SUPERMARINE SPITIFRE
In no particular order, note: b. Cruising with the cowl flaps open will reduce the range of the
aircraft because of cowl flap drag. Also, if you took off with fuel
in the external tank, there will be some drag due to the tank itself as well as the drag due to fuel, unless you drop the empty tank. Design Idea from Msoft FS9 c. The simulation is close to spec at all flying conditions
below 25,000 ft. Above that height, the simulation fails to fly
"to spec", for reasons I don