Martin Baker MB5

[Allan]

the MB5 is like a Ferrari car: it looks like it is moving fast even while still... I bet the pilot was issued with an extra pair of underpants when assigned to fly the MB5

[James W.]

"Speed" would depend on a few variables..

Max level speed at best height, or  max speed measured at chosen altitude bands from sea-level to service ceiling.

There is also max diving speed/permissible Mach, & speed over distance*, max allowable time @ engine settings, such as max continuous cruise..

The R-R Griffon was flown with a fair few supercharger options which gave significant boost & full-throttle height variations.

The Napier Sabre offered fewer such options & after the higher altitude Series IV variant was dropped ( Tempest Mk I gave best speed of 470 mph ~25,000ft)
- most of its measured best speed figures were due to boost increases, & were achieved below 20,000ft.

* The Centaurus Fury set some impressive time/distance records - while on delivery flights to customers, too.

[The Wooksta!]

It could be fun to do a line-up of the R-R Griffon powered prototypes,
CA-15; Hawker Fury; MB-5; Sea Fang/Spiteful, (& its incredible - that none, not even one.. of the lot of them, was preserved)

I've whiffed them all bar the Griffon Fury - although I do have a 56 Sqn Sabre Fury.  Do I win £5?

[James W.]

'fraid not, but if you re-present the Sabre Fury as VP 207 - & correctly guess the 'speed stripe' colour, you might be in with a chance for the fiver..

[The Wooksta!]

I don't do real aeroplanes.  Only whiffs.

Did find some of the in progress shots in this thread tho.

http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,22898.msg331980.html#msg331980

Not proud.  I'll take a few quid.

[James W.]

There are a couple of interesting  "what ifs" - concerning Sabre Fury VP 207 - as it happens, W..

Re: the monochrome photo of the brace of Hawker Furies presented in factory livery.. (& with no colour shot of the Sabre Fury - available).
The Centaurus Fury 'speed stripe' is known to be red, & it it speculated that the Sabre Fury stripe was blue, due to apparent tonal difference,
- but this remains a minor mystery..
There is another..

If VP 207 was fitted with the ultimate Sabre VII - as was noted by Wilkinson in 1947 ( see link below) & rated at 3,500 hp on  ADI @ +20lbs boost,
where are the performance tests (since Hawker was still flying it in 1948), & what improvements over the speeds attained by LA 610 - were recorded?

Was it actually the outright fastest piston engine powered aircraft built & tested in Britain?
( Spiteful F.XVI made 494 mph - but at higher altitude - & thinner air -  fitted with a 3 speed supercharged 100 series Griffon, good for hp, way up high)
& what speed gain effect would VP 207's slick glossy Al paint finish have had - versus the  RAF camo/prototype yellow applied to LA 610?

www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/Aircraft_Engines_of_the_World_Napier_Sabre.pdf

[wuzak]

Was it actually the outright fastest piston engine powered aircraft built & tested in Britain?
( Spiteful F.XVI made 494 mph - but at higher altitude - & thinner air -  fitted with a 3 speed supercharged 100 series Griffon, good for hp, way up high)
& what speed gain effect would VP 207's slick glossy Al paint finish have had - versus the  RAF camo/prototype yellow applied to LA 610?

The Griffon 100 series had an extra low gear added, not a higher gear, though the hi and medium gear were altered and the supercharger bigger.

The maximum speed of the Spiteful XVI was 494mph @ 28,500ft, 483mph @ 21,000ft.

[kitnut617]

Was it actually the outright fastest piston engine powered aircraft built & tested in Britain?
( Spiteful F.XVI made 494 mph - but at higher altitude - & thinner air -  fitted with a 3 speed supercharged 100 series Griffon, good for hp, way up high)
& what speed gain effect would VP 207's slick glossy Al paint finish have had - versus the  RAF camo/prototype yellow applied to LA 610?

From what I've read in the Morgan/Shacklady book 'Spitfire', towards the end of the war the aircraft were all painted in gloss colours.  I don't see the MB5 being painted any different.

[James W.]

Was it actually the outright fastest piston engine powered aircraft built & tested in Britain?
( Spiteful F.XVI made 494 mph - but at higher altitude - & thinner air -  fitted with a 3 speed supercharged 100 series Griffon, good for hp, way up high)
& what speed gain effect would VP 207's slick glossy Al paint finish have had - versus the  RAF camo/prototype yellow applied to LA 610?

The Griffon 100 series had an extra low gear added, not a higher gear, though the hi and medium gear were altered and the supercharger bigger.

The maximum speed of the Spiteful XVI was 494mph @ 28,500ft, 483mph @ 21,000ft.

The spread of 3 gears certainly allowed the power to be spread across the altitude bands, & it was the sole 100 series equipped Spiteful XVI that attained
that speed of 494mph - way up high - at 28,500ft, versus the regular 'production' Spiteful XIV doing 483mph at 21,000ft.

Sabre Fury LA 610 also made 483mph, but lower down, at 18,500ft, & was substantially faster than the Spiteful from sea-level to Vmax.
Looking at the photos, LA 610 does have a satiny look to its finish, but VP 207 presents as a downright shiny show-finish.