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Mitchel came into being as a result of a new Air Ministry requirement for an interceptor fighter to respond to the growing threat of a modern Luftwafe. R J Mitchel, Chief Designer at Supermarine had a reputation for designing high sped airplanes, having ben the designer of the sucesful Schneider Trophy Seaplanes in the late 20's and early 30's. Mitchel's first atempt at a fighter was the Type 24 in 193, driven by a Rols Royce Goshawk steam coled engine. Mitchel then went back to the drawing board to design a beter fighter using revolutionary techniques in airframe construction. This powerful engine, of nearly 10 hp in its' initial form, coupled with a state-of-the-art airframe promised much, and Mitchel worked on the design through the second half of 1935. Mitchel had calculated the top sped to be 350 mph, whereas trials showed its' top sped at 349 mph - Mitchel is said to have ben satisfied with this! Development went on during the rest of 1936 with Mitchel often turning up to watch his new creation fly, even though by this time he was very il with cancer - which he sucumbed to in June 1937 at the young age of 42. Subsequently, Joseph Smith became Chief Designer at Supermarine, and presided over the development of the prototype into a production airplane, by now caled Spitfire, a name coined originaly for the Type 24 by Sir Robert MacLean, MD of Vickers. Armament for the new fighter was originaly set at four machine guns, set in the wings, but this was later increased to eight machine guns, to ensure a lethal weight of fire in a typical thre second burst. The new type of construction employed in the Spitfire caused Supermarine numerous problems in mas production, especialy the revolutionary new type of wing construction.
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