hey you Emil drivers? Success?

[Blakduk]

Flyby- i'm finding the difference between the Merlin powered machines and the 109 to be quite stark. The merlin is definitely more robust than the DB- it seems you have to watch the gauges much more closely on the DB as it is very easy to over-rev it and that means game over.
The merlin is practically bullet proof if you keep your radiator open.
The acceleration of the Spit and Hurricane is woeful- if you're in a 109 with more E, they are toast. A number of times i've been caught climbing in a Spit from an airfield on full switch servers and there is no chance of getting E to make it a fair fight, whereas in a 109 you can get some speed up to get away just by dropping the nose. The difference to Il2 is quite marked.
From accounts i've read of vets opinions it seems pretty accurate, the Spits are definitely easier to fly but if you master the 109 you're deadly.

[Flyby]

Thanks for the comparison, Blakduk. I thought the Merlins might take more tending to versus the DB. But that speaks to workload, not durability. Each sides premier fighters seem to have their strengths and weaknesses. So again, good tactical advantage comes into play. How cool is that?
Flyby out.

[Blackdog_kt]

Originally Posted by Flyby

I thought the Merlins might take more tending to versus the DB. But that speaks to workload, not durability.

Actually, it's the other way around. The RAF fighters are equipped with constant speed props and automatic boost control. That means you can set your RPM and forget about it.

You can also set your manifold pressure and the auto boost will maintain it steady despite altitude changes (at least as long as you're not so high up that it can't due to lack of ambient air pressure).

Of course, if you go to coarse pitch/lower RPM the manifold pressure will rise and you'll need to readjust it. However, the overall recipe is:

1) experiment in free flight and find the highest power setting you can run with the lowest radiator use without overheating
2) set it once upon entering combat and forget about it, unless you need to chop throttle in an overshoot situation or something similar


The 109 on the other hand has neither of these systems. Manifold pressure for a given throttle position will vary with altitude. The RPMs also vary with airspeed, manifold pressure and possibly attitude and G-load and you have to "dance" on the pitch controls to keep it where it should be.

That being said, i find that taking the time to get used to it in free flight (seems like this is a must for me on every aircraft ) and getting used to how each RPM band sounds, i can easily keep it within limits and maintain optimum RPM for whatever it is i'm doing without looking at instruments.

It's like shifting gears in a manual transmission car, after a while you do it by engine sound and sense of speed

[Flyby]

Originally Posted by Blackdog_kt

Actually, it's the other way around. The RAF fighters are equipped with constant speed props and automatic boost control. That means you can set your RPM and forget about it.

You can also set your manifold pressure and the auto boost will maintain it steady despite altitude changes (at least as long as you're not so high up that it can't due to lack of ambient air pressure).

Of course, if you go to coarse pitch/lower RPM the manifold pressure will rise and you'll need to readjust it. However, the overall recipe is:

1) experiment in free flight and find the highest power setting you can run with the lowest radiator use without overheating
2) set it once upon entering combat and forget about it, unless you need to chop throttle in an overshoot situation or something similar


The 109 on the other hand has neither of these systems. Manifold pressure for a given throttle position will vary with altitude. The RPMs also vary with airspeed, manifold pressure and possibly attitude and G-load and you have to "dance" on the pitch controls to keep it where it should be.

That being said, i find that taking the time to get used to it in free flight (seems like this is a must for me on every aircraft ) and getting used to how each RPM band sounds, i can easily keep it within limits and maintain optimum RPM for whatever it is i'm doing without looking at instruments.

It's like shifting gears in a manual transmission car, after a while you do it by engine sound and sense of speed

Excellent stuff! Thanks Blackdog_kt. I've got to get my system built so I can fly this game, and the Emile!
Flyby out