Oleg - Spitfire Cockpit.

[BOBC]

MD_Wild_Weasel. There was a bloke there that REALLY knew his stuff and was able to identify any part of the aircraft mangled or not. Maybe with a little research you could locate this guy and ask his opinion.

I know them well

I have been studying spit Mk1 30 yrs and the cockpit for 25 yrs. Not just from books, far from it, from hands on experience. Touching panels that flew in the BoB. I know my cockpits.

Major Setback...it is asking way too much that he should be able to perceive which of those posters has a relevant point

I did email him and indicate my experience to him. The points I raised should have been enough to convince him I know my Mk1.

Another way to look at this by the way is as follows.
What are the most obvious differences between a Mk1 and a MkV.
They are:-
Two tier pedals
small diameter clock standing proud of inst panel surface.
One fuel gauge
Only Volts not Volts and amps below it.
Box type radio port wall.
No landing lamp controller
Bakelite seat and not grey green aluminium.
All black bakelite deep recessed trim wheel.

Apart from the radio currently this is the cockpit in the sim !

Purchase and play the dvd Spitfire Frontline Fighter and get to see awesome rare Mk1 BoB aircraft being fully serviced. The complete footage, Thorn EMI featured only part of this before. Followed by re-arming, E pens etc. See the Mk1 cockpit, your only way of ever doing so ! You'll even see filling the screen the Trim wheel of the Mk1, remember this is by now an R serial, only X run to go...and the large clock, and amps gauge and two fuel gauges, and the correct starter button, (not mentioned that error before..not so obvious but its there, like the fact that the compass card holder was anodised aluminium and not black, in this video and all those dug examples).

It would I still feel, be right to release the sim with a Mk1 cockpit and not expect users to wait for a Mk1 fix. I pay money for a BoB sim, I want to see a Mk1 as I fly it and not be told I have to wait, surely thats a reasonable expectation when buying a BoB sim, never get this hassle with BoB WoV.

pilots at that time developed there own flying stlyes and preferences would have had the engineers make subtle changes to their flying machines

Those pedals were not fabricated in squadron hangars, they are castings.
Talking to someone that has a lifetime of BoB digs, they have never dug a two tier one yet !
Spitfire Spares say two tier used after the Mk1. they should know !

The R serialled spit in the video inspection by the way has a single tier pedal, they had the word Supermarine on the tread area. That puts L,N, P and R serialled production runs as far as this aircraft with Single Tier pedals. Only leaving X serialled production. Thats most of the BoB aircraft.
Pilots are not going to say to the groundcrew, I prefer my spit without the amps gauge, or I think I will dispense with knowing whats in the 48 gallon fuel tank, please also perfectly fill in the hole and shift the 37 to the left a little...oh and rip out the landing lamp control, and get the smaller clock that is still in development at Smiths, I fancy a smaller one....and so on.

The only mod was armour plate instigated by Dowding, addition of rear view mirrors, gun harmonising distance.

MD_Wild_Weasel I think that we/he needs to find the middle ground so that he can get on with his work. Perferction takes time and money.

Perfection ..I think asking for a Mk1 cockpit is a fair request, perfection would be demanding that the lettering saying Artificial Horizon was picked out in brass.
I still say, so as to not prolong release time, simply forget about another vehicle and spend the time on pedals, fuel gauges and clock, just those three will be a start, and make a massive difference. I just have a gut feeling we will never see this cockpit corrected. Surely of all the fixes this is the one, as opposed to a Fiat CR42. Spit fliers will be staring at these mistakes hour after hour.

I would like to hear the developers thoughts on this question of fix it to become a Mk1 and the time it takes versus adding tannoys to a hangar side or creating a this or that which may not be seen for ages in the sim unless you happen to come across it.

Perhaps a vote from thread readers..Mk1 before or after release, if ever.

I say 'before'.

BOBC