109K4 V Spit 14

[nrshida]

Our experiment has limited implications because it was a duelling set up and this generally isn't the type of fights that I find in the MA (speaking for myself), where the perk cost is appropriate.

Yarbles has a lot more experience in the Spitfire Mark XIV than I. I agree with Ruah's comments about the ease of flying the K-4 at the stall. I found the Spitfire unpredictable and my corrections were all wrong because of the opposite torque.

I conversely also found the 30-mm easier to use than the Hispanos, especially when coupled with those stalling type of manoeuvres. One advantage is the feedback you get is considerably more apparent with the 30-mm. In other words you instantly see when you have placed your shot correctly and this reinforces the image of a good shot in your head. The Hispanos seemed a lot like machine guns and I think I was over leading them a bit (more used to Japanese cannons).

I don't know what the criteria for perking an aircraft is, but I felt the 109 was much easier to be effective in in this kind of duelling set up. Perhaps a direct comparison of these aircraft isn't appropriate since you probably have to fly them very differently in the MA.

Unclear to me after this experiment why you would want to restrict the use of the Mark XIV though  

[Changeup]

My two cents...more people don't fly the 14 because there are unperked planes available that can fly at that alt...and perform well with less practice.  The 51 and 47M come to mind and they are free.  The 14 compresses like a wild man...I believe, and someone correct me if Im wrong, about 25Kts before the K4...both have the issue but the 14 isn't going to "dive away" from the K4...at alt, it might climb away from the K4 all things being equal above 24K (if memory serves).

I like Spits but Im not going to pay perks for the 14 when I can fly the 51 for for free.  Im going to die at alt in either one of them because the K4 and I get along very very poorly, lol and I can't fly the 51 for poop so I choose to die for free.

Changeup

[JOACH1M]

Yarbles dont F with my perk farming in my k4 I do agree spit14 shouldn't be perked though.

[BiPoLaR]

Yarbles dont F with my perk farming in my k4 I do agree spit14 shouldn't be perked though.

Yarbles is too busy posting naked photos of squadies in his rainbow colored hair salon.

[JOACH1M]

Yarbles is too busy posting naked photos of squadies in his rainbow colored hair salon.

 

[dirtdart]

We can have a tank perked at one, why not a plane?

[Oldman731]

spit 14 is hard to fly - i actually think that the k4 is easier.  

Agreed.

- oldman

[321BAR]

Guess what? I have flown the 14 quite a bit too, and I'm also getting a lot of kills out of it. Does that mean the thing is perk worthy compared to other planes? Nope. I can do it in other planes too. I have also over 1000 kills in LW arena in a Hurricane I at K/D 4.32... it really should be perked! Individual success is hardly a guide.

I'm also wondering about the frequent "just no one knows how to fly it" argument. Why on the world should the XIV magically attract all the incompetent pilots? Every tour, year after year? The real n00bs can't even fly that plane, yet the 2010 K/D of the 14 is only slightly higher than the Spit 16's (1.11) - and the latter one is THE plane of the masses and new players.

And let's not forget, perking is all about impact on arena gameplay.

If it became unperked then people would fly it, realize how to use it, then suddenly everyone beats the crap out of others while in spit14s... but i concede. i see your point

[Yarbles]

Yarbles is too busy posting naked photos of squadies in his rainbow colored hair salon.

I promise you we only took your photo down to make room for a new mirror not because you are too old and ugly. Which of course you er ....................... arn't  

[Ruah]

If it became unperked then people would fly it, realize how to use it, then suddenly everyone beats the crap out of others while in spit14s... but i concede. i see your point

I really don't think an unperked spit 14 will do anything a 16 does not in MA other then perhaps bing a great runner due to its fast sped and acceleration - but that can be said for many LW planes.

Ultimatly, having taken the 14 up a few tims, I just think that a lot of spit pilots who will fly it will find it very very nasty to fly and will still choise to take th 16 because its a better plane in 99% of combat situations - it stalls a lot better, it acclerates a bit less but still dos it very fast, it has arguably the best guns package other then the temp and 1C, great views, and communicates its stall limits well - other then the acceleration and the guns pakcage, outside of BnZ play, i don't see the 14 making a majo contribution.  Th 1C and tempest are definatly perk worthy planes no doubt.

i think it should be unperked for a few tours to seeho it does. . .

