Spit XIV

[SgtPappy]

Remember though, it's about balancing gameplay.

Spitfire XVI's are most often easy meat for anyone with better than average E-management, while the Spitfire XIV should be unperked simply because no one really knows how to fly it effectively. Most of the professional E-fighters have too much balls to fly a Spitfire 

[BnZs]

Guys, get real. It is a Spitfire that can hit 361 mph on the deck. It would make anything with a "P" in front of its name, 190s, or Typhs obsolete in the MA. The 109K would be at at least a slight disadvantage.

Once again, we are getting comparisons, this time to the SpitXVI, once again the posters don't seem to realize that they are making a better argument for perking the SpitXVI than for un-perking the XIV. One thing about the XVI again, say what you will, its top speed OTD is 344mph, not too shabby, but still, most LW planes that can't turn with the XVI are as fast or faster.

[Karnak]

It should be unperked.  The numbers it puts up are horrible.  If it were to prove to be a monster unleashed then it could be reperked.

As it is everything is only guesses.

[BaldEagl]

Guys, get real. It is a Spitfire that can hit 361 mph on the deck. It would make anything with a "P" in front of its name, 190s, or Typhs obsolete in the MA. The 109K would be at at least a slight disadvantage.

Actually, the 109K4 is easy to catch in a XIV as I found out tonight.  The only plane that's been able to outrun me the last two days is the Dora and we were evenly matched in speed.

I'm finding that 5-6 kill sorties are becoming the norm in the XIV vs 2-3 in everything else I fly.  That's on par with my experience in the Tempest.

I did die a couple of times tonight but it was because I was getting braver; venturing in where I pretty much knew I shouldn't be.  I also got picked once by a Temp while circling with a K4.  Bad SA on my part.

I really do believe that if the XIV were unperked it would be akin to unperking the Tempest.  The LWA's would be swarming with them.  It is truely an awsome ride.  It's only real deficit is it's propensity to snap it's wings pulling out of a high speed dive because it's so damn fast.  As long as you're careful it's not a problem.

BTW, range isn't that bad.  Slap on a sipper tank to get to alt and if you have a long way to go throttle back to max cruise.  It'll still clip along at about 350 mph while almost doubling it's range (don't quote me on those numbers).

[Oldman731]

It should be unperked. 

Agreed, believe it or not.  Spit 14 is the only Spitfire that is tricky to fly well.  It's a monster once you learn it, but so are lots of planes.

- oldman

[Spikes]

Spikes, he was talking about the 16, not the 14.

As was I.

It doesn't need a big 20 perk like the 14 has now, but a light 5-10 perk on it.

[Spikes]

Remember though, it's about balancing gameplay.

Spitfire XVI's are most often easy meat for anyone with better than average E-management, while the Spitfire XIV should be unperked simply because no one really knows how to fly it effectively. Most of the professional E-fighters have too much balls to fly a Spitfire 

Look at it in this sense...a mission is IB to a base. Quick, up Spit16's, LA7's, and NIK's ASAP! Almost all Spits I run into are 16s, and if I'm lucky I drag them up and flop over on them on the first pass. Otherwise I'm rat bait with how much I suck.

[Lusche]

I really do believe that if the XIV were unperked it would be akin to unperking the Tempest.  The LWA's would be swarming with them. 

That is SO far away from reality that I am actually speechless for now... 

[BaldEagl]

That is SO far away from reality that I am actually speechless for now... 

How can you know what the reality would be?

Anyone who flys a Dora, D Pony, K-4, Tempest or Typhoon would be a candidate to switch over.  The XIV has all the positive attributes of those planes plus a better climb rate than some and better turning ability than all of them.  That's not counting the XVI and La-7 converts.

I'm not saying everyone would switch but what if 1/3 did... what if 1/2 did?

[Karnak]

BaldEagl,

The only way that a Spitfire Mk XIV can pace a Fw190D-9 on the deck is if the Spitfire is on WEP and the Fw190 is on MIL.  The Spitfire's top speed on the deck is 358mph, the Fw190's is 377mph.  That isn't enough for the Fw190 to zoom away, but it is enough for him to pull steadily away.

And for what it is worth, I'd be shocked if the LWA was swarming with them after the brief "Ooh, its free!" period.  The Spitfire Mk XIV takes a lot of effort to use and will bite you hard if you mess up.

I'm not saying everyone would switch but what if 1/3 did... what if 1/2 did?

What if 1/2000th did?

Unless they unperk it and see we'll never know, but I do know it wouldn't be anything like 1/10th let alone 1/2 or 1/3rd.

[Lusche]

Not based upon what the reality would be.. but what the reality already is.

The Spit XiV has a much lower perk price than the Tempest. 15 compared to 50.
Why is it then that we see MUCH less of the cheaper XIV than the very expensive Tempest, getting less than 1/4th of the Tempest skills? Why is it that despite this lower usage the Spit also has a K/D of ~1.2 compared to the much more poular Tempests K/D of 6.8?

The Spit XIV has a much lower K/D than many free fighters, but unlike them, it's perk status prevents it from being flown and wasted by 2-weekers...

The Spit 14's handling is simply horrible. It's a very tricky plane to fly, with lot's of stability issues. And that's the very reason it's so unpopular and by far the least effective & least flown perk plane.


BTW, the Ta 152 was once perked to.. with similar stats as the Spit XIV (and similar handling problems).

[Karnak]

Ta152 always posted a higher K/D ratio though (and still does) albeit with slightly lower total numbers.

[BaldEagl]

BaldEagl,

The only way that a Spitfire Mk XIV can pace a Fw190D-9 on the deck is if the Spitfire is on WEP and the Fw190 is on MIL.  The Spitfire's top speed on the deck is 358mph, the Fw190's is 377mph. 

I was on WEP.

[BaldEagl]

Not based upon what the reality would be.. but what the reality already is.

The Spit XiV has a much lower perk price than the Tempest. 15 compared to 50.
Why is it then that we see MUCH less of the cheaper XIV than the very expensive Tempest, getting less than 1/4th of the Tempest skills? Why is it that despite this lower usage the Spit also has a K/D of ~1.2 compared to the much more poular Tempests K/D of 6.8?

The Spit XIV has a much lower K/D than many free fighters, but unlike them, it's perk status prevents it from being flown and wasted by 2-weekers...

The Spit 14's handling is simply horrible. It's a very tricky plane to fly, with lot's of stability issues. And that's the very reason it's so unpopular and by far the least effective & least flown perk plane.


BTW, the Ta 152 was once perked to.. with similar stats as the Spit XIV (and similar handling problems).

OK, that's a good argument but I still think people would "see the light" so to speak.

[Lusche]

OK, that's a good argument but I still think people would "see the light" so to speak.

Only that there is no "light" to see.

The handling issues are real & severe.Hard to see the light when the average player is fighting more his plane than the enemy.
All performance numbers of the XIV are fine, and only based on them the XIV would be truly a monster. But performance numbers are only a part of the story...