Stability and Control characteristics of the Early Mark Spitfires

[camber]

Crumpp,

I keep hoping you will try and answer Glider's question. If the Spit had such objectional handling characteristics, why is there such a huge body of pilot's reports stating otherwise?

Your position seems to be to me that all such reports don't warrant any thought or comment as they do not represent hard data. I disagree, and don't seem to be alone on this. I don't see how you can convince many others including myself unless you try to come up with some explanation and try to address the discrepancy. Don't you have an opinion?

If you were a young pioneering stability control engineer in 1940, what would YOUR approach be? Judging from this thread, you would collect hard data with precision and evolve intuitively appropriate standards. Then you would ignore all test pilot's feedback of whether or not your proposed changes were desirable. After all, they are not control and stability engineers and cannot understand how their combat aircraft should operate. I don't think you would be playing much of a role in the future of aviation after that.

camber