Spitfire Basics PDF

The sexy beast she is

Before running off to chucks wonderful guide let me give you a down and dirty guide that will bring you up to speed on the spit and the hurricane models rotol 100 oct  and 1a 100 and mkiII a spitfire
first adjust your on-screen  motor controls from analog to digital this is crucial as to getting everybody on the same page 

once you have done this you will see your output in percentages 

below 15000 ft turn on boost cut out (gives you 110% throttle at your command)

adjust your prop for 80% rad to 100% and run the throttle where ever you need and no matter what this setting will never overheat


adjusting over 85% prop can cause over heating and heavy maneuvering at radiator settings below 75% will also cause overheating

standard settings for flight leads is 100% throttle 80 prop and 100% rad so everybody can form up ........

Hmm, curious, when I clicked on the link it said "file does not exist?"
(must have done something wrong...)

However,

Can you find me a guide for the 109 (best settings) as I always seem
to burn the engine out. (BoB era planes- the later variants are never available to Tyro's...)

Also, help with the Blenheim would be useful.
I always wonder if going full prop/boost would be better in combat,
but it too has a habit of burning out engines in this mode...

I get that this is a post about the basics of an airframe, however, I'm not a fan of 'settings' used for anything except helping newer pilots or pilots new to the airframes.

A flight leads settings are just that.  Using 'settings' for climbing\rejoining wont allow someone to catch up if the flight lead is cruising level as an example.  Complicated even more by fuel levels (weight), trim state and that we fly mixed aircraft/variants in flights.

Personally, I feel giving the other pilots my indicated air speed, altitude and rate of climb allows the pilots to adjust their aircraft to exceed those figures to catch up.  It is truly universal.  If they don't know how, then tell them 'settings'.

Example 1]

"Whats your settings, I can't catch up"

Settings told.

5minutes later.

"I still can't catch up."

"Roger, reducing throttle to 70%"

5minutes later

"I think i'm gaining."

2minutes later

"Are you with us yet, I'm nearly out of fuel?"

"Nearly - Oh that explains alot, I have a full tank!"

Example 2]

"I can't catch up"

"I'm at 200mph, rate of climb 2000 feet - angels 10."

"Roger, I'm doing 210mph, it's going to take some time."

"Roger that, slowing to 180mph."

5minutes later

"In formation, thanks for slowing."

"No worries, throttling upto 200mph."

Each to their own I guess - but for forming up - I use the dials to clearly communicate the information required.  I resort to 'settings' for a new pilot/pilots new to the airframe.

When you are chasing something, or on an attack run, then 'settings' do come in handy.

"Dropping rads to fifty - pulling the tit!" is one of my favorites (Hurricane FB and Blenheim).  I Still say fifty, even though I don't have the screen stuff - you can see halfway is halfway on either the radiator lever, the radiator indicator or the radiator cowls themselves (airframe dependant).  The temperature gauges are crucial here.  No point dropping the rads if you've climbed (slow airspeed) up to within a degree of popping your radiator.

Just my 2 pence, not to be taken as an arguement - again - using 'settings' is great for new pilots/pilots new to the airframes.  However, once the training wheels are off - use the dials.  You will start to learn the dials when you have the 'settings' set then say "I can't catch up - I'm only do 180mph" (climbing).  Dials are the logical progression from 'settings' and reduce comms clutter.

Dave, it's all about the RPM on the blenheim - over 2400ish RPM and it's going to start to cook - regardless of pitch/boost.  2400 RPM will also cook it if your airspeed is too low to cool the engines.

- You wouldn't hold your car/bike/other at the redline of RPM while stationary for very long before the temperatures rise.  However, on a race track / autobahn you can accelerate upto the redline in every gear and it 'should' stay within tolerances.  Unless you are doing a 'burn-out' - which quite often leads to more than just the tires burning out.  Airflow is important to take into consideration when using 'max rpms'.

Thanks Mackers, (re:Blenheim)
I hear you,
as a matter of fact, in the fighters, I like to drop my prop pitch to 40
and narrow the rads in level flight just because I like to hear the engine purr...

It's just that I always wonder what the best possible engine setting would be
for a Blenheim when you are dancing & jigging for your life at 1,000 feet
in the middle of a barrage load of flak!

I just feel there has got to be a way to get better performance!

Would higher prop pitch combined with full rads & boost off be any better than low prop pitch
and 40% rads (& possibly 80% throttle?) I dunno, every time I try to test these things in Campaign,
I get killed!

