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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.
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