Spit 14, a little something more

[Guppy35]

Don't see what you're trying to say...  the Spit XIV just isn't that spectacular.  The I think the Spit IX is just as good, little slower, and again, no perks.  So yes, theory holds up fine.  If Spit XIV was the only spit, then I think you'd see people flying them.  There's just not enough of a difference in performance and loadout to make the XIV more worthwhile than a free ride.

Some folks assume that because it's a Spitfire it should fly like another Spitfire.  It's a Griffon engined bird, that's heavier.  Prop rotates the opposite of the Merlin.  It was a rocket going upstairs.

Problem is folks take it up and fly it like a Spit V or IX and get themselves killed not using it's best assets.

It is most definately not a Spit XVI which as has been pointed out a million times is nothing more then a Spit LFIXe with an American built Packard Merlin 266 instead of a Rolls Royce built Merlin 66.

Make the XIV a free ride, get some folks to learn it's strengths and you'll see a lot of use.

[Boozeman]

Just came across this:

but a6ms, la7s, nikis, and sea based planes dont make sense at all unless you calculate pilot's misunderstanding of the plane.

You can't be serious. 

[bustr]

It's the only spit you have to fly like a 109 or a 51D to survive in and below 15k both are faster than it.

It's magic trick is not usable until you are above 15k. Most players don't know how to use that trick when they are there.
The K4 has a better chance of making a rooky into a vet under 15k just by being in it than the spit14 does.

Under 15k even the G14 and spit16 on WEP chases down the spit14 and eats it.

Using a dive under 15k to get enough speed to run away in a spit14 turns into a locked up controls and hole in the ground.

Trying to pull tight turns in low furballs augers it in seconds.

Trying to do rapid stick snapping evasives in a low furball when you get bounced emidiatly stalls you into the ground.

Below 15k its not much better than the spit8 which most non vets bring too much fuel in it and stall it in tight turns.

The top 1/5 of the games talent will be just as deadly in it as they already are in G14,  K4, 51D, F4U-4, F4U-C, 262, 163 and a Piper Cub with a Tommy gun. Everyone else will suck in it because of it's inherit problems and need of a sensitive hand on the stick. Oh and it sucks fuel almost as fast as the 163.

Un-Perk it and let the baby seal terror hoards kill themselves flying it into the deck.

Hey..... here comes Vdogfight's 20k spit14 hoard to stomp our furball. Everybody check everything the hoard is diving on us! Does anyone hear what sounds like a bus load of little girls shreiking??????? HuH....WoW...thirty spits just roared by and augered. At least the shreiking stopped.......  

[321BAR]

Just came across this:

You can't be serious. 

have you seen an la7 above 15k feet lately that could outfly the 14?

[321BAR]

It means my initial response was indeed correct, and you keep making the point for me...  the benefit you get from a SpitXIV is not worth the cost.  A Spit IX or XVI can do all the same things at no cost.

I've stated my point?  What is yours... 

not true... compare a spit8 to a 9 and youll see a difference, and compare the 8 and the 16 and you will see (a smaller) difference. the 14's griffon is beautiful at altitudes and ok at lower levels.

[B3YT]

the Mk14 has more akin to the MkXII (which we don't have in game) and the MkIV ( test bed for the griffon engine which after alteration to wings and fuselage became the MkXII) than the MkIX and IIX spits  . I'd hate to fly the Mk XVI anywhere near the MkXIV above 17K and the MKIX is  only just able to turn with it due to it not having the clipped wings , thou it  is vastly under powered compared to the Spit XIV .   The XIV should be perked lightly as it is due to this advantage over most of the other aeroplanes at 17K or above. 
 
The biggest draw back to the XIV was it over sensitive controls , especially when firing it's guns.   The toque effect can be used to great advantage in a scissors fight . By chopping and then opening the throttle you can really   make it roll quite aggressively at altitude . The Spit XIV should never be used as a turn fighter unless at very high altitude.   

[Yossarian]

What's with all the hatin' on the Spit XIV?  IMO it's a beautiful plane to fly at high alt.

[Perrine]

IMO it's a beautiful plane to fly at high alt.

But for only a limited time.

P-51 and F4UA is still the best up there imo

[Perrine]

What's with all the hatin' on the Spit XIV? 

for having perk pts

[Yossarian]

Spitfires > P51s & F4Us, therefore SpitXIV > P51&F4U

I love logic 

[321BAR]

But for only a limited time.

P-51 and F4UA is still the best up there imo

stick a drop tank to the spit14 and you will have approx 30 minutes flying time, once youre at altitude, throttle back and cruise with it and youll save fuel. it climbs better than the P51s and F4Us even with 100% and DT and gets to alt fast

[bustr]

Spitfires > P51s & F4Us, therefore SpitXIV > P51&F4U

I love logic 

Below 15k the P51, G14, K4 and F4u-4 are faster than the Spit14. The F4u-4, G14, K4 climbs better and the P51 is about equal in performance + or -.

The spit16 out performs the spit14 below 15k. ERGO......unperk the 14 because 5/6 of the players will fly it below 15k in it's WORST possible flight envelope. It will never be a game imbalance because its perk 10+ or - makes it available to squads at ALL TIMES who would know how to use it EnMasssss. Only the POTW use it in 12+ fighter sweeps to try and change the flow of the game. We don't do that more than 4 times a month on average. I apologise to all of Aces High if I'm wrong. I'm not Snailman with the stats.

HiTech SIR.....pull past stats and see this is generaly true. You have offered it at a NOTHING perk price and it is not used. As a test reduce it to 3 perks for a tour and watch the usage stats. I bet if you reduced the spit14 to 3 and the 262 to 50 the 262 would fly out of the hanger.........Or reduce the F4U-4 to 20 and the Spit14 to 15. Bet the F4U-4 would get more use...................

[Boozeman]

have you seen an la7 above 15k feet lately that could outfly the 14?

You rarely find a con at 15K or above (compared to lower alts) let alone a Spit 14. Up to 10K the La7 should handle the Spit14 easily. This is the place where AH combat takes place.
 

[Ruah]

If everyone flying the 16 today flew the 14, some very skilled 16 pilots would do better and most would just die terribly.  switching the 16 with the 14 for perks would be an interesting experiment for a few tours and i think more justified.

The reason the K4 is not perked is because mastering the 30mm takees a lot of time, and 65 shots is not a lot. . . I think my Yak is bad at 120 toejamvak shots, but the 65 shots in the k4 is the only reason I don't fly it more - I take a lighter 20 mm G14 out instead.

anyway, I would love to watch all the 16 pilots in 14s. . . it would make me very happy to see them stalling lik hell all over the place.

[321BAR]

You rarely find a con at 15K or above (compared to lower alts) let alone a Spit 14. Up to 10K the La7 should handle the Spit14 easily. This is the place where AH combat takes place.
 

every flight i make now is 15k or above. this gives me the advantage of attacking cons lower than me. spit14s are beautiful in this role and in BnZing. a fight i was in it was me in the 14 below 15k with jugMs above and an F4U below and i had 2 squaddies with me one in a ponyB. i killed 3 of the 5 enemies... use the spit as an overpowered P51 that can turn better than a p51 also... its near perfect in this role.