Hurricane & Spitfire control characteristics

[Robo.]

Originally Posted by Bewolf

In a defensive way, yes, but there also only to a certain point. (..)

Absolutely. But the exactly the defensive way was very important for the RAF. Due to 109 characteristics, the LW fighters do have initiative in the sim. I really had to practice evasive actions and get better at the defensive tactics in order to be succesful RAF pilot in the sim (= survive and meet mission goal + do some damage if possible). Yes, I can cruise at 18k at ATAG and pick my fights, but usually, there are ground targets to defend and you simply don't have the option of having an energy advantage all the times, just like the real pilots. Hence my point with aerobatic characteristics being useful sometimes, it's in fact the only characteristics where RAF fighters excel but the game does not seem to reflect this.

I agree completely with what you say about fighter development and speed vs. maneuvrability doctrine, good post btw, there is no problem with that. It's just I am staying at BoB topic and I am concerned about the reality depicted in the sim, not the actual WWII.

[Bewolf]

Originally Posted by Robo.

Absolutely. But the exactly the defensive way was very important for the RAF. Due to 109 characteristics, the LW fighters do have initiative in the sim. I really had to practice evasive actions and get better at the defensive tactics in order to be succesful RAF pilot in the sim (= survive and meet mission goal + do some damage if possible). Yes, I can cruise at 18k at ATAG and pick my fights, but usually, there are ground targets to defend and you simply don't have the option of having an energy advantage all the times, just like the real pilots. Hence my point with aerobatic characteristics being useful sometimes, it's in fact the only characteristics where RAF fighters excel but the game does not seem to reflect this.

I agree completely with what you say about fighter development and speed vs. maneuvrability doctrine, good post btw, there is no problem with that. It's just I am staying at BoB topic and I am concerned about the reality depicted in the sim, not the actual WWII.

I am not so sure if that really is the case. Many people confuse tight turning ability with maneuverability in general. The first case, I agree, the Spit (and Hurri) have the advantage. But in a close in dogfight that does not just involve flying circles around each other, but all kind of maneuvers using all 3 axis of space, things like acceleration, roll rate, climb rate and mass inertia also play a huge, if not even bigger role.
Here the 109 actually has the edge even in a 1:1, if, and that is a big IF, the pilot knows what he is doing. A better weight to hp ratio and less drag in the 109 does not hurt that plane, either.

Fact is, the 109, despite it's advantages, is rather easy to fly, but it takes a lot of time and expirience to master it. But here we all are pros after years of flight simming. So I do not really wonder about your expiriences.

[bongodriver]

When the 109 is cornered into a slow turning fight and its leading edge devices are deployed it has lots of induced drag from the slats, the spitfire does much better in that enviroment.

[Robo.]

Originally Posted by Bewolf

I am not so sure if that really is the case. Many people confuse tight turning ability with maneuverability in general.

Yes but I do not. My point was that at this moment, the Hurricane is almost as fast as 109 and 109 is able to outturn a Hurricane. What I am saying is that the game does not reflect the known real life characteristics all that well. (we'll see how it will be after the patch).

I understand what you're saying though and I agree - give me a fast plane that climbs and rolls well and I am a happy fighter pilot

[Bewolf]

Originally Posted by Robo.

Yes but I do not. My point was that at this moment, the Hurricane is almost as fast as 109 and 109 is able to outturn a Hurricane. What I am saying is that the game does not reflect the known real life characteristics all that well. (we'll see how it will be after the patch).

I understand what you're saying though and I agree - give me a fast plane that climbs and rolls well and I am a happy fighter pilot

You are waiting for the 190, I see ; )

But yeah, I was talking generally, not CloD specific. In here I completly agree to your points.

[Kurfürst]

Originally Posted by Robo.

Absolutely. But the exactly the defensive way was very important for the RAF. Due to 109 characteristics, the LW fighters do have initiative in the sim. I really had to practice evasive actions and get better at the defensive tactics in order to be succesful RAF pilot in the sim (= survive and meet mission goal + do some damage if possible). Yes, I can cruise at 18k at ATAG and pick my fights, but usually, there are ground targets to defend and you simply don't have the option of having an energy advantage all the times, just like the real pilots. Hence my point with aerobatic characteristics being useful sometimes, it's in fact the only characteristics where RAF fighters excel but the game does not seem to reflect this.

The RAF itself had a very disillusioning view of the usefulness of aerobatics in air combat. The following is from the Spitfire II Pilots manual.

In view of this, personally, I find it rather ironic all these Mike on his site for example goes into great lenght about how excellent the Spitfire's aerobatic qualities were compared to the 109E (he quotes the same manual which a few pages later flatly states that aerobatics are useless as combat manouvers). What does it help you in combat if you can make tidy loops while the other guy can't..? A loop is quite possibly the worst manouver ever in combat, as it slows you down and make a perfect target of you.

Please note that under aerobatics, I (and the RAF as well) mean loops, finely executed rolls and other similiar stuff used for displays. A rather different thing than briskly executed, often uncoordinated combat manouvers which are 'untidy' exactly for the reason so that they are difficult to follow.

[Robo.]

Originally Posted by Kurfürst

Please note that under aerobatics, I (and the RAF as well) mean loops, finely executed rolls and other similiar stuff used for displays. A rather different thing than briskly executed, often uncoordinated combat manouvers which are 'untidy' exactly for the reason so that they are difficult to follow.

Loops, finely executed rolls and other similiar stuff used for displays is obviously useless in the actual combat. We (virtual pilots) know that and RAF learned the hard way back in the day. Still, combat manoeuvres have to be tidy if you want to succeed and / or survive in the sim. We're getting into fighter combat tactics here and that is not necessary I suppose - all I say is that the aerobatic abilities of the Spitfire can save your life although aerobatics as such is useless.