The 'Great Debate' - Spitfire vs BF109

[Al Schlageter]

Supposedly Marseille's last combat lasted 15 minutes. 109F vs Spit V Trop.

That Spit should have augured in at the first defensive move it made, at least according to an aviation expert..

[CaptainDoggles]

Originally Posted by Al Schlageter

Supposedly Marseille's last combat lasted 15 minutes. 109F vs Spit V Trop.

I think that's been de-bunked as a myth.

Edit: Let me elaborate: Not sure if you're a member on butch2k's board, but Henning posted a thread not too long ago about an article in the July 2012 edition of Flugzeug Classic, talking about a 15-minute dogfight against a spitfire that Marseille eventually shot down on 29 Sept 1942 and that the pilot of the spitfire was "the best he'd ever met."

The consensus over there is that it's a myth because Marseille's last recorded kill was on the 26th of that month, and his squadron was put on rest leave (or whatever the term is) for the next three days.

[CaptainDoggles]

Forgot to include the link.

http://www.allaboutwarfare.com/forum...showtopic=1992

I think the board is set up so that members are required to be sponsored by an existing member. If you don't have an account, send me a PM and I'll sponsor you for one.

Cheers.

[Al Schlageter]

"After his last combat on the 26 September, Marseille was reportedly on the verge of collapse after a 15-minute battle with a formation of Spitfires, during which he scored his seventh victory of that day."

[CaptainDoggles]

Originally Posted by Al Schlageter

"After his last combat on the 26 September, Marseille was reportedly on the verge of collapse after a 15-minute battle with a formation of Spitfires, during which he scored his seventh victory of that day."

Oh okay, we're talking about different things, I guess.

[winny]

Here's what Geoff Wellum says about it (BoB veteran).

However, in a Spitfire, just before the stall, the whole aircraft judders, it’s a stall warning, if you like. With practice and experience you can hold the plane on this judder in a very tight turn. You never actually stall the aircraft and you don’t need to struggle to regain control because you never lose it.

[Crumpp]

However, in a Spitfire, just before the stall, the whole aircraft judders, it’s a stall warning, if you like. With practice and experience you can hold the plane on this judder in a very tight turn. You never actually stall the aircraft and you don’t need to struggle to regain control because you never lose it.

Forget physics....

You have disproved it right here!!