Spitfire Question

[IvanK]

WRT Fuel quantity indications in the Spit only the bottom tank is a gauged. IRL the Fuel gauge reads 0 and only indicates bottom tank quantity WHEN the push button is pressed and held. As soon as the button is released the needle returns to zero.... source Pilots Operating notes

There is a Youtube clip that has been posted on this forum showing Spitfire I daily flight inspection that illustrates this clearly.

Its incorrectly modelled in CLOD

[jf1981]

Originally Posted by Skoshi Tiger

The spitfire had two tanks, Top and Bottom, the top tank drained into the bottom and the engine fed from the bottom tank. There 'should' be a button somewhere that lets you switch which tank is being displayed on the single guage. I don't think it is modeled in game.

The guage is showing the contents of the bottom tank which is continually being topped up by the top tank. So until the the top tank is emptied the bottom tank is full.


Cheers!

Top tank 48 gal lower tank 37 gal, totally 85 gal, fuel consumption full power approx 80 gph, cruise regime approx 35 gph. Unlike Hurricane, there is no switch modelled in order to switch the dial to upper tank, hope it will come one day.

Also note that hurrricane has a dial switch and a reserve tank, both left & right are sumped together as main tank in the Hurri, no such design in a Spit.

[Kurfürst]

Originally Posted by IvanK

IRL the Fuel gauge reads 0 and only indicates bottom tank quantity WHEN the push button is pressed and held. As soon as the button is released the needle returns to zero.... source Pilots Operating notes

Ever since Jane's WW2 Fighter showed us nice 3D cocpits of the Spitfire, I have an ever growing feeling that there was a raving madman in Mitchell's team, most intimately involved in designing the instrument panel: Half the instruments are in the impossible places, indicating things in the weirdest possible manner - or not at all as above.

[NZtyphoon]

Originally Posted by jf1981

Top tank 48 gal lower tank 37 gal, totally 85 gal, fuel consumption full power approx 80 gph, cruise regime approx 35 gph. Unlike Hurricane, there is no switch modelled in order to switch the dial to upper tank, hope it will come one day.

Also note that hurrricane has a dial switch and a reserve tank, both left & right are sumped together as main tank in the Hurri, no such design in a Spit.

Fuel consumption Spitfire II PNs although they only specify maximum rpm and boost.


Later Spitfire PNs were much better at giving fuel consumption for several engine settings: Mk VII and VIII PNs

[klem]

Originally Posted by Kurfürst

Ever since Jane's WW2 Fighter showed us nice 3D cocpits of the Spitfire, I have an ever growing feeling that there was a raving madman in Mitchell's team, most intimately involved in designing the instrument panel: Half the instruments are in the impossible places, indicating things in the weirdest possible manner - or not at all as above.

How dare you Sir!

That is a combination of British culture, ingenuity and security intended to prevent foreigners from stealing our aircraft. It is based in the long tradition of Heath-Robinson who, IMHO, should have been Knighted. The obsessively sterile cleaned-up 'modern' cockpit layout has changed the character of an aircraft from a 'she' to an 'it'.

[Skoshi Tiger]

Originally Posted by IvanK

WRT Fuel quantity indications in the Spit only the bottom tank is a gauged. IRL the Fuel gauge reads 0 and only indicates bottom tank quantity WHEN the push button is pressed and held. As soon as the button is released the needle returns to zero.... source Pilots Operating notes

There is a Youtube clip that has been posted on this forum showing Spitfire I daily flight inspection that illustrates this clearly.

Its incorrectly modelled in CLOD

+1

Thanks for the correction. I found my download of the MKII pilot notes from Zeno's page. Works exactly as you say in the MK II

The Mark I manual that came with the game shows the dual guages but once again the button needed to be pressed to read them.

Cheers!

[ATAG_Dutch]

After one of the longest sorties I've flown so far in the game, which took place last night, I can confirm that the Spit's fuel gauge does work.

It follows what a poster above said, re the top tank feeding the bottom tank. I didn't make a note of the duration of the sortie, but by the time I landed back at Manston, I was down to 25 gallons, having taken off with 100% fuel.

I also had a backside like a piece of lead, and was desperate for a cup of tea. Now that's realism!

[jf1981]

Originally Posted by NZtyphoon

Fuel consumption Spitfire II PNs although they only specify maximum rpm and boost.


Later Spitfire PNs were much better at giving fuel consumption for several engine settings: Mk VII and VIII PNs

Hi

I gave values from measurement, they actually differ from game to manual. As far as I remember you get 85 gph rich full power and 35 gph lean at cruise 200 TAS (not IAS).

[TynMahn]

Originally Posted by ATAG_Bliss

Regarding your FPS issues:

...the mirror on the spitfire will cause massive FPS loss, especially on the ground. Try turning off the mirror and see if that helps. ...

Some really interesting information on this thread; information that I personally think should be included in the manual that comes with the game.

However, I just wanted to point out that the poster that pointed to the mirror as the culprit was absolutely correct. I turned that worthless thing off, and viola, my "on the ground" fps's were fixed straight away.

I am flying with the latest "official" non-beta version.

[senseispcc]

.
The Spitfire MKI to MKII could at least stay in the air for 3/4 of a hour at max speed and consuption this in the game is more than the time needed to go from Ramsgate to Watchfield going along the coast do you need more?