Great documentary about the Battle of Britain

[Al Schlageter]

Originally Posted by 617Squadron

As far as I am aware, the early Spitfires (as depicted in CoD) weren't fitted with the modification, so that's why all Battle of Britain era film of Spitfires and Hurricanes shows them rolling onto their backs before diving, to prevent fuel starvation.

It may have been a fuel pump issue rather than carbs, you could be right; to be honest, I'm not that much of an anorak about the RR Merlin engine.

Tilley's Orifice was introduced after the BoB. Sixty series and later Merlins got the fuel injection.

It was a combination of carb and fuel pump. The lean mixture cut out was a minor issue. What was the major issue was the rich mixture that flooded the engine. This was because the fuel flowed into the card unrestricted. Tilley's Orifice restricted this flow of fuel.