Spitfire XIV stability questions

[hlbly]

 Was looking for info on gyro gun sight . Found some really interesting reports . I have seen in the past where these types of reports are not looked on favorably here . I was wondering why ? I would like to hear from people that are respected but not directly associated with HTC . For example , I respect both Delirium , and Corkey/Dan/Guppy . I would really like to hear from Dan , because Del is a trainer . Fugitive and Karnak are another good example both highly respected by me  . I prefer Karnak over Fug for same reason . The report does not jibe with our flight model it seems to me . Not being just a little different but radically different in some important areas . Here is a link to the report I am referencing .

http://www.spitfireperformance.com/spit14afdu.html

[zack1234]

 

[RTHolmes]

the only thing in there that surprised me was that the XIV rolled slightly better than the P51 (maybe it does, hardly ever fly ponies), otherwise it all sounds consistent with the AH XIV as far as I can tell.

which parts do you think are radically different?

[hlbly]

Here is the one that really hit me .



"Manoeuvrablility- The elevator control of the Spitfire XIV was found to be much heavier than that of the Spitfire VIII, unpleasantlly so, and the other controls felt to be slightly heavier than on previous Spitfire Mks. In spite of heavier controls the Spitfire XIV is more manoeuvrable than the Spitfire VIII in turns at all heights. Spins were carried out in the Spitfire XIV at 25,000 feet. The aircraft did not spin voluntarily but had to be put into and held in the spin. Instead of spinning in the normal nose down attitude, the nose of the aircraft oscillated from an almost verticle position downwards to a position with the nose well above the horizon, so that the aircraft was tail down. It spent most of its time in this flat position from which, after four turns, recovery was fast by the normal method or slower if the controls were released. It never appears to become uncontrollable.

Try to recover when you have a XIV in the dreaded tail down spin . The aircraft did not spin voluntarily ????? Once in a spin it has to be held ?????

[RTHolmes]

if you mean the tail-down kind you get from an accelerated stall, yeah its tricky and takes alot of alt but it is recoverable (unlike the spit I where you have useless ailerons and no power to help you out.) I wonder if thats the same spin they are describing?

I havent found the XIV very much harder to recover than the others (the increased elevator force needed in the XIV should make it more difficult), although it does seem to happen alot more often because you get less warning and a more sudden departure, and because it is less stable so the nose can bounce into the stall (which is all consistent with the report.) the extra torque and generally fighting LH turns in a RH turning fighter can also increase the risk of departure.

I do suspect that the instability and wandering nose are a little overmodelled in AH, it should be there but not as bad IMO.

[icepac]

Both spit XIV and TA152 handle worst at the altitudes they were known to be champions but handle like champions at low level.

[Debrody]

Both spit XIV and TA152 handle worst at the altitudes they were known to be champions but handle like champions at low level.

What??

[TwinTail]

Both spit XIV and TA152 handle worst at the altitudes they were known to be champions but handle like champions at low level.

icepac has been flying on the moon where gravity does not exsist XD

[icepac]

What I mean is that a yak9 at 35,000 feet is more stable as compared to a TA152 or Spit XIV which wallow badly.

At lower altitudes, they are fine.

[waystin2]

What??

Scratching my head too...

[icepac]

Spend some time up there.

[Tracerfi]

Both spit XIV and TA152 handle worst at the altitudes they were known to be champions but handle like champions at low level.

I had to post this becasue its so wrong

[RTHolmes]

5 posts before the inevitable hijack. wtg

[Butcher]

I kinda agree with Icepac... If you manage to slow down the handling of the Ta-152 is horrible at 40k (flew up there in FSO) Keeping it above 300 you are fine....compared to 30k in a Yak where I danced all over a flight of 190s in FSO... they were stalling out and I was just zipping around like nothing.

[Shuffler]

I've often thought of spit pilots as unstable.