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No mention of longitudinal instability being a problem...
and an accident inspector:
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Really? It was the second major problem he mentions out of the 68 structural failures.
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Isn't the instability the fact that the Spitfire tightens its turn by itself without further control input???
The pilot has to stabilize the plane by countersteering.
Like a rear wheel driven car in a power slide around a turn, working, but stable is different.
Today 02:22 AM
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Correct. You have to apply a push force when should be applying a pull force. It is called a force reversal.
So a small input becomes an ever increasing acceleration until arrested by a push force. It is a symptom of the instability.
This is a measured by the NACA and a function of the divergent oscillation stick free measured by the RAE.
At high speed, the aircraft acceleration can overcome the airframe's limits to destruction.