Stability and Control characteristics of the Early Mark Spitfires

[winny]

Originally Posted by taildraggernut

Not only that but he did something 'forbiden' for 20,000ft and had the presence of mind to recover correctly despite thinking he had 6 huns with their 'pippers' on him....

For anyone interested in the context of the extract I used.

It was written by John 'Pickle' Pickering an RAF pilot.

All of the accounts in 'Ten fighter boys ' were written during the BoB.

His last entry read : I will now close this line as I have been ordered off again to search for a Hun coming in our direction.

Note - I didn't get him, he ran back home.

The next entry was written by Athol Forbes, a squadron mate.

"Since writing these lines our gallant pickle has, alas! Been killed Whilst flying on active service. Per Ardua Ad Astra".

John Pickering was 20 years old.

[6S.Manu]

Originally Posted by taildraggernut

Aren't you missing the point?.......the idea was apparently the Spitfire was dangerous to spin, now if this post isn't clear evidence of the maniacal and bizarre avenues Spit critics are going.....

Serously, whats the difference between an aircraft that is out of combat because it evaded an opponent and an aircraft that is out of combat because it was shot down?.....that's right, the one that got away will fight again, just like the account winny posted.

I've never stated it was dangerous to spin in it because of the recovery: conversely I keep claiming that it was prone to spin... and spinning in combat is far from a safe manouvre.

It can save you life once, twice... but air combat is also a matter of numbers! It's really possible that another guy died because his wingman spinned down.

[taildraggernut]

Originally Posted by 6S.Manu

I've never stated it was dangerous to spin in it because of the recovery: conversely I keep claiming that it was prone to spin... and spinning in combat it's far from a safe manouvre.

It can save you life once, twice... but air combat is also a matter of numbers! It's really possible that another guy died because his wingman spinned down.

I know what you were getting at, I just thought it was somewhat tenuous to have brought it up, the thread is about Spitfire stability not about bad decisions made in combat.

[6S.Manu]

Originally Posted by taildraggernut

I know what you were getting at, I just thought it was somewhat tenuous to have brought it up, the thread is about Spitfire stability not about bad decisions made in combat.

Is being prone to spinning not a control issue?

What about pilots afraid to turn because of the spin?

[taildraggernut]

Originally Posted by 6S.Manu

Been prone to spinning it's not related to a Control issue? Stick forces?

Having the pilots afraid to turn because of the spin?

It is but I believe this thread has conclusively proved the Spitfire was not 'prone' to spin unexpectedly, no more prone to spin than any other aircraft in a high speed stall condition.

Some pilots are just afraid of spinning, not of the Spitfire, note how some conciously chose to spin....what were they afraid of?

[robtek]

Just forget it 6S.Manu, the Spitfire fan club wont accept ANY blemishes on their idol.

[taildraggernut]

Originally Posted by robtek

Just forget it 6S.Manu, the Spitfire fan club wont accept ANY blemishes on their idol.

running out of arguments?

[6S.Manu]

Originally Posted by taildraggernut

It is but I believe this thread has conclusively proved the Spitfire was not 'prone' to spin unexpectedly, no more prone to spin than any other aircraft in a high speed stall condition.

Some pilots are just afraid of spinning, not of the Spitfire, note how some conciously chose to spin....what were they afraid of?

Then we ended with a different conclusion... small stick travel and low stick force required are enough for me. 3G with less than a inch of stick movement...

[taildraggernut]

Originally Posted by 6S.Manu

Then we ended with a different conclusion... small stick travel and low stick force required are enough for me. 3G with less than a inch of stick movement...

Naturally...

We will simply forget the fact the Spitfire 'never' picked up the reputation you are seeking here, there you have it, the Spitfire could simply have not been effective in combat because if it tried to outmaneuver an opponent it went into a spin.....

[6S.Manu]

Originally Posted by taildraggernut

Naturally...

We will simply forget the fact the Spitfire 'never' picked up the reputation you are seeking here, there you have it, the Spitfire could simply have not been effective in combat because if it tried to outmaneuver an opponent it went into a spin.....

RL combat was a lot different from what we have in these games. If it was then no Spitfire would be claimed by the Germans, since every pilot could ride it easily to its limit.

In real life there were few pilots able to do that, while most would never try to equal those manouvres made by the most brave and skilled... most of the time your only smooth turn would be made during the engaging manouvre, to put you nose on the unaware enemy's six, an enemy who would not turn tight.

Still we have stalling and spinning Spitfires against the Japaneses and pilots not turning tightly against a captured 109 quite surely not flown at his limits.

Were the formers unable to feel the prewarning shaking? Were the latters afraid of what?