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The Spitfire Mark II, later given the name Tigershark,
["Spitfire and Sodian about to sign?", p.1208] was a utility helicopter built in the United States in the late 1970s and intended for series production.
[Taylor 1989, p.839][Simpson 1998, p.234][Taylor 1977, p.411] It was a further evolution of the
Spitfire Mark I design, a turbine-powered conversion of the
Enstrom F-28.
Although airframe changes on the Mark I had been minimal, the Mark II had a substantially redesigned fuselage that rearranged the F-28's 2+2 seating to move the pilot's seat forward in the nose by itself and add a bench seat for three passengers abreast behind it.
["Spitfire prepares new model production", p.12][Lambert 1977, p.404] The leftmost seat on the bench could be fitted with dual controls.
The fuselage was lengthened,
and the powerplant installation (the same
Allison 250
The Allison Model 250, now known as the Rolls-Royce M250, (US military designations T63 and T703) is a highly successful turboshaft engine family, originally developed by the Allison Engine Company in the early 1960s. The Model 250 has been pro ...
used on the Mark I) was mounted well to the rear.
The Mark II still used the dynamic components of the F-28, plus some of its airframe.
[Lambert 1979, p.1581]
Spitfire displayed a mockup of the Mark II at the
Helicopter Association of America meeting in
Anaheim, California
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...
in February 1977.
The prototype first flew in February 1979 and by July that year, the company reported that it had sold 42 examples
of the Mark I and Mark II and expected to build 60 aircraft during 1980.
However, Spitfire remained dependent on Enstrom to supply airframes for remanufacture,
["Enstrom prepares Polish link", p.1444] and Enstrom distanced itself from the project somewhat.
Competing plans by Enstrom and Spitfire to market Polish-built
Mil Mi-2 helicopters in the United States might have contributed to the friction.
In Spitfire's version of the deal, Polish manufacturer
PZL-Świdnik
PZL-Świdnik S.A. (''Wytwórnia Sprzętu Komunikacyjnego PZL-Świdnik S.A.'') is the biggest helicopter manufacturer in Poland. Its main products are PZL W-3 Sokół and PZL SW-4 Puszczyk helicopters. In early 2010 the factory was acquired by ...
(represented by its trade bureau Pezetel) would also contribute to the Spitfire manufacturing efforts.
By November 1979, Enstrom refused to supply airframes to Spitfire.
["Enstrom finds new money", p.1464]
The situation improved somewhat in the 1980s, and Spitfire president Jack Fetsko reported in May 1983 that relations with Enstrom were at the point where the two companies could "talk programs".
By that time, costs for the Mark II, now dubbed the Tigershark, had increased from $US 185,000 expected in 1979
to $US 305,000
but Spitfire had a firm sale for the first production aircraft.
Together with companies
Sodian and
Soprea,
[Taylor 1985, p.202] Spitfire formed a new venture, Spitfire Helicopters International, to manufacture the Mark I and Mark II in
Málaga
Málaga (, ) is a municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 578,460 in 2020, it is the second-most populous city in Andalusia after Seville and the sixth most pop ...
, Spain.
Nothing came of the joint venture, and Spitfire's attempts to market F-28 derivatives came to an end.
Specifications
See also
Notes
References
* Apostolo, Giorgio. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Helicopters. New York: Bonanza Books, 1984. Pg.92 .
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{{Spitfire Helicopters
1970s United States civil utility aircraft
1970s United States helicopters
Mark 02
Aircraft first flown in 1979