Spitfire Mk. IX LF

[Larry]

If I was to skin one would I put it on a SpitXVI or a SpitIX?

[lyric1]

XVI Only because it will have a much better chance of seeing the light of day as there is still spots available.

[Krusty]

That's not an easy question. Depends on the spit in question.

If it's clipped wing with 50cal MGs, it will definitely fit better on the spit16.

However, if it has rounded wings, perhaps a pointed rudder, and .303s in the wings, I would say you are way better putting it on the spit8.

Yes, spit8. Aside from the wing tanks, it (and also the 16, aside from its clipped wings) is a Spit LF Mk.IX with the later boosts.

The spit F Mk.IX in game is the higher-alt geared model using early 1942 boost levels.

[jocko-]

As far as broad chord vs standard rudder, clipped vs standard wingtips it's really not an issue IMO. There were Mk IXs and VIIIs with both styles of rudder and XVIs and VIIIs with both styles of wingtips. Armament installed might be more of an issue. If you're going for low alt performance then I'd go for the XVI. The IX we have isn't optimized for low alt (LF), and the VIII is a totally different animal from the Mk IX airframe-wise. Which Spitfire are you planning to skin?

[Larry]

I was looking at a Russian spitIX LF that had clipped wings, pointed tail, and .50cals. Only Problem is I cant find anything to say it ever saw combat.

[Krusty]

Most of the soviet spits were on rear guard duty, well away from the front line. They saw almost no combat. That's not to say none did, but I'd wager it was few and far between.


The LF Mk.IX with 50cals would most fit a spit16 (performance and armament match, but clipped wings mismatch) or spit8 (performance and rounded wings match, but armament mismatch). I'd say unless you have more info it almost certainly would not match our in-game spit F Mk.IX.

[Karnak]

Krusty, most Spitfire LF.Mk IXes had clipped wings and are impossible to tell from a Spitfire Mk XVI visually.

[Krusty]

Karnak, he never said e-wing. Just "LF IX" which has a lot of variety.

EDIT: Unless I'm misreading your text "LF.Mk IXes" as e-wing, when you mean "plural of LF.Mk IX"?

[Karnak]

Krusty, you said "armament match" and in order for that to be true, it has to be an e wing.

[Krusty]

Interesting. As far as I was aware the clipped wings were more often matched to the LF engine rather than the weaponry in them. Plus this is a soviet spit we're considering. They also yanked the guns out of the hurricanes they recieved and put in 2 20mm and 2 .50cal of their own design. It is possible they yanked any .303s and put in .50-equivelant.

[Karnak]

Possible I guess.  I took your post to mean a Spitfire LF.Mk IX with the same armament as a Spitfire Mk XVI, which would mean an e wing.

Keep in mind a decent number of LF.Mk IXs also had clipped wings.  It wasn't a hard modification, certainly easier than putting the gondola cannons on a Bf109 or taking them off.

[Guppy35]

The Spit IXs that went to the Soviet Union were in the main Spitfire LFIXe.  I'd suggest skinning it on the Spit XVI.  When I get a chance I'll see what I can find.  I know they did see combat.

[Krusty]

I've always wanted to see the spit9 with the arrow in soviet service:

http://www.wunderwaffe.narod.ru/Magazine/AirWar/148/Pictures/tittle_04.jpg

(top profile)

I'd love to see that in-game, assuming it actually saw action.


Just a friendly hint, if you're looking for soviet Spit9's to skin 

[Larry]

Well the IX slots are filled thats why I was wondering about putting one on a XVI.

[jocko-]

The Mk XVI is the perfect choice because the model we have is an LF IXE... the only difference between the IX and XVI is that the IX's engine was built by Rolls Royce, whereas the XVI's was built by Packard under license. Even still, the only difference was the Packard Merlin used an American Bendix carburetor instead of a British one. Other than that the engines were identical, Packard even used British Whitworth threads and Imperial sized fasteners in construction instead of US SAE sizes, a huge undertaking for them with all the retooling required.

A MK. XVI is just a Mk. IX with a different carb.

The airframes are also identical, just maybe some extremely minor manufacturing differences due to the design evolving over time (ie. spot welding used on the XVI to attach stiffeners to gun access panels instead of rivets like on the IX... minor stuff).

HTC might as well rename the XVI we have to "LF Mk. IXE" because there's really no way to tell the difference with the 3D model we have. Now, if they put a bubble top on it then it would be instantly recognized as a XVI, the IX series never saw that update but the later XVIs did.

I'd started a white tailed VVS Spitfire a while back but never finished it. See the profiles in this thread:

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,264733.0.html

Cripes, that was a year ago! Where does the time go?!? And no, I STILL haven't done any more work on the BPF Hellcat either...  

Go for it, we need a late model VVS Spit.