Author Topic: Spit VB climb rate (Read 382 times)

BBGunn · « **on:** December 18, 1999, 02:41:00 PM »

I have two references which say that the VB's initial climb rate was 4750ft/min and that the Bf-109 F's was 4290Ft/min. In WB's the Spit VB was given only 3550ft/min at 5000ft which was even slower than the F4U-4. Was the spit VB's climb rate tweaked way down to fit the sim or are the references messed up?
It seems like the VB should have been able to outclimb just about any AC in its period of use.

juzz · « **Reply #1 on:** December 18, 1999, 04:36:00 PM »

I've seen a figure of 3,320fpm at 5,000ft for the Bf109F-3... The F4U-4 was apparently a somewhat super-climbing plane too.

wells · « **Reply #2 on:** December 18, 1999, 05:17:00 PM »

I wouldn't say the references are wrong...after all, these numbers came from somewhere, but you need more information about just how or where that number came from. What was the weight, power setting, climb speed? Was it a clipped wing? Was it an experiment in 150 octane fuel?

funked · « **Reply #3 on:** December 25, 1999, 03:08:00 PM »

The best source on the web:
http://www.fourthfightergroup.com/eagles/spittest.html

Note that the 4720 figure is for some kind of hot-rod version from 1943. The earlier variants perform more like what the Luftwaffe faced in 1941 and 1942 - easy meat for Fw 190A.

[This message has been edited by funked (edited 12-25-1999).]

fd ski · « **Reply #4 on:** December 27, 1999, 09:10:00 AM »

don't get me started funked

------------------

Bartlomiej Rajewski
S/L fd-ski Sq. 303 (Polish) "Kosciuszko" RAF
www.raf303.org

Fishu · « **Reply #5 on:** December 27, 1999, 11:14:00 AM »

over 4000fpm? for spitfire Vb, and even over bf109? can't believe that to be true for plane with full combat weight, what are those, jet planes?

funked · « **Reply #6 on:** December 27, 1999, 12:33:00 PM »

Hehehe Fd-Ski, sorry bud. I should be gentle after the last S3.

BBGunn · « **Reply #7 on:** December 27, 1999, 01:04:00 PM »

Hello Funked-thanks for the reference which notes that the Spit LF VB had a clime rate of 4720 ft/min at 2000ft. The climb rate fell off with altitude. The reference implies that it was fully loaded at 6,450 lbs during the test in 1943. At first I thought that the high climb rate figures might be for a photo-recon ship but as others have noted there were so many variables including the propaganda effect of having a 'superior' plane, that finding accurate figures is not easy.

funked · « **Reply #8 on:** December 27, 1999, 11:20:00 PM »

Yep BBGunn - But notice the date.