Question:
why did some spitfires have two cockpits?
2010-08-29 04:23:31 UTC
well why did and have some spitfires two cockpits?
Five answers:
strech
2010-08-29 04:31:59 UTC
Supermarine developed a two-seat variant known as the T Mk VIII to be used for training, but none were ordered, and only one example was ever constructed (identified as N32/G-AIDN by Supermarine).



In the absence of an official two-seater variant, a number of airframes were crudely converted in the field. These included a 4(SAAF) Squadron Mk VB in North Africa, where a second seat was fitted instead of the upper fuel tank in front of the cockpit, although it was not a dual-control aircraft and is thought to have been used as the squadron "run-about.



The only unofficial two-seat conversions that were fitted with dual-controls were a small number of Russian lend/lease Mk IX aircraft. These were referred to as Mk IX UTI and differed from the Supermarine proposals by using an inline "greenhouse" style double canopy rather than the raised "bubble" type of the T Mk VIII.



In the postwar era, the idea was revived by Supermarine and a number of two-seat Spitfires were built by converting old Mk IX airframes with a second "raised" cockpit featuring a bubble canopy. Ten of these TR9 variants were then sold to the Indian Air Force along with six to the Irish Air Corps, three to the Royal Dutch Air Force and one for the Royal Egyptian Air Force. Currently a handful of the trainers are known to exist, including both the T Mk VIII, a T Mk IX based in the U.S., and the "Grace Spitfire" ML407, a veteran flown operationally by 485(NZ) Squadron in 1944
morpheus8250
2010-08-29 13:02:37 UTC
It was a training aircraft. There are a number of WW2 fighters for which two-seat versions were produced for training purposes. There's a two-seater Focke-Wulf 190 in the RAF Museum, Hendon, and a few 2-seat P51 Mustangs were produced in the States.
captainvanadium
2010-08-30 00:30:24 UTC
It was a training aircraft. The student sits in the front, the flight instructor in the back.
Warbird Pilot
2010-08-29 11:31:51 UTC
For the instructor to sit in the back.
soccergirly
2010-08-29 13:17:02 UTC
huh??


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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