Spitfire ....design flaw?

[claymore]

Was there a major flaw in the design of the spitftre fighter? The position of the main fuel tank directly in front of the cockpit resulted in many pilots suffering horrific burns. A friend of my dad flew spitfires during the war, he said it was the best fighter he ever flew but was always fearful of that 130 litre fuel tank sitting right in front of him every time he went on ops.

[juliacornwal]

I never heard about the fuel tank being a major design flaw, I do have to say - I wouldn't have thought aircraft design was sophisticated enough in those days to consider things like that in the long run.

I do know the amazing legacy they've left behind. On the Sunday afternoon marking the 75th anniversary of the first Spitfire flight a group of 5 surviving planes flew down Southampton Water to Calshot Spit and we, living on the Isle of Wight, decided to go to Cowes to try and catch a glimpse. There have to have been 4 - 500 people on the front in Cowes and it was one of the coldest days of the winter. Oh and it was worth going. It was absolutely magical to watch them flying in formation.

[Octavius]

War began with a mere handful of Spitfires and a nightmarish array of design flaws. The fabric on the ailerons ballooned outward at high speeds and messed up its aerodynamics. The windscreen was hard to open. The fuel cut off in certain combat maneuvers.

One by one, the flaws were repaired. The first Mark-II Spitfire was delivered in August, 1940.

I don't know whether that was a major design flaw, since it may have been the best position for it to be protected. Fuel tanks were placed in various positions in the Spit, and the one in front of the pilot was usually the upper fuel tank.

One of the biggest dangers to all WW2 fighter pilots (including the enemy's) was his fuel tank catching fire or exploding.