[rof120]

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Originally Posted by Graham Boak

I don't think that there was anything special about the supercharger on the Mk.I that would have come as any great surprise to the Germans.

- I believe you but in any case it was interesting to the enemy to know what exactly was hidden under the engine cowling.

Indeed Hooker considered it less than ideal and his improvements were adopted on later marks. However this involved superior airflow from careful shaping not some magic gadget.

- That's OK for me. What mattered was the result, no matter how it was achieved. The French had an excellent supercharger (Szydlowski-Planiol) for the D.520. Are you aware that when they had to stop fighting the French were on the verge of introducing much more powerful aero-engines (made by Hispano-Suiza) with fuel injection too (like on the DB 601a engine of the Me 109). By August, 1940, French fighters, especially Dewoitine 524s etc., would have started giving the "Teutons" a licking. (Siiigh)

The French were given one Spitfire with an eye on issuing a significant order for them. Presumably the Germans got that one too.

- Yes, probably. IIRC this idea was shelved because at the time the Spit airframe (or engine) could not receive any cannon and French Air HQ wanted cannon-armed fighters (they were right and the RAF wanted the same thing). I'm not sure, though. Or perhaps it was just too late.