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Quiz about The Spitfire
Quiz about The Spitfire

The Spitfire Trivia Quiz


This is my second quiz, and is a player request. The quiz is on the immortal Spitfire.

A multiple-choice quiz by barisax14. Estimated time: 7 mins.
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Author
barisax14
Time
7 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
274,835
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Difficult
Avg Score
7 / 15
Plays
2225
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
Last 3 plays: Guest 77 (3/15), Guest 159 (15/15), Guest 82 (7/15).
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Question 1 of 15
1. Who designed the Spitfire? Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. The Spitfire's design originated in a series of highly successful racing planes. How many Schneider trophies did these aircraft win? Hint


Question 3 of 15
3. The combination of a Rolls-Royce R engine and an amazing airframe created the Spitfire. The revolutionary elliptical wing help its succsess. What aircraft do historians believe the wing was taken from? Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. The Spitfire line was manufactured by Vickers-Armstrong but designed by Supermarine. Sir Robert MacLean coined the name "Spitfire". What was the inspiration for the name? Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. The Spitfire's first combat debut was on September 6, 1939. What type of aircraft was downed by the Spitfires from No.74 squadron? Hint


Question 6 of 15
6. Spitfires began to reach strength during the opening phases of World War II. What was the first full combat debut of the new fighter? Hint


Question 7 of 15
7. The Spitfire had the biggest number of kills during the Battle of Britain.


Question 8 of 15
8. During the Battle of Britain the Spitfire and Bf-109 were almost evenly matched, but what was one distinct advantage of the Bf-109? Hint


Question 9 of 15
9. The Spitfire Mk.V was the next major variant of the Spitfire. Besides the powerplant and armament change, what major design feature were most later Spitfire variants equipped with? Hint


Question 10 of 15
10. Besides the design changes, the Mk.V also had the distintion of being the first Spitfire to do what? Hint


Question 11 of 15
11. What was the Spitfire that was equal if not better than the Fw-190 in nearly ever way? Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. The Spitfires made some of the greatest historical "firsts" and "onlies" of the war. What aircraft did a stripped down Spitfire battle with in the highest air battle of the war? Hint


Question 13 of 15
13. What was the biggest weakness of all of the Spitfire variants engaged in World War II? Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. As World War II came close to ending many Spitfires where recalled to England to fight the V-1 threat. However, the Pacific Spitfires did not. What advantage did the Spitfire pilots use against the Japanese fighters? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. After World War II, the Spitfire continued to serve with many countries. Which late 1940s war saw Spitfires fighting Spitfires? Hint



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Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Who designed the Spitfire?

Answer: R.J. Mitchell

R.J. Mitchell designed the Spitfire and its predecessors, the Sea Lion II, the S.5, S.6, S.6b. He died in 1937 and the design of his immortal aircraft was taken over by his chief engineer.
2. The Spitfire's design originated in a series of highly successful racing planes. How many Schneider trophies did these aircraft win?

Answer: 3

The four aircraft that Mitchell designed prior to the Spitfire where all champion aircraft. The aircraft utilized the revolutionary elliptical wing. The aircraft were extremely fast and manuveurable. The Schneider trophy winners were a series of seaplane races.
3. The combination of a Rolls-Royce R engine and an amazing airframe created the Spitfire. The revolutionary elliptical wing help its succsess. What aircraft do historians believe the wing was taken from?

Answer: He 70

In reality, Mitchell never had contact with the He 70. He may have been influenced by the design, but he did not copy it. The He 70 was a communication and liaison aircraft for the Luftwaffe. It was made of an unusual magnesium alloy armor, which burst into flames from as little as one rifle shot.
4. The Spitfire line was manufactured by Vickers-Armstrong but designed by Supermarine. Sir Robert MacLean coined the name "Spitfire". What was the inspiration for the name?

Answer: His daughter's nickname

A "spitfire" was a fiery, ferocious woman or girl with a spectacular temper. It sounds as if MacLean's daughter was hard to handle! Mitchell hated the name ...
5. The Spitfire's first combat debut was on September 6, 1939. What type of aircraft was downed by the Spitfires from No.74 squadron?

