Originally posted by Saxman
However:
It won't zoom with any of the heavier American or German iron.
That's because most of the true B'n'Z planes are faster through the bottom, thus faster in the zoom climb. Once E begins to diminish the Spit will close the gap back up unless the B'n'Zer levels (or dives) to run.
Its wings are held on with bubble gum and wet duct tape.
I've only ever lost one wing due to extreme manouvering, even at speeds far exceeding those you posted below, and that one didn't come off, it snapped.
View over the nose is poor so leading and snapshots are harder than even the Corsairs (except the -1).
Maybe. All other views are superior to the Hog's, especially any rear view (exception, C Hog).
Saying the Spit is near the top of the list in speed is laughable. The only Spit NEAR the top in speed is the Mk XIV, and that's at higher altitudes where she's STILL outrun by most of the late-war American and German iron, not to mention the Typhoon and Tempest.
The Spixteen just gets to speed FASTER than anything else. However while the Spixteen has stopped accelerating much of the late-war plane set still has another 50mph or MORE to gain on top of her. So in a high-speed chase if the Spit doesn't catch its target within the first 30 seconds or so, she likely won't.
I'll give you that one but, with WEP on the Spit can hang with a P-51, FW190 and others for a while. I've chased some of the faster planes for a sector or more with WEP on (while they probably had it off) with little to no loss to them.
Energy retention is average at BEST (in offline tests she decelerated from 450mph to 350mph in 45 seconds and CONTINUED decelerating. The F4U-1A held that same airspeed for a full TWO MINUTES and leveled off at ~357mph TAS. Test performed at level flight, diving from 10k down to 2k at normal combat fuel loads).
Straight line energy retention is average at best which is a good thing if you need to hit the brakes (not as good as a gear and flap drop in a Hog though).
Energy retention while turning is phenominal. You can ride the tunnel longer in a Spit than virtually any other plane. In fact, G-loading/blackouts are actually a problem in a Spit due to this.
Dive performance is negligible. She gets moving pretty fast, but in the offline test above maintaining control in a full-power WEP dive proved dicey above 450mph. The nose has a STRONG tendency to pop up even trimmed down and with forward-stick. Also, high-G pull outs REALLY tend to do nasty things to those flimsy wings. High-speed handling all around suffers.
First of all, you usually don't need WEP in a full dive. I regularily push a XVI past 500 and have actually approched 600 on one occasion (the time I did snap a wing pulling out). Yes, you have to push the nose down and roll rate suffers badly. You also have to be careful not to snap a wing pulling out. Other than that the ride's pretty smooth. Better than a 190 for instance when it starts to shake over 500.
Firepower isn't that remarkable. Once the cannon are gone you only have a pair of .50cal left to shoot with. You also have two different types of weapons with different ballistics properties you're trying to aim. I'd take the homogeneous Ma Deuce 6-pack over the 2x Hispano and 2x Brownings any day of the week.
The difference is the 2 Hispanos vs. 4 .50's in the F4U (each has the other 2 .50's). I'd take 2 Hispanos any day over 4 .50's but thats just my preference.
Where the Spit XVI shines is in turning. She can force a HO at will, and about 90% of the arena population is stupid enough to be suckered into trying to turn with it in anything other than a Zeke, Hurricane, FM-2 or another Spit.
Obviously you are biased. I'm guessing I could look through this thread and pick apart virtually any ride (yes, even your beloved Hog).
I've flown over 40 planes so far this camp and far more over the past few months. I do know something about quite a few of them from first hand experience (yes, even your beloved Hogs). From your prior posts my guess would be that you've never tried anything else.
Now don't get me wrong, I love flying Hogs, especially the 1A and 1C models but all around, if my life depended on it and not knowing what I'd have to face, I'd take a Spit XVI due to it's performance and flexability which is the point I was trying to make in my first post.
Anything else you'de care to rip on?
