A Merlin Powered Spit just cannot DIRECTLY follow a 190 for any length of time and either shoot OR get above the 190.
IN a co-energy state the Spitfire cannot directly follow a 190 that is at his best climb speed or higher.
Not strictly true. At any altitude where the Spit is as faster, or faster, than the 190, the Spit can match both the climb speed and angle of the 190. Even for altitudes where the Spitfire is slightly slower.
Look at it this way. At an altitude where the Spit and 190 have exactly the same top speed, for any given speed they will have similar percentages of excess power.
The Spitfire, being lighter, will have a higher climb rate.
That means the Spit can maintain the same climb speed as the 190, the same climb angle, with a lower throttle setting, or can maintain the same angle, and an increased speed, to climb faster than the 190 and thus overhaul it.
The best climb speed is where those forces are at balance.
The best climb speed is where the total of induced drag and parasitic drag are lowest. (afaik)
Low climb speed is a function of mass. Look at the Spit XIV. It climbs at both a steeper angle and a faster speed.
That what? Not than the Spit IX, depending on altitude. The climb rates were similar at lower alts, so if the speed is higher, the angle must be lower to maintain the same rate.
The Spit IX @25 lbs would have a considerably steeper climb rate than the Spit XIV at 18 lbs. Slightly slower speed, greater rate of climb (again at lower altitudes)
You're absolutely right BUT he cannot maintain the same angle of pitch. If he matches the angle of pitch then his angle of attack will be different and his sights are not on the 190.
His angle of attack for the same climb angle will be very similar. That's like saying in level flight the angle of attack will be different, so he can't keep the target in his sights. Any minor changes needed will be lost amongst the changes the pilot needs to make to keep control.
So he cannot get a gun solution.
Only in the same way he cannot get a guns solution in level flight. The angle of attack difference at the same cimb angle will need minor adjustments to correct.
In level flight or climb the trailing fighter always has to make such minor adjustments to bring his target under the sight.
Now the 190 is climbing at a faster speed and is leaving the spitfire behind.
Depends on the speeds at that altitude. At any altitude where the speeds are similar, or the Spit has an advantage, the Spit is not being left behind. If he is faster at that alt, he is actually reeling the 190 in whilst maintaining the same climb angle.
The horizontal separation is becoming much larger and the vertical separation is slowly increasing due to the fact the planes are traveling the same angle of pitch but at different speeds.
Yes, at those altitudes where the 190 has a speed advantage it can gain seperation from the Spit by maintaining a high speed climb. That's true for any fighter that is faster than it's opponent, providing the speed difference is great enough.
But that gives you minor seperation.
Look at it another way. If the Spit can climb at 170 mph at a much greater angle than the 190, then by reducing the angle to the same as the 190s, the Spit can certainly increase it's speed.
If it's can't maintain quite the same speed as the 190, it can still maintain a faster speed than it did before.
So if the 190 climbs at 180 mph, and the Spit at 170, then reducing the climb angle of the Spit will
at least reduce the gap in climb speed between it and the 190.
What was the best climb speed of the 190? The LF IX was 170 IAS. If we assume 190 mph for the 190, then the gap is 20 mph, but the Spit can reduce climb angle and increase climb speed, so that gap is going to shrink rapidly.
Basically, if two planes have the same max climb rate, and one has a higher climb speed, then the slower cannot match it's angle and speed.
But if the slower has a much better rate , then by reducing angle it may still be able to match the faster's speed and angle.
In other words, the Spit has got an advantage to squander by climbing at the conditions that suit the 190, rather than the conditions that suit it.
As the website says. This is one of the hardest concepts to get across to pilots because it seems like it should work exactly as you say. It does not though. The A/C wants to move to equilibrium. That equilibrium is it's best climb speed and angle. If it is outside of that point then it pays the price in airspeed until it reaches equilibrium. That Airspeed is much lower than the 190's.
That assumes identical rates. You can always lower you climb angle, which means you use less power fighting gravity, and more into increasing airspeed. If you fly faster than your ideal climb speed, your ROC will go down, but if you have a large ROC advantage you can afford to do that.
There are other factors which go into the equation like drag ratios and aspect ratios. Both of which favor the FW-190.
Drag ratio doesn't, really. The RAE give figures for profile drag as 65 lbs (at 100 fps) for the 190, 66 for the Spit IX. Induced drag will favour the Spitfire because of weight and wingloading, far more so than the tiny advantage for the 190 due to it's marginally higher aspect ratio. In a climb you get more induced drag.
Short summary: The Spit can trade it's advantage in climb rate into matching higher climbing speeds, at a reduction in rate, and still match the 190 under most conditions.
The problem with climbing steep/at low speed is that it will present you as a target long enough for the enemy to shread you.
Depends on the enemy's speed as well. If you are both in a sustained climb, he cannot increase the angle for long without stalling. If he has plenty of speed, of course it won't work as a tactic. Then you need something to get an angles advatange.
But a sustained climb at higher speed leaves you vulnerable for longer, because you are only pulling away at 10 mph or less. It takes a long long time to get clear at a 10 mph advantage.
A fighter with a high angle of climb, like the Spit or 109, can steepen the angle to a degree that other fighters cannot maintain for more than a few seconds at most, and at those speeds they are going to have difficulty getting enough control authority to bring the sights to bear anyway.
