A newbies impression of the 109 and spit

[MiG-3U]

Originally Posted by JtD

It is always possible to exceed safe margins through improper loading, but in case of the Spitfire, this margin was small by design; and if it is impossible to maintain safe limits in everyday service, it is a design problem. Saying it was just improper loading, or saying it was just faulty design for that matter, imho only is half the truth.

In some degree I agree, the same revised loading table also has limits for the modified elevators:

1. With modified horn balance elevator (Spitfire modification No. 789): - 9.0 in. aft of datum point.
2. With Westland convex elevator (Spitfire modification No. 743) - 8.2 in. aft of datum point.
Note: - 1. & 2.apply to all propellers no elevator inertia device should be fitted.

So there indeed was design changes to solve the problem but I won't call that as a design problem because the loading needs grew over the original specification.

Over and out