[Yarbles]

I think it should be unperked for a few tours to seeho it does. . .

Yep becase its also a plane that people currently very rarely use which is a waste of a resource. I would fly it even more if it wasn't perked but would probably fare better in a different spit. We  don't however fly the planes that are necessarily the easiest and it seems like a better idea to unperk a plane that is difficult, unpopular, performs badly in K/D terms and has no significant advantages over some onther unperked planes unlike say the Tempest.

Actually to reflect its speed perhaps a perk of 1 or 2 might be ok but anymore really doesn't seem to be justified as the majority seem to feel it would not unbalance gameplay and is unde used though avalid extra choice in late war.

[321BAR]

I really don't think an unperked spit 14 will do anything a 16 does not in MA other then perhaps bing a great runner due to its fast sped and acceleration - but that can be said for many LW planes.

Ultimatly, having taken the 14 up a few tims, I just think that a lot of spit pilots who will fly it will find it very very nasty to fly and will still choise to take th 16 because its a better plane in 99% of combat situations - it stalls a lot better, it acclerates a bit less but still dos it very fast, it has arguably the best guns package other then the temp and 1C, great views, and communicates its stall limits well - other then the acceleration and the guns pakcage, outside of BnZ play, i don't see the 14 making a majo contribution.  Th 1C and tempest are definatly perk worthy planes no doubt.

i think it should be unperked for a few tours to seeho it does. . .

The Spit14 with wep on, will out run a Spit16 by 20mph at all alts below 11k approx. After that due to gear shifts it stays average this till 20k. After that the Spit14 will stay faster than the fastest the Spit16 can go at any alt which is approx 410mph until 40k feet and can fly higher than a spit16 by reaching approx 43k feet (while going 390mph) while the spit16 cant go above 40k (at a max speed of approx 325mph).

On the other hand, a P51D can keep with the Spit14 until 25k feet but thats when the spit14 takes over speedwise and leaves the P51D in the dust. P51D vs Spit14 need not compare the climb rates at all.

Climbing wise the Spit16 and Spit14 stay near the same until 20k, then the Spit14 will outclimb the Spit16 all the way up. The only disadvantages a Spit14 has are slower turn rate (compared to other Spitfires, the damn thing will outturn alot of planes in the game still) and the nasty nasty stall (which by the way can be avoided with flaps most of the time).

 

Vs the 109K4, the Spit14 is less dangerous until very high alts. a 109K can catch it and climb with it, but the Spit14 can (iirc) outturn the 109K and also has more ammo capacity.

An F4U4 can keep with the Spit14 in most situations speed wise but even then the F4U4 cant climb with the Spit14 at all.

Vs the TEMPEST, the Spit14 can outclimb and outturn it. And over 22k the Spit14 rockets while the Tempest is left in the dust.

the only major late war plane that can severely outrun a Spit14 at altitude is the P47M/N and even with these planes the Spit14 outclimbs and outturns.

This plane deserves perks. Nough said.

[SQUAT!]

Ok i have skimmed threw this thread. I fly the k4 7 out of 10 sorties. Love the plane. I fly the spit 14 from time to time as well. I think the spit 14 should be free but really deserves a 5eny or maybe 10eny. At the alts most fly on this game it CAN'T out run a k4 but it CAN climb with it, has more amo and better guns. Can out turn it, holds E better, dives better and has longer legs and better views. The only people that have problems with it are those who try to fly it like it like it's a spit 8 or 16. Its an e fighter/vert NOT TnB. Now neither is easy for new guys to fly. But the k4 is defiantly harder to just get kills in. Let alone effectively fight in. Fly each plane for a week in the MA's and then say which you find easier to land kills in 

[dirtdart]

Fly each plane for a week in the MA's and then say which you find easier to land kills in 

QFT.

[Debrody]

BAR,
True, the spit14 outturns a lot of planes, but a k-4 will outscissor it, has much less nasty stall habit and better flaps (even though it takes a long time to open them). The K-4 is the fastest propeller-driven aircraft in game between 8 and 27K. Their performance is really close though. In main arena the spits superior high-altitude performance is just worthless, unless youre going after bombers. But you dont wanna up a vulnerable perk-plane after bombers, do you?  I think the spit is a great ride, but dont need to be perked.

Btw its cool that a k-4 is ENY20. A great perk farmer, just like a ki-84, the B-stang or the spit9.