Spit1a

[loverboy1]

Spit1a

IS THERE A CURRENT VERSION OF THIS .... UPDATED TKS

[B Bandy RFC]

I don't have an answer for you, but I certainly find that the current version of the 1a in ETO is nearly a death trap in a dive, with severe aileron and elevator compressibility that I simply do not see in other a/c of the same period, Hurricanes etc. AND I somehow doubt the AI exhibit it either...

Thoughts?

[swpierce]

I have also managed to kill myself in that bird. However, I did read that the Spitfire did get very heavy on the controls with speed. The AvHistory P-47 and FW190-A3 also have the same difficulty, as I think does the P-38. You may just have to watch your airspeed.

[ndicki]

The early Spitfires had fabric-covered ailerons which ballooned and lost effectiveness at high speeds, notable in a dive. They were replaced during early 1941 with all-metal ailerons which gave a considerable improvement in high-speed handling. If you're used to flying a nice, easy MkV, you might just find that the MkI has its dodgy habits...

[B Bandy RFC]

Yes, I've read about the canvas ailerons before, I totally agree with you it is REALITY, BUT if the Spit had them, then so did the Hurricanes.

AND will the AI play by those rules if I fly Luftwaffe??? I doubt it...

[Mathias]

The ailerons were the Spit's archilles heel, no matter what version.
At least up to the Mk IX "the sky wasn't enough to roll the Spitfire" as one pilot put it.
The Fw190, being a next generation design, did by far not suffer from compressibility like the spit and Bf109 did and remained manoverable up to 900kph with a max of 14Kg stick forces.

[MajorMagee]

300 mph was the limit for the Zero. Above that and aileron turns were impossible.

[Pat Pattle]

The latest Spit FM that Capt Winters tweaked is much better, it's in with the cockpit upgrade and will be in the ETO 1.3 versions.

If you notice with the old fm's you couldn't stall it either.