Friedrich-4B

Found a choice of 2 Spitfire II for US $20 plus p&p from Canada, of all places: http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=12647624904 http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=11024469627 Think I'll scram and pick me up a copy :pilotfly: - thanks for the heads-up SiTh. :thumbup:

How about this for an animation? http://www.tangmere-museum.org.uk/artefact-month/the-waaf-who-flew-a-circuit-on-a-spitfire

from Spitfire IX/XVI Pilot's Notes, 3rd ed September 1946 (NB comments on rear fuselage fuel tanks and some handling qualities apply to late Spitfire LF. XVIs with cut down rear fuselages and clear-view canopies):

Ditto: the vast majority of Spitfire IXs had the elevators with the extended horn balances which completely altered their characteristics: I have a set of Spitfire VII/VIII Pilot's Notes published in December 1943 (NOT reproductions) which describe the differences: the Spitfire IX PNs have almost identical comments:

The paddle-bladed prop helped improve the ROC - can't remember the stats off hand. (Then there's the old joke about P-47 pilots being able to unstrap and run around the cockpit dodging bullets...)

From the Jumo 213A & C Manual December 1943: The system was changed slightly for the Jumo 213E in the Ta 152:

Starting the Merlin 66 from cold: Magnetos, ground running and checks to stopping the engine:

To claim that the DB60X duel throttle system is somehow less complex than that of the likes of the Merlin, and to pretend that the supercharger on the latter always develops "a fixed maximum pressure...which needs to be regulated and then throttled...", whereas the DB supercharger somehow doesn't is nonsensical. Both systems needed to control the supercharger's boost, and went about the process in different ways to achieve the end result; ie: the pilot controlled the aircraft's speed via a throttle control. As it is, the two-stage, two speed supercharger on the Merlin 60, 70 series etc used an automatic boost control system which enabled the supercharger to develop pressures of anything between -4 lb/sq in to +18 and +25 lb/sq in; all the pilot had to do was use the throttle lever and (sometimes) set the propeller:

I didn't read your response as being rude, so no apology needed. :thumbup: The power curves show that with 150 grade the maximum speeds were reached at lower altitudes; about 23 & 25,000 ft for 65" & 70" Hg respectively: Climb rates: Fw 190D-9 speeds: Focke-Wulf test results: http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/fw190/Fw_190_D-9_C3.pdf

I added the info so people can get an idea of when 150 grade was introduced to the 8th AF and how it improved the P-47D's performance (albeit, not specifically the -30): hopefully it will be an option for the P-47D...

A stylised diagram of the system from Flugmotoren und Strahltriebwerke:

150 grade fuel started being delivered to all 8th AF fighter stations on 12 June 1944 http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/mustang/150-fuel-13-june44-b.jpg Report on supply shows that 150 grade was not used in the 9th AF - where most of the P-47 FGs ended up, until later in the year: http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/150grade/supplymemo-11july44.pdf Progress report on 150 Grade tests June 17 1944: http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/p-47/17june44-progress-report.pdf 15 July 1944 test report on P-47D using 150 grade: http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/p-47/p47-26167.html

+1 The challenges of flying comparatively light and slow STOL capable aircraft such as these would be interesting, particularly in adverse weather or at night - thinking about the Lysander having to find a small field in France and drop off or pick up a covert operative.

Let's have both the Lysander and Storch and have a battle of the liaisons - imagine a slow dogfight between a Lysander and Storch... :pilotfly: After which add the Po-2?

DB 605 is right - that box was never seen on the K-4 because the battery was moved backwards slightly into the space above the MW 50/fuel tanks, which meant that the hatch cover was flat; from Bf 109K-4 Flugzeug-Handbuch Teil 1: Rumpfwerk issued November 1944: If you see a small boxy structure behind the pilot's seat you are not looking at a K-4. For interest here is the K-4's canopy mechanism:

E wing installation:

Pre-D-Day confirmation that the Spitfire IX squadrons of 126, 127 & 132 Airfields were completely equipped with GGS plus 20 Spitfires of 135 Airfield: 126 Wing 401 (RCAF) Squadron Spitfire IX YO 411 (RCAF) Squadron Spitfire IX DB 412 (RCAF) Squadron Spitfire IX VZ 127 Wing 403 (RCAF) Squadron Spitfire IX KH 416 (RCAF) Squadron Spitfire IX DN 421 (RCAF) Squadron Spitfire IX AU 132 Wing 66 Squadron Spitfire IX LZ 331 (Norwegian) Squadron Spitfire IX FN 332 (Norwegian) Squadron Spitfire IX AH 135 Wing 222 Squadron Spitfire IX ZD 349 (Belgian) Squadron Spitfire IX GE 485 (RNZAF) Squadron Spitfire IX OU In 2 TAF Airfields were so named because each three Squadron unit was considered to be a "mobile airfield" - the designation was changed to Wings effective 12 May 1944: from Also, 310(Czechoslovak) Squadron, an ex-2 TAF Spitfire squadron which Kurfurst sought to disparage... According to Shores and Thomas, the 3 Czech squadrons of 134 Wing were transferred to ADGB on June 29 1944 because of an anticipated shortage of Czech pilots; they then spent the rest of the war flying bomber escort missions into the Netherlands and Germany, during which time the squadrons did not see a single German fighter - although flak and bad weather took a toll.

