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Single engined aircraft, particularly those with large inline piston engines, get re-engined only in rather unusual circumstances. The Bf 109 airframe was ready before its intended motor, so the prototype used a RR Kestrel. Postwar the supply of DB601 engines dried up, so the Spanish had to find replacements, first the HS 12z then the Merlin. Famously, the Allisons of the Mustangs lost power at altitude and were replaced by Merlins.

Any replacement engine has to be about the same or smaller cross section, and bearers, air intakes and radiators may have to be reorganised, so it's quite an effort. Whilst multi-engined aircraft have often been used as engine test-beds, it is clearly not a good idea to use a single engined aircraft in this role.

So it's not surprising to find that the Spitfire was only in production with either Merlins or Griffons, both from RR and consciously designed to be as compatible as possible. AFAIK, the only Spitfire not so powered was the DB 605A-1 engined Mark VB, serial EN830, captured and re-engined in Germany. The motivation was presumably to make comparisons between the Bf 109 and Spitfire , though the trials were in the first half of 1944 when both types were getting long in the tooth.

Details are given at www.unrealaircraft.com/hybrid/spitfire.php. EN830 also gets its picture in William Green's reliable "Famous fighters on the second world war" (Macdonald, 1957), p30.

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