I suspect the engines dying is down to either:

1] Flak damage
2] Over-speeding the prop (Diving causing the prop to spin faster, thus exceeding Max RPMs - even with throttle off)
3] Radiator not open sufficiently
4] Slow air speed/air flow (climbing/turning)

*note - the above is pickamix damage - you can have some or all types.

If you are above @140-160mph at 1000 feet - fine pitch would normally be over the max RPM - thus killing your engines.

The general approach is to use 50-60% rads with boost on for low-level bombing.

*If you dive, reduce throttle
**If you climb, open rads
***If you bank turn, open rads

For me, I skim waves / trees to target - 50-60% rads with boosted full throttle.  (at 250/260mph @ 100 feet level flight - 2400-2600ish RPM is sustainable)

Near target, open rads - climb (pop-up) to @ 1000 feet

Dive onto target reduce throttle a tiny amount, drop bombs

Complete exit turn, full throttle - reduce rads to 50-60%

Run like hell.

*This is not a strict guide - just my usual approach with full bombs and 30% fuel.
**I do not use autopilot
***I constantly check over my right shoulder for the cylinder head temperatures - reducing throttle/opening rads if the needle moves into the danger zone (over 200ish)
****I constantly check my oil temperatures - reducing throttle if the needles move into the danger zone (over 80ish?  I can't remember - normally by the time oil overheats, the heads have melted already)

edited for spelling.

Roger,

Everything you said is spot on...

I just wish I could get the old Blennie to dance better...

Model and set the data for the Mosquito Dave - then create a mod for it in Blitz.   

On a serious note, the Blenheim was originally and typically used at 6000-8000 feet and 180/200mph for level bombing.  There is a book about the raid on the main German Port at the begining of the war including subsequent raids on bridges and the like - it was a horrific account everytime.  The tactics were changed several times, but the operational envelope of the airframe and it's equipment restricted the options.  The plane could go higher, but the bombsight restricted the ability to see targets - let alone hit them.  Even flying high, 18,000 feet enroute to target, dropping down to 10, 8, 6000 feet on the IP leg still wasn't a guarantee for success.  For large targets it wasn't so bad, easier in the game for the grey industrial areas and airfield targets - but not much care was given for the "whoopsies moments" due to what was being done over England.

Yes, it was a blood bath - extremely heavy losses.

Yes they retired the plane, similar time frame to the Defiant.

The only good thing about the plane was it's range - about 1000 miles.

It was less effective than Stukas in the battle of Britain.  It had better success with Coastal Command than Bomber Command.  Even in 'Night Fighting' the Beaufighter swiftly replaced it.

However, due to 1c's infinate wisdom, it's all we have at the moment.  You will struggle to get more than a 'Deaths March' out of it, no chance of a waltz.  Some targets need softening up (flak battery removal) before going in for the objective.

I found, if i died enough using various different approaches - I could get in on some targets.  Getting home and enjoying a career is not something to expect.

This is all stuff you know chap, it's certainly not your first rodeo - so i'm not teaching you to suck eggs - more that we all die flying the sodding thing!

PS - for most targets these days I just salvo the lot on it - one target per flight - no messing about with "i'll go here and there then over that way."  I do however still have a "secondary" target in mind - so if the area ahead is full of fighters, i'll divert.  If the fighters are within 10-15miles - it's probably too late to change.

It all sounds negative, but I still enjoy flying it - it's no B-25 or A-20 - but you gotta run what you brung.

Try to rally the troops too.  A pair, or more with you with the same target/secondary as the focus makes alot of difference to the "success" of the operation.

" you gotta run what you brung."

you said it Mackers!

Next time Calais comes up in the Primary list,
& with several hours left on the map,
if anyone is interested,
text me @ (deleted)
so we can join up and give em multiple hell!

Regards

TWC_Dave

I think the idea is to use Discord chap - you can get it for phones - saves exchanging numbers etc.  It works similar to whatsapp in terms of notifications.

I agree, having some organised bombing 'events' would help take the pressure off you and Birdtail  

I would urge you to edit your post and remove the number - this is a public area of the forum fella.  TWC only area for that sort of information.  Upto you though.

How about Wednesday at @20:00 hours Zulu?  Should avoid steam updates and have a solid map run of bombing?

EDIT:  I think we should rename this thread - so that SNG can repost the spitfire PDF haha - we have properly hi-jacked the thread and gone down a rabbit hole
EDIT 2: Maybe rename this one Blenheim with a pdf for that.


((SNG: Will Do, now I've hijacked your post!))