Quote:
Originally Posted by TomcatViP
Did you really read many of them talking specifically about the production model mk I & II ? because that's what we are talking abt here.
You'd certainly read it everywhere about the Hurri an the 109.
Just remind the heavy losses young Spit pilots did have to suffer compared to their Hurri colleagues.
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This is getting silly.
EVERY account by Battle of Britain pilots flying the Spitfire for the first time -- including the 2-speed Spitfire Mark I -- extolled their praises of its handling characteristics and performance capabilities. Start with Al Deere's "Nine Lives", which I read back in '63, and there are dozens more accounts all of which are glowing in their initial and subsequent impressions of the early Spits. I've never read a negative report on the Spitfire's handling -- not a one.
EDIT: Oops, I lied: No one was keen on the Merlin cutting out with negative g's. Granted, that has nothing to do with the stability of the Spitfires, but IS a handling characteristic no one liked.
Unfortunately, those who flew and fought in the Spitfires back in 1940 never had the benefit of Crumps' theoretical insights that may have swayed their collective opinion to the contrary.