Light fighter in 1938 and remained in production throughout the war. The empty weight of the Battle of Britain-era Spitfire IIA was 2,142 kg (4,723 lb), increasing to 2,984 kg (6,578 lb) in a later variant. It was highly maneuverable and was generally a match for its German opponents. Most Spitfires had a Rolls Royce Merlin engine, but later variants used one of the most powerful engines of the war – the Rolls Royce Griffon. The Spitfire was produced and improved throughout the war but was complex to build and had limited range. In other respects it was considered an outstanding fighter.
Rolls-Royce V8 engine the L410I, denoting fuel injection, the L410IT (for Injection Turbo) and the L410ITI (for Injection Turbo Intercooler). 94MY (model year) saw the introduction of a serpentine drive belt front-end, revised combustion system and an integrated engine cover. Developments of the L410 continued in production to power Rolls-Royces and Bentleys until the adoption of BMW V12 power by Rolls-Royce in the Silver Seraph and, subsequently, after BMW was granted a license to use the Rolls-Royce brand (for automobiles) in the Goodwood-produced Phantom. The L410 engine is still used by Bentley well into the 21st century, having been brought back into production