PssssssssssssssT.....Bozon,
Port = Left
Starboard = Right
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TACTICAL COMPARISON WITH SPITFIRE IX
Turning Circle
18. The turning circles of both aircraft are identical. The Spitfire XIV appears to turn slightly better to port than it does to starboard. The warning of an approaching high speed stall is less pronounced in the case of the Spitfire Mk XIV.
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In the game I've noticed it does turn better to the port. Can anyone explain this phenomenon while it is a right hand engine and should favor right turns like the Typhoon and Tempest?
Since our XIV has the E wing, does that mean it has the Griffon 65 engine 18lb boost? Or do we have an early Griffon 61 18lb boost upgraded to an E wing? I thought the E wing XIV were all shipped with Griffon 65 as the combat standard. The XIV from Midway's link has the C wing and Griffon 65 18lb boost. I thought before Hitech updated our XIV it was a C wing and Griffon 61 which was the earliest release.
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As for stall and spin recovery.
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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 vertical 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.
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At MA furball alts once stalled, this thing is a death trap waiting for the four revolutions to complete. I have experienced this exact scenario above 15k though, and it does recover after the four revolutions as described if uncontrollable means slow gentle turning rotations.
As for better turn ability than the VIII. Not until you burn the wing tanks off. And even then in the game when you get right up on the edge in your maneuvering so it performs better than the VIII. Suddenly you are on your back spinning down to your death. This is not a user friendly ride. Or a ride for players with spikey joysticks if you plan to ride the edge of the envelope with it.
So far the best handling of an XIV I've seen in the game, was Agent360 flying it to muppet signature move standards for the K4 and not like a spitfire. Eventually the 18lb boost WEP not being equal to the K4 at SL to 5k, his over shoot popups got him nailed. Since we were furballing next to his airfield, I'm assuming being a long time muppet, he was experienced enough to bring a low fuel load to a furball.
Wonder which K4 and which XIV are charted in that climb chart I linked from spitfire performance??