Supermarine Spitfire MKXIV at the Musée royal de l’armée et de l’histoire militaire or Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels.
The Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIV was a major upgrade of the iconic fighter, introduced in 1944. It was the first mass-produced Spitfire to be powered by the powerful 2,050 horsepower Rolls-Royce Griffon 65 engine, a significant leap from the Merlin engines used in earlier models. This new engine, along with a five-bladed Rotol propeller and a lengthened fuselage to handle the increased power and torque, gave the Mk XIV a distinct look and improved performance. It was a more powerful and faster aircraft, with an excellent rate of climb, which made it a formidable opponent for late-war German fighters and an effective interceptor against V-1 flying bombs. The Mk XIV saw widespread service with the RAF and other Allied forces from late 1944 until the end of World War II, playing a crucial role in armed reconnaissance and air superiority missions.