So I got the spitfire.

[Gunfreak]

I watched the grimp reaper vidoes.
And here is my video of my very first time in the spit. 
I hit the wrong buttons when I was gonna hit the starter and boot coil button, so that took some time. 
But I loved it, and found the spit in DCS easier to land then in IL2. 

But I have some questions that I'm sure the manual could answer.

1. This is the LF version, all I find online is that it's optimized for lower altitueds. But what is "lower" what is the max altidute were the LF is good?
2. Can you adjust the guns conversion? If not, what range are the guns set at?
 

 

Edited June 17, 2021 by Gunfreak

[grafspee]

You cant change gun converge or harmonization settings.

Spit LF with merlin 66 crit alt is about 22k-24k i would not wonder this plane above 30k

[Gunfreak]

32 minutes ago, grafspee said:

You cant change gun converge or harmonization settings.

Spit LF with merlin 66 crit alt is about 22k-24k i would not wonder this plane above 30k

I wouldn't call 20 000 + low? When I hear low, I'm thinknig like less then 6000 feet.
of 20k+ is low, what was the HF optimized for?

[grafspee]

1 hour ago, Gunfreak said:

I wouldn't call 20 000 + low? When I hear low, I'm thinknig like less then 6000 feet.
of 20k+ is low, what was the HF optimized for?

+30k

First supercharger speed is exact the same as in P-51D, it keeps power up to 12k something like that, then power drops at something like 14k depends on ram air second supercharger gear picks up maintaining power from switch point with little increase power up to crit alt. which is 3k-4k higher for P-51.

P-51's high speed kick in later then spitfire's high.

Spitfire HF had Merlin 70 version which had different supercharger gear ratios, but this high alt engine pay the price, it has significant less power at low alt, something like V-1650-3 and -7.

Edited June 17, 2021 by grafspee

[Ala13_ManOWar]

i always forgot and/or mix it with USAAF ones (plus feet, yards, meters, and what not), but harmonization distance for Spit is about 250 yards IIRC. If you set your sight for that distance it's quite accurate.

 

S!

Edited June 22, 2021 by Ala13_ManOWar

[DD_fruitbat]

On 6/17/2021 at 3:14 PM, Gunfreak said:

I wouldn't call 20 000 + low? When I hear low, I'm thinknig like less then 6000 feet.
of 20k+ is low, what was the HF optimized for?

 

As Grafspee correctly said, the Spit Mk IX HF is @30,000 feet and is a different engine, the Merlin 70 as opposed to the Merlin 66. The original Mk IX in 1942 had the Merlin 61 and was just designated F as opposed to LF or HF. Think more LF as the 'normal' Mk IX and the HF as a specialised higher altitude version and produced in much less numbers.

 

You have to consider the height of operations in the ETO. The Eastern front was very different, as it followed a very different doctrine, that of tactical operations (local specific support of ground ops), as opposed to the ETO which was strategic operations. 6000 feet for example in the ETO was not a operational height and would be suicidal, as your opposition would be stacked above you with all the energy benefits. Bombers want to be much higher for self preservation and therefore so do the fighters.

 

Even as early as the Battle of Britain, when the Mk II was introduced at the back end, its max speed was slower than the Mk Ia at nearly all heights, but critically it could fly 1000m higher(@37,000ft), and this allowed it to be above the incoming Bf109 E4's. Until the E4N showed up... and etc etc.. 

 

There are obvious exceptions, the low level hit and run raids and some planes were tuned to this mission type, and late on in the war when effectively the Allies had air superiority and being bounced was no longer a factor.

 

Just as an aside, during the 1942/43 period, some Mk V's were optimised with the Merlin 45/50M engine to be better at low level to help counter the low level tip and run raids of the FW-190. These were actually faster than the Mk IX low down, but mid alt upwards were way worse.

[DD_Fenrir]

Spitfire F. Mk IX, Merlin 61 (max +15lb boost): Medium Speed Supercharger FTH = 380.5 m.p.h. at 15,400 ft.; Fast Speed Supercharger FTH = 403 m.p.h. at 27,400 ft.

Spitfire F. Mk IX, Merlin 63 (max +18lb boost): Medium Speed Supercharger FTH = 382 m.p.h at 12,500 ft.; Fast Speed Supercharger FTH = 408 m.p.h at 25,000 ft.

Spitfire LF. Mk IX, Merlin 66 (max +18lb boost): Medium Speed Supercharger FTH = 384 m.p.h. at 10,800 ft.; Fast Speed Supercharger FTH = 407 m.p.h. at 22,000 ft..

Spitfire HF. Mk IX, Merlin 70 (max +18lb boost): Medium Speed Supercharger FTH = 396 m.p.h.at 15,900 ft.; Fast Speed Supercharger FTH = 415.5 m.p.h. at 27,800 ft.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 1, 2021 by DD_Fenrir