Quote:
Originally Posted by Crumpp
It is a fact that many Bf-109 pilots believed they had a turn advantage over the Spitfire.
Why? The Bf-109 had better stability and control where needed for turn performance. It was equipped with ant-spin devices in the form of LE slats so a pilot could reef the aircraft around with confidence. In practical terms, those LE slats alone contribute to a pilot being able to extract more performance. It's stability and control characteristics made it a better gun platform that a pilot could extract maximum performance. Who cares if it stalls, it is not going anywhere and recovers easily.
The Spitfire pilot had very low stick force gardient, very little stick travel to work with, and a extremely harsh stall/spin which could kill him in the right circumstances. It was a twitchy gun platform with a dicey stall.
Which airplane would you want to be at tree top level trying to get maximum performance? A plane that is going to dip a wing a few degrees and keep flying or the one that is going to invert and spin?
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I think both planes had very noticable pre-stall symptoms. 109 had slats which help at slow speed turning and high angle of attack and gave plenty of warining to the pilot other hand Spitfire had lower wing loading and wash out at the wing tips which casue also plenty of warning to the pilots and airleon control with stall. I have no doubt that Spitfire turns better then 109 but probalby its need little more carefully with elevator ( much more sensibility) then 109 to flying at the egde. I understand then much more experience pilot in 109 could turn with novice in Spitfire who dont feel the plane deeply.
Here is nice opinion Spitfire MK1 pilots from BOB time:
" If you want to shake someone off your tail you have to fly your Spitfire to its limits. In a tight turn you increase the G loading to such an extent that the wings can no longer support the weight and the plane stalls, with momentary loss of control.
However, in a Spitfire, just before the stall, the whole aircraft judders, it's a stall warning, if you like. With practice and experience you can hold the plane on this judder in a very tight turn. You never actually stall the aircraft and you don't need to struggle to regain control because you never lose it. A 109 can't stay with you."
And from Spitfire pilot notes:
"General Flying: “This aeroplane is stable. With metal covered ailerons the lateral control is much lighter that with the earlier fabric covered ailerons and pilots accustomed to the latter must be careful not to overstress the wings. Similar care is necessary in the use of the elevators, which are light and sensitive.
For normal cruising flight the radiator shutter should be in the minimum drag position.”
( interesting about radiator position and engine temperature)
Stalling: “At the stall one wing will usually drop with the flaps either up or down and the machine may spin if the control column is held back.
This aeroplane has sensitive elevators and, if the control column is brought back too rapidly in a manoeuvre such as a loop or steep turn, stalling incidence may be reached and a high-speed stall induced. When this occurs there is a violent shudder and clattering noise throughout the aeroplane, which tends to flick over laterally and, unless the control column is put forward instantly, a rapid roll and spin will result.
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