for more than half a century, and if it decides to purchase the Saab Gripen, it will be a huge swing in its policy. It is pertinent to note that Canada is a member of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which is entrusted with aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning duties for North America. This adds a new dimension to the race since Canada’s choice of either an American or a Swedish warplane is believed to reveal a lot about the nation’s defense policy and its future aspects. (Image: Saab)īoth Airbus and Dassault had expressed dissatisfaction with what they perceived as onerous criteria for upgrading their aircraft-the Eurofighter and Rafale, respectively-to fulfill Royal Canadian Air Force’s intelligence-sharing requirements. ![]() Two other European manufacturers had also pulled out of the competition even before it began, claiming that the government’s conditions had slanted the race in favor of their American competitors. Now only one American fighter jet, the Lockheed Martin F-35, is left in the race. It’s a huge turn of events, especially after Boeing was told it didn’t make it into the final phase. The fact that the Swedish Gripen-E made it to the final cut surprised everyone. Canada is searching for a new fighter plane to replace its aging fleet of CF-18s as part of its air force modernization program.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |