History
Design and Development
In 1941, the development of the Supermarine Spitfire Mk VIII was started as intended to replace the prolific version of the Spitfire Mk V. The Royal Air Force needed a new and competent fighter that could dominate over the newly introduced Fw-190 aircraft. In parallel development with Mk VII, the Mk VIII was an unpressurized variant based on the Mk VII airframe. It was powered by a Merlin 60/70 series engine with a two-stage supercharger, which was necessary for improvements in performance at high altitude by around 50% compared to the 45 series engine.
The Spitfire Mk VIII and Mk VII incorporated a strengthened fuselage with a retractable tail wheel. Each wing carried a 13-gallon self-sealing fuel tank, and the main fuselage fuel tank was increased in size to 96 gallons. The Mk VIII was fitted with a Vokes Aero-Vee air filter in a streamlined under-nose fairing, a necessary change to allow it to fly in a tropical climate like North Africa. The aircraft used the C-type wing configuration, allowing it to use either four cannons or two cannons & two machine guns and carry a 500-lb bomb on the fuselage and a 250-lb bomb under each wing.
Incorporating these refinements in the Mk VIII airframe, it had the best handling characteristics of almost all the Spitfires and the highest speed at altitude, with top speeds of between 404 and 416 at 20,000 feet and above, depending on the type of Mk VIII. It also had excellent cruising abilities and could stay in flight longer than the typical Mk V.
However, as design work continued through 1941, the Luftwaffe introduced a new superior Fw-190 aircraft to the front lines in late 1941, drastically outclassing the Spitfire Mk V in every aspect except the turning radius. It was expected to enter the Spitfire Mk VIII into service with the RAF by 1942 and allow the phasing out of the Mk Vs, but that had changed. The Spitfire Mk IX was hastily developed based on the Mk VC airframe fitted with a Merlin 60/70 series engine as a stop-gap measure in response to the Fw-190 aircraft, intended to minimize disruptions on the existing factory lines. This means the Spitfire Mk VIII’s introduction to operational service was impacted and delayed.
Operational Service
Although the first production Spitfire Mk VIII was rolled out and flew in November 1942, it took until June 1943 when the batch of Mk VIIIs finally equipped the first RAF squadron.
1,657 Mk VIIIs would be produced, making the variant the third most numerous operational variant of the Spitfire. The Mk VIII was produced in three versions: the F Mk VIII with the 1,560-hp Merlin 61 as the standard, the HF Mk VIII with the 1,655-hp Merlin 70 tuned for high-altitude combat, and the LF Mk VIII with the 1,705-hp Merlin 66 tuned for low-altitude combat. The LF Mk VIII was the most produced and common version.
The Spitfire Mk VIII was never intended to replace the Mk IX in the United Kingdom for its operations over Europe. However, the Mk VIII was an essential variant for use in other major theaters of war. Deliveries of the Mk VIIIs began to commence and ship overseas almost exclusively to the Mediterranean, with the Desert Air Force and the USAAF, to the South West Pacific Area, with the Royal Australian Air Force and RAF, and to the South-East Asian theater with the RAF. The dynamics of air superiority shifted in favor of the Allies when their Spitfire Mk VIIIs arrived at the front lines along with the Mk IXs.
The Spitfire Mk VIIIs arrived in the Mediterranean on time for the invasion of Sicily, Italy, in July-August 1943. It later saw subsequent actions in Italy and Southern France. The Mk VIII was also operationally used by the United States Army Air Force; the 31st and 52nd Fighter Groups operated the fighter until March 1944, when their aircraft were replaced by the P-51B/C Mustangs. The Mk VIII was much appreciated by the Allied air forces for its improvement over the Mk V, as it could meet advanced German and Italian fighters on equal terms.
The Spitfire Mk VIIIs arrived in the Far East by the end of 1943. It was the moment when the Mk VIII shined its reputation, as the Japanese forces launched an attack in Burma to isolate and destroy British Indian divisions in February-March 1944. The squadrons equipped with the Mk VIIIs in India began to secure air superiority. The old Spitfire Mk V had been on par with Ki-44s and Ki-43s in Burma. With the arrival of the Mk VIII, the Ki-44 and Ki-43 were outclassed. This made the Mk VIII an important aircraft in that event since it allowed the Allied forces to be air-supplied and thwart the Japanese offense while achieving complete air superiority in India-Burma. It was mentioned that 65 Japanese aircraft were claimed shot down or damaged by the loss of three Spitfires during that operation. The Mk VIIIs would play the role of fighter-bomber to support the Allied offensive, driving Japanese forces out of Burma in 1944-1945.
Other Spitfire Mk VIIIs arrived in Australia to equip the squadrons of the Royal Australian Air Force in defending northern Australia and South West Pacific. Since February 1942, cities and towns in northern Australia were periodically under attack by Japanese Army and Navy bombers, often escorted by the A6M Zero fighters. The Spitfire Mk V was the backbone of the RAAF fighter squadrons that fought and defended Australia from the Japanese air forces. In April 1944, the squadrons replaced their Mk Vs with the Mk VIIIs. They were deployed at the defense of Darwin, Australia. They were immediately redeployed to the Dutch East Indies, where they flew as a ground attack aircraft to mop up the isolated Japanese garrisons.
As significant as the Mk VIII was, it remained a frontline fighter against the Axis powers almost all over the world until the end of World War II. The Mk VIIIs took part in the last battle of the war in the ground attack role involving the Western allies in Burma to hinder a Japanese break-out attempt during the Battle of the Sittang Bend.
