A newbies impression of the 109 and spit

[NZtyphoon]

Putting the Pilot's Notes in context:
Also issued along with the Pilot's Notes were Pilot's Notes General A.P. 2095 which explain the limitations in the Pilot's Notes, and the reasons for them: (2nd ed, 1943):

Part I Note A Flying Limitations
1. Introductory.
(i.) The Pilot's Notes for each type of aircraft lay down certain flying limitations. They state, broadly speaking, the demands which it is safe to make of the airframe. Non-observance of the flying limitations may lead to increased maintenance work, or, in extreme cases, to structural failure in flight.

(ii.) In the fixing of these limitations there is of course a margin or factor of safety allowed. This factor for airframes varies according to the degree of confidence with which their strength and likely stresses can be predicted, but is commonly around 2. This means, for instance, that a wing which is intended to withstand 4g should not break until 8g is imposed, but there is increasing risk of strain and failure as g rises above 4.

(iii.) The flying limitations also involve questions of safe handling from the aspect of controllability.

(iv.) In combat and emergencies pilots must take risks with their aircraft, balancing one risk against another; limitations must be strictly observed in so far as there is no sufficient reason to exceed them.

First, the Pilot's Notes were deliberately conservative to ensure that most pilots flew well within the limitations of the airframe thus avoiding too many overstressed, high maintenance aircraft on operational service.

However, the RAF acknowledged that in combat it was up to the pilot to choose what risks needed to be taken; whatever legal status the pilot's notes had in peacetime that legality could be overruled under combat conditions because if pilots were expected to fly by the rules all the time they were easy meat. One reason so many pilots were shot during their first combat was because they hadn't yet learned how to fly their aircraft at or beyond the limits set down in the pilot's notes.

4. Manœuvres not Permitted
(i.) Intended spinning of operational aircraft is permitted only in the case of certain approved single-engine fighters within the limitations stated in the Pilot's Notes. (Normal Methods will usually effect recovery - A.P. 129 Ch. III)

(iv.) The reasons underlying these prohibitions are partly considerations of aircraft strength and partly of control. Aircraft are designed to fulfill their operational role and not to perform manœvres of no operational value...

Why spin when you don't have to?

RAF Pilot's Notes for operational single-engine fighters which permit spinning:
Spitfire VII and VIII, IX & XVI, XIV & XIX: Spinning permitted but with a height limit of 10,000 feet.
Typhoon: permitted, without bombs or drop tanks
Tempest V: not permitted until proper tests had been carried out
Mustang III: only when rear fuel tank was empty
Corsair: Spinning not permitted