It's a shame that Kurfurst has set out to be so disparaging about 2 TAF's Spitfire IX operations; nor has he cited any sources for some of his sweeping generalisations, while expecting everyone else to provide sources to justify their comments; in this instance the following points regarding 485 Sqn (no source given by Kurfurst) are worth commenting on: What Kurfurst has failed to mention is that 485 Sqn had been equipped with Spitfire IXs for most of 1943, before being sent to Drem, Scotland to be rested and prepare for 2 TAF, during which time they used Spitfire VBs. It would be interesting to know why Kurfurst thinks that Spitfire Vs should not have been used by a squadron that was not engaged on frontline duties. While Kurfurst has highlighted the sections from this (unsourced) comment that he likes, it is just as interesting to highlight other aspects of 485 Sqn's operations: If Kurfurst read more widely he would know that the Luftwaffe was so stretched on the Normandy front there was little opportunity for combat for several Spitfire IX units (from Bf 109F/G/K Aces of the Western Front): While 485 Sqn didn't shoot down many Luftwaffe aircraft after about June 17 it was because there simply weren't that many to go around amongst 2 TAF, plus the USAAF 9th Air Force and the USAAF 8th A/F. Disparaging 485 Squadron and questioning the unit's experience because the squadron did not shoot down non-existent opposition is nonsensical and useless. This isn't to disparage the Luftwaffe pilots who did their best in extremely difficult circumstances and put up a gallant fight. Plus the priority was on ground attack - one reason 2 TAF was called 2 Tactical Air Force was because its primary purpose was to support the ground troops, in which role the Spitfire IXs were very effective:

The gunsight was also used by 126 Canadian Wing: Note that Audet later shot down an Me 262: Spitfire IXs of 126 Wing shot down 4 Me 262s and 4 Ar 234s.

Some of them went to 485(NZ) Squadron in March 1944: Others were used by 308(Polish) Sqn: 317(Polish) Squadron: Karl Baur at the stick of a non-operational Me 262 test bed... [/url]

Yes the Mk 108 was quite effective; wonder whether the British tested it in flight while attempting to manouvre?

Also from Smith & Creek ME 262 Volume 2: the only Me 262 unit to use the EZ42 was JV 44 and 1 pilot from JG 7; the EZ42 "proved unpopular and ineffective" So it would be interesting to know where the more sensational claims about the EZ42 came from, because it certainly didn't work in the 262.

JV 44 tested some EZ42s, but they proved unreliable and ineffective, and the pilots soon abandoned it (Robert Forsythe JV 44 The Galland Circus, pages 180-182)

Hardly one or two squadrons: as production built up the majority of the sights were allocated to 2 TAF Spitfire units, along with Mustang unitsThe Wings & Squadrons trained at armament camps while Wing Commanders and Squadron leaders went to the Fighter Leader's Schools. (Shores and Thomas 2 TAF vol 1) If by trials aircraft I presume you mean the operational Spitfire IX of 411(Canadian) Sqn, of 126 Wing which is in the process of receiving its D-Day stripes? 126 Wing was one of the first to receive GGS. There are plenty of photos of GGS equipped Spitfires, but, like most such details, they are often in the background of the photo, unless pointed out as a feature. It would indeed be interesting to have the option of the GGS Mk II; by comparison the Germans struggled with development of the EZ 42 and AFAIK few of them were used operationally, while those that were used on trials weren't particularly liked. If that can be modeled then there's no reason the GGS Mk II and American K-14 (derivative of the GGS Mk II) cannot be modeled. It is indeed a most interesting and informative discussion by Mr Hurst, for which the link was included but went awol :joystick: Also from the thread:

From R Wallace Clarke British Aircraft Armament Vol.2: Guns and Gunsights: Details of Mk II GGS Gyro Sight Production GGS specification received from Air Ministry to Ferranti Ltd, Edinburgh, February 1943. Site for new factory purchased December 1942. Building commenced February 1943. Factory opened June 1943 First production sight 30 November 1943 Quantity production commenced February 1944 Output in March 1945: 1,000 From a labour force of 100 in July 1943, Ferranti employed 950 at peak production in October 1944. Number produced. 1944 February: 8 March: 110 April: 200 May: 250 June: 370 July: 380 August: 420 September: 540 October: 700 November: 720 December: 600 1945 February: 400 March: 1,000 April: 1,100 The pilot using the GGS used the throttle lever to control the range graticles