In the Second World War, the Spitfire had a maximum altitude of more than 13 kilometers - this was over a kilometer higher than the German fighters of the time. The Spitfire's greater altitude gave it a significant advantage, and it gradually became the primary fighter used by Britain as the war waged on. In aerial combat, speed and altitude are both incredibly important - altitude can be sacrificed for greater speed when pursuing or outrunning an enemy, whereas altitude can be used to outflank the enemy, reposition, attack from above, and build up energy.
Maximum altitude of selected fighter and bomber aircraft produced by the major powers during the Second World War from 1939 to 1945
(in meters)
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University of Warwick. (January 1, 1998). Maximum altitude of selected fighter and bomber aircraft produced by the major powers during the Second World War from 1939 to 1945 (in meters) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 23, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1337089/wwii-combat-aircraft-max-altitude/
University of Warwick. "Maximum altitude of selected fighter and bomber aircraft produced by the major powers during the Second World War from 1939 to 1945 (in meters)." Chart. January 1, 1998. Statista. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1337089/wwii-combat-aircraft-max-altitude/
University of Warwick. (1998). Maximum altitude of selected fighter and bomber aircraft produced by the major powers during the Second World War from 1939 to 1945 (in meters). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 23, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1337089/wwii-combat-aircraft-max-altitude/
University of Warwick. "Maximum Altitude of Selected Fighter and Bomber Aircraft Produced by The Major Powers during The Second World War from 1939 to 1945 (in Meters)." Statista, Statista Inc., 1 Jan 1998, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1337089/wwii-combat-aircraft-max-altitude/
University of Warwick, Maximum altitude of selected fighter and bomber aircraft produced by the major powers during the Second World War from 1939 to 1945 (in meters) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1337089/wwii-combat-aircraft-max-altitude/ (last visited December 23, 2024)
Maximum altitude of selected fighter and bomber aircraft produced by the major powers during the Second World War from 1939 to 1945 (in meters) [Graph], University of Warwick, January 1, 1998. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1337089/wwii-combat-aircraft-max-altitude/
