Zunzun

Don´t get the point of the stats. What are they trying to prove? In any case as Gavai says only prove what happened on the Burning Skies server.

I do the same now. I wonder what is the purpose of the manual one if the electric does the job. As a back up only? Or is there still a reason to use the manual as standar?

Ups, sorry for the duplicate.

It was just me that noticed the new avatar of Wags? It looks like the Normandy map will cover most of south England and a good portion of land beyond Normandy in France.

http://www.spitfireperformance.com/611merlin66.jpg

I think you only consider "Free Hunt" as a fighter mission. In that scenario, yes, the Spitfire can´t dictate the terms of the fight. Being outclassed? Not so. If the Spit hold the energy advantage at the beginning of the fight then there is not much room for either the 109 or the 190. Obviously, on an even ecounter, the main advantage, speed, is on axis hands. But as Tomsk has pointed out, depending on the mision that can be very different. Misions like ground support means you have to, be low and dirty. There speed doesn´t means near as much than in free hunt. Normandy campaign had a lot of those misions. Given the right tactics and the right mision the spitfire IX is and was a deadly oponent.

When in manoeuvring combat I watch the coolant/oil gauges as frequent as I can and try to give full boost only in short burst (like when climbing) and relaxing it (both boost and rpm) while diving.

What works for me is coordinating rudder and aileron; When the plane started turning, for instance, to left, I applied right rudder (with brake) but also stick to left to lift the right wing. That way I can keep it straight all the time. Do not know is that is very orthodox but works for me with the Spit.

Thanks Charly for that superb explanation. I was one of those scratching my head about this oddity but now makes perfect sense in the contex of the era.

I like historical match up as well. But for doing this you have to model the whole situation (both air forces) and force the players play representative number of each plane. But as in DCS we are very far from that picture I think that balancing the choices would be the best option. In any case, late war scenario is a poor choice (Not DCS one) as air war wasn't as contested as in the past. Allies knew they were going to win the war. The question wasn't "if" but "when". The aircrafts at hand were more than capable of dealing with the situation (busting the Wehrmacht back). There wasn't any need to force production or rushing introducing of new versions or models. On the other hand the Luftwaffe was struggling for its own survival (well more exactly nazi regime) and was pouring everything it has in hand including testing planes. But all of this with a severe lack of fuel problem, very bad pilot training and even sometimes with production sabotages. Difficult to know how many of those planes got into the air effectively. Would have been better choosing a true Normandy scenario with warplanes representative of that period. All in all having the planes we have I do not see any wrong in having a spit XIV or improved boost to the current ones until we can have more options of planes and represent an historically contested period.

For me that (slower) is good point for preferring to fight against a G-14 instead of a K4. Specially with the mustang. But valid to a lesser extent to the spit.

Well, that has been the limit for basically most of all variant of spits. 5 minutes. Seems to me like the higher boost is not worth using in manoeuvring combat as it overheats so easily. With the mustang the impression is that it can sustain those 18lbs (67hg) for much longer. In the spit I have to be watching the dials all the time and give full stem only for really short period of time.

As everybody else big, big thanks to Chief instructor for taking your time in writing all of this for us. And consequently to DCS for doing such a superb work. Funnily enough before reading this and after scratching many wing tips and breaking a few ones too (not to forget mentioning those poor aircrews ruined) I figured out about the pedal dancing. Then I thought I was kind of cheating or that the module, as in beta, wasn't polished enough. I am now delighted to find out it is actually the correct way of managing a correctly modelled behaviour. Superb!

Uups! a little too late for me. I learnt it the hard way

This video is one of those zombies. Comes around every now and then from the tomb. In reality it proves nothing. What made the p/51 shine back then was that it could take off unopposed from East anglia, fly 300 miles deep into Germany and hunt down Luftwaffe planes while they were taking off, forming up, attacking the bombers or coming back to airbase and landing. It didn't need to dogfight to achieve that and no other plane was able to do it. That is air superiority. Regarding the spit IX, by the time Doras and Kurfusts show up in numbers was busy hunting down the Wehrmacht. Those two were basically a nuisance for the task. If caught low, the luftwaffe planes could attack and disengage at leisure true. But if the opposite happened there weren't any lower place were to dive for the 109 and 190 and they were, then, in a pickle.

+1

:pilotfly:

That´s way you have to play smart. Why can´t you use the spit as a energy fighter. Fly high and engage with advantage. They can run away but you can still keep you height advantadge. On the defensive you can defeat their attacks with manouvrability. And if they slow down to have a better chance then they enter your realm. Many scenarios and many possibilities. What I mean is that even if speed is the most important attribute in a ww2 fighter is not the only one and is the balance of them what makes a fighter bad, good or great. And the Spit is a very balanced fighter.

That could be the case if you consider a pure dogfight type of mission only. When you introduce objectives, ground pounding (that really matters for the mission no just cosmetic) then is a matter of tactics. There the Pony and the Spit can shine given the rights tactics. In any case, even in the pure dogfight scenario I think the spit can success if flown to its strengths. What it lacks in speed more than compensate in climbing, turning, acceleration and weapon punch. Regarding the Mustang, as the germans plane are going to be more cautious about becaming slow, will mean more options for the mustang to evade and use its best assest (high speed maneovrability).

I meant all the aircraft that participated in the battle in the correct scenario. I do not think there is any other way to represent it historically.

I understand as the air battles of summer 1940 on the south coast of great britain. Hurricane IA, BF 109E3, Spitfire IA, BF110C7, He-111H2, Ju-87E etc....

Why shooting the tank when you can destroy the transport bringing its fuel and ammo?

Agree 100% When old 46 was presented there was no track ir (or just the first version was coming out), hardly any one had pedals etc.... pc computer power was a world behind to what we have now. It is very unfair comparing different eras and technological possibilities.

+1 It what seems more appropriate. :smartass:

Interesting information. Does any one have at hand how many Tempest and XIV were in the same period? And how many 51s and 47s?