We're the clipped wings designed to give a rate of turn equal to the Hurricane
The Spitfire suffered, all its life, from a rate of roll that was brilliant up to about 250 knots but reduced rapidly thereafter until at 400 knots it was almost none existent. Although somewhat improved it was not cured until the Spiteful wing arrived in late 1944 which finally solved that problem, but brought others. For example the wonderfully progressive stall of the elliptical wing became a sudden and nasty wing drop.
The clipped wings fitted to Spitfires used at low and medium levels was an effort to improve roll rate. They were coupled to a supercharger optimized for low and medium altitude use. Together this made them very effective at up to about 15,000 feet, but rather useless above. Some Spitfires were good up to about 42,000 feet, a hell of a height, even with a rudimentary pressurized cockpit.
Apologies for the lengthy post..I've built up quite a library of books written by spitfire pilots. Alex Henshaw's "Sigh for a Merlin" is on of the best.
Sigh.... Worth buying for anyone interested in the Spitfire.
