Why fly the Spitfire?

[609_Huetz]

I will have to wait until the weekend to give you some numbers Grand Armee, as I can't access my library during the week, since I do not bring it to the city I work in.

Until then: the main problem with the E-1s wasn't the armament, it was discoverd during the late stages of the Battle of France and the early stages of the Battle of Britain that the pilot wasn't sufficiently protected. During the course of the battle, a decent number of E-1s was already converted and fitted cannons and IIRC additional pilot armor of the E-3/4 standard. That's why the definate numbers or pictures can sometimes be misleading.

I do however agree, before the start of the BoB, it's fair enough to treat the E-1s and E3/4 as two different variants, it all gets a bit blury however during the Battle. Until I get home however Kurfurst, can you supply some sources for Grand Armee?

[Tiger27]

Originally Posted by Formula88

Its less durable than a hurricane and not too much faster, far less stable and completely useless for shooting down 109s. There is no reason to fly for the red side as far as I can see. Every advantage belongs to the blue with faster planes, deadlier guns and just general superiority. I was just in the syndicate server and there was like 15 blue and 5 red...I left because, well, wtf? Give us an aircraft capable of competeing with the 109 and I might decide to start playing again.

How about you practise, I have no problems taking down 109's with the Spit, get your convergence and distance to target right and the 303's do some damage.

I note you complained about everyone flying blue, but then instead of redressing the balance you left(I always try and fly for which ever side has the least numbers, more targets, more fun), so you complain, but are also part of the problem, man up and learn to fly the Spit and you may enjoy it.

[Iku_es]

I play for both red and blue airforces.
And the Spitfire is a worthy oponent for the 109, a far more dangerous plane IMHO than the Hurricane for a 109 driver.

When flying the Spitfire, I also have problems following those sneaky Jerrys if they start their standard attack procedure:
1. Shallow dive on me
2. Fire
3. Extend
4 Climb.
5. Repeat if advantadge is kept. else dissengage.

But this is the way it was. It is a Spitfire, not an Eurofighter.
Anyway, if I start with some alt advantadge, they cannot outrun me easily.

Regarding the 303's... I have mine set to a convergence 150-150 and an API mix. With a 1,5 second burst I have no problems setting them afire. Also, It will help a lot if you fire from an unloaded state (not pulling G's) and with the ball centered!.

[Danelov]

E-1´s were of the most numerical and normal types used by the Luftwaffe and a good number were still in service in the peak of the Battle by August 1940. Like with the changes in camouflage with 71-02-65(or 76), some E-1 were also updated as E-4, mainly with the new hood and the pilot plate armour. The weapons were not always updated and a good number of original E-1 were always equipped with the four MG and in such configuration were shot down over Britain. Some 158 E-1s were shot down or loss between July and october(and 41 E-3 and 236 E-4s).The E-4 had entry in service in May 1940. They are good photos of this shot down E-1s only MG equipped in the serie of books of Eric Mombeek.
About Spitfires, the 12 boost power although was not maybe a official recomended power settings, was massively used by the RAF pilots in combat.Also the convergence of the 0.303s at 250 yards was near of be the standard.

[Seeker]

I flew mainly Spits in '46, I'm flying mainly Hurri's now; for the dweebiest of reasons:

I have to fight the game less to maintain a gun sight view and vision on target in a Hurri than the Spit. It must be awful for blue fliers.

I love the default load out for the Hurri and can't seem to replicate it in the Spit. I'm fighting the game so much to keep the gun sight view I'm getting closer and just hosing 'em down with that lovely garden spray from the Hurri, I find this hard to do in the Spit with the default tracerless load out.

There's no doubt that the Hurri was, and is modelled as, the superior gun platform. If you could gain position.

There's no doubt it was much easier, and is so modelled, to gain position in a Spit than it is in a Hurri. But that still doesn't mean you can shoot the bugger.

I don't feel 109's are too much a threat in either of them under 10k any way. 110's are a harder nut to crack. Probably because they're not fighting the game's gun sight like the 109 drivers.

[Ze-Jamz]

Hmm..Im not sure about this Spit..

I hate the way it bleeds E in a spiral climb for instance, in fact any sort of climb it isnt good..the guns are ok but that it, its one of those sometimes they surprise you, sometimes they just annoy you type of situation..the negative G cut out just suxxors and bites you when you need power the most..., like il2 any type of hit on the front and your in trouble, plink there goes the engine..it doesnt take Dmg very well

I cant back up my claim neither do i have any type of evidence but any books/programs ive read you will always here about how good the spit is at E retention..it may be me again but i dont think this bird in game retains E that well?..Slow speed characteristics are rubbish, in a stall fight against a 109 its hard to come up on top

If you spin out in a spit, good luck recovering...it mat be me or my setup but if i start to flat spin in a spit I wont recover 99% of the time

equal skill level if you have a 109 on you who has Alt your in trouble...i fly both and the 109 you can just hang on its tail..it climbs like a mofo and dives just aswell, its being used in game like you would use a FW-190 in Il2...very hard to catch, dont even bother trying to climb with it ..the guns, again are okay once you master them, the 20's are as they should be and have a slow ROF but once you get your convergence right they rok.

In game the 109 is superior on nearly all levels...imo but i like flying both in either case, depends what mood im in

[EAF331 Starfire]

Originally Posted by Formula88

Its less durable than a hurricane and not too much faster, far less stable and completely useless for shooting down 109s. There is no reason to fly for the red side as far as I can see. Every advantage belongs to the blue with faster planes, deadlier guns and just general superiority. I was just in the syndicate server and there was like 15 blue and 5 red...I left because, well, wtf? Give us an aircraft capable of competeing with the 109 and I might decide to start playing again.

I think you post dispays a solo pilot attitude, so I suggest you join a virtual Sqd. Teamwork in inferior a/c make wonders for survival and kill ratio.

Before I joined an Alllied Sqd, I was a dedicated Axis Solo-pilot. By Axis I meen German. The Spit are looking mighty fine from the outside, but they were not build for War. Most Allied aircraft are designed as Aircrafts were guns are added later. The 109 and 190 are weapons of war. Crude but effective. Easy to manufacture (4.000 hours vs 13.000). Controls are more logical placed in the cockpit, more automation which leave more time for SA and powerfull guns which are centered for easier aiming and kills faster.

So why do I fly in an Allied Sqd?! Becouse people means more to me that aircraft, and because victories are more often won by the better pilot, not the plane.

Join us

************************************************** ************************************
Build time:
Spitfire (1940) - 13.000 hours (Source: Britain 1939-1945: The Economic Cost of Strategic Bombing, by John Fahey.)
Hurricane (1940) - 10.300 hours
Bf109 (1940) - 4.000 Hours (Source: The most dangerous enemy by Stephen Bungay)
Bf109 (1942) - 3.500 hours
Fw190 (1942) - 5.400 hours
P-51A (1941) - 12.000 hours
P-51 (1945) - 2.077 hours
B-17 (1942) - 54.800 hours
B-17 (1944) - 18.600 hours