Air Combat - Spitfires vs Tempests

[Felix/FFDS]

Who would come out on top?  (yes,  all aircraft being of the piston engined, monoplane variety)

[C]

[quote]Who would come out on top?

[Felix/FFDS]

Loaded question - of course.

a couple of IAF Mk.IXs jumped a formation of RAF Tempests, at least one went straight down.

Fog of war came to play in the matter,  as well.

[HawkerTempest5]

CFS speaking Tempest beats Spit IX but Spit XIV beats Tempest
In reality I reckon at low/medium altitude the Tempest was most likely a better bet but at higher altitude I would back the Spit XIV. Not much to choose speed wise between the two but the Tempest had better firepower with 4x20mm. IAF and Egyptian Spit IXs also beat up on a few RAF Spit XVIIIs I believe.

[Felix/FFDS]

Not much to choose speed wise between the two but the Tempest had better firepower with 4x20mm. IAF and Egyptian Spit IXs also beat up on a few RAF Spit XVIIIs I believe.

The actions occurred over a few days, and it marked the last time that the RAF had air to air action.  The MkXVIIIs had the misfortune of investigating an Israeli truck column that had just been attacked by Egyptian Spitfires when a couple of nearby Israeli Spits rolled in, thinking the RAF Spits were the attackers.  The next day, the Tempest flight was coming in to "check" the situation, ....

[Hagar]

[quote]Fog of war came to play in the matter,

[Woodlouse2002]

I think all in all the dogfight would depend on who jumped who. And would probably last no longer than a few seconds.

As for these Isreali incidents, notice how it took British aircraft so shoot down the RAF in air to air combat.