[Davew]

Hi at all!!!

About the clipped wings , when was introduced?

Cheers

walter

The only reference I've found to it is that the prototype for the clipped wings was aircraft W3248 - a MkV which tested the tips. Looks like she went to Boscombe down in early 42 after service with 611 Sqn. Bout April of that year she tested the clipped wingtips, but the first report of squadron usage i can find appears to be in November 1942. There are also comparative flight trials LFVb vs Vb from Boscombe down in November 1942, but that is an aircraft with a different engine as well, so may not relate purely to the clipped wingtips. Those aircraft were the "clipped, cropped and clapped" Spitfires - the Merlin 45M used was a 45 with shortened impeller blades for low altitude work.

Best guess would be mid to late '41, difficult to find a more precise answer than that though sorry