Answer: Hawker Hurricane

The No.74 squadron Spitfires jumped an unfortunate pair of Hurricanes during the Battle of Barking Creek. This resulted in the death of one of the young pilots who became the first British pilot fatality in World War II.
6. Spitfires began to reach strength during the opening phases of World War II. What was the first full combat debut of the new fighter?

Answer: Battle of Dunkirk

Spitfires from England were used over Dunkirk. Even though there where no Spitfires on the ground in France, Luftwaffe personel constantly reported seeing the aircraft. It seemed that the Luftwaffe was terrified of the new fighter. This trend continued throughtout the war, with Luftwaffe crews reporting being downed by Spitfires when they had really downed by other aircraft.

This became known as "Spitfire Snobbery".
7. The Spitfire had the biggest number of kills during the Battle of Britain.

Answer: False

The Spitfires were generally seen as the dominant aircraft during the battle. However, the more rugged Hurricanes bore the brunt of the fighting. The Spitfires were usually called out to fight the manuveurable Bf-109 fighter escorts while the Hurricanes tangled with the less manuveurable Bf-110s and bombers. In this role, their superior armor excelled.
8. During the Battle of Britain the Spitfire and Bf-109 were almost evenly matched, but what was one distinct advantage of the Bf-109?

Answer: It could dive without having to half-roll first

The Bf-109 used a fuel injectiond engine allowing the pilots to nose directly down into a steep dive. If a Spitfire attempted this maneuver the Merlin engine would begin to splutter for lack of fuel. The pilots of the Spitfires soon learned to half-roll their aircraft first, and then dive. Fuel injection was introduced in 1943.
9. The Spitfire Mk.V was the next major variant of the Spitfire. Besides the powerplant and armament change, what major design feature were most later Spitfire variants equipped with?

Answer: The Universal Wing

This was the most important design change of the Spitfire Mk.V. The universal wing could accept all armament configurations, the most widely used being two 20-mm cannons and 4 machine guns. The Mk.V was only an interim type and could not face the newest generation of Luftwaffe fighters.
10. Besides the design changes, the Mk.V also had the distintion of being the first Spitfire to do what?

Answer: Serve in full squadron combat overseas

A group of Mk.V Spitfire's were sent via the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle to the defence of Malta. Because of the dusty conditions, a large filter had to be fitted to the aircraft, increasing drag. The Spitfire Mk.V also served in Africa alongside Hurricane Mk.IIs.
11. What was the Spitfire that was equal if not better than the Fw-190 in nearly ever way?

Answer: Mk. IX

The Spitfire Mk.IX had a new engine and incorporated the Universal Wing of the Mk.V and also utilized a fully blown Malcolm hood canopy. It was fully capable of defeating the Fw-190 and all of the then current generation of Luftwaffe fighters.
12. The Spitfires made some of the greatest historical "firsts" and "onlies" of the war. What aircraft did a stripped down Spitfire battle with in the highest air battle of the war?

Answer: Ju-86R

The Ju-86R was a high-altitude version of the Ju-86 bomber. It conducted recon runs from 41,000 feet. This was a higher service ceiling than all the RAF fighters. On September 12, 1942 a stripped down Spitfire battled with one of these bombers flying at 43,000 feet. This was the highest air battle of the war.
13. What was the biggest weakness of all of the Spitfire variants engaged in World War II?

Answer: An exposed glycol system

The exposed glycol system enabled ground troops to disable a Spitfire with as little as one good bullet. If the glycol system was hit the Spitfire engine would seize up. This was a major disadvantage during the last two years of World War II, when Spitfires roamed the German skies at low altitudes. So much enemy fire would be thrown up that it was extremely likely that a lucky gunner could disable a Spitfire.
14. As World War II came close to ending many Spitfires where recalled to England to fight the V-1 threat. However, the Pacific Spitfires did not. What advantage did the Spitfire pilots use against the Japanese fighters?

Answer: Speed

The Spitfire pilots where suprised to find that the Japanese aircraft could out-turn them. They utilized swooping tactics where their high speed gave the Spitfire's a huge advantage.
15. After World War II, the Spitfire continued to serve with many countries. Which late 1940s war saw Spitfires fighting Spitfires?

Answer: Arab-Israeli War (1948)

The Arab-Israeli war saw some RAF veterans return to the trusty Spitfire. They fought against Egyptian Spitfires and greatly aided in the Israeli victory.
Source: Author barisax14

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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