Supermarine Seafire Country: UK Type: Fighter Manufacturer: Supermarine Service: 1942 - 1945 First Flight: 1941 Production: 2334

The Supermarine Seafire was a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire specially adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. The name Seafire was arrived at by collapsing the longer name Sea Spitfire. The plance was adopted by the the Royal Navy as well as serving with Canadian, French and Irish forces.

In late 1941 and early 1942 the Admiralty assessed the Spitfire for possible conversion. In late 1941 48 Spitfire Mk. Vb were converted by Air Training Service Ltd. at Hamble. This became the Seafire Mk. Ib and would be the first of several Seafire variants to produced for the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm.

The first use of Seafires in sustained carrier operations was Operation Torch. Seafires saw most service in the Far East Pacific campaigns, serving with No. 887 and 894 Squadrons, Fleet Air Arm, aboard HMS Indefatigable and joining the British Pacific Fleet late in 1944. Due to their good high altitude performance and lack of ordnance-carrying capabilities the Seafires were allocated the vital defensive duties of Combat Air Patrol (CAP) over the fleet.

General characteristics