Spitfire question
 

In what production batch or variant did the Spitfire go from hand-cranked landing gear retraction to electric or hydraulic?

Re: Spitfire question
 

I wasn't aware that any Spitfire used a hand crank landing gear. Are you referring to a mechanical chain & sprocket type set up, something similar as to what was used in the F4F Wildcat?

Edit: I found a picture of a Spitfire I cockpit which shows a landing gear selection lever (raise-lower) with a hydraulic hand pump next to it. I'm guessing this could be a manually operated hydraulicly activated landing gear.

Regards,
Mike

Re: Spitfire question
 

Thanks Mike

Re: Spitfire question
 

According to Robertson's book on the Spitfire, an engine driven hydraulic pump was introduced near the end of the Mk. I production. By September 1939 the RAF Spitfires had a mix of hand pumps and engine driven pumps.

The hand pump had a 24 inch long handle, and required 17 full strokes to raise or lower the gear. Apparently it was easy to spot the hand pumped aircraft in the circuit, as the pilots tended to pump the control stick at the same time they pumped the gear handle.