spitfire XIV

[sandwich]

I love the spitfire, especially the 14.

I just want to know, Why is it perked?

You'd think the spixteen would be perked but the 14 is.

Why?

[jdbecks]

I think its because the high alt performance of the 14, the 16 in my eyes is just a good alround and deos nothing exceptionly great, I think thats why its not perked. But im not 100% sure

[Kazaa]

It's all about speed.

[Guppy35]

I love the spitfire, especially the 14.

I just want to know, Why is it perked?

You'd think the spixteen would be perked but the 14 is.

Why?

The 14 is a later Griffon engined version of the Spitfire and far more powerful then the 16.  This is one of those cases where 16 doesn't mean better then 14. 

Think of the 16 as a Spitfire LF9e, which is all it is.  The XVI had an American made Packard Merlin 266 while the IX had a Rolls Royce Merlin 66.  Exactly the same performance.  Exactly the same airframe.  Change the engines and the IX becomes an XVI and the XVI becomes an IX.

[MajWoody]

Why is there such a performance difference (aside from roll) between the two in game?

[Karnak]

Why is there such a performance difference (aside from roll) between the two in game?

The Spitfire Mk IX in AH is the much earlier Spitfire F.Mk IX with a Merlin 61 engine.  That engine is less powerful, and supercharged for best altitude at about 25,000ft.

Basically:

Spitfire F.Mk IX, Merlin 61 - mid 1942
Spitfire F.Mk IX, Merlin 63 - early 1943
Spitfire LF.Mk IX, Merlin 66 - mid 1943
Spitfire HF.Mk IX, Merlin 70 - mid 1943
Spitfire Mk XVI, Merlin 266 - mid 1944 (Spitfire LF.Mk IX in all but name)

[Guppy35]

Why is there such a performance difference (aside from roll) between the two in game?

The FIX we have has a Merlin 61 engine with best performance medium to high altitudes.

The LFXVI we have has a Merlin 266 with best performance at lower altitudes.

Historically the clipped LFIXe and XVIe were used for ground support as the targets were just not their for them in air combat.  The E wing had wing racks as well as a centerline rack for bombs.  So to have them set to perform best at low altitude made sense.

And in the cartoon airwar of Aces High, much of the air war is fought at lower alt where the Spit XVI would perform better then our Spit IX which doesn't find much to fight at 25K

[Anaxogoras]

I love the spitfire, especially the 14.

I just want to know, Why is it perked?

You'd think the spixteen would be perked but the 14 is.

Why?

I agree with you sandwich.  There's no good reason for the XIV to be perked as it's actually a more difficult plane to succeed in than the XVI.

[Lusche]

There's no good reason for the XIV to be perked as it's actually a more difficult plane to succeed in than the XVI.

I find myself agreeing with you... a weird feeling 

[Agent360]

Its perked because of its speed. It's one of the fastest planes in the game.

[Motherland]

Its perked because of its speed. It's one of the fastest planes in the game.

It's slower than the Bf 109K-4 until almost 25,000'.

[Lusche]

Its perked because of its speed. It's one of the fastest planes in the game.

At altitudes where there is no combat.

No, it's not that simple. Why isn't the La-7 perked then? Considerable faster than a XIV up tp ~8k AND a better turner as well. K4 is faster up to 25k...
And the 51D has almost identical speed up to 30k, at some altitudes it's even faster.

[Anaxogoras]

I find myself agreeing with you... a weird feeling 

   Well, I'm not crazy you know.  When something is so obvious, even those who often disagree find common ground.

[Rich46yo]

Compare the 14 to some of the High ALT enemies it might come into contact with, if you really want to see it shine.

Even medium ranges compare it. If theres a weakness its probably fuel load. The guns are adequate but not preemo.

Tho I'm not sure that justifies a perk price. Put it this way. If it wasn't perked you'd see it far more then you do now Perking it puts a psychological weight on an airplane that makes players pass it up even if they have all kinds of perk points. Most of all when another airplane close to its performance, or even better, is available for free. Like the 16 for instance.

All things considered its hard to justify perking the Spit-14.

[thrila]

Whatever the reason, very few people are willing to risk their perk points on the spit14.  It appears those that do, rarely fly more than a sortie or two.   Currently only 18 people have scored 10 or more kills in the spit14 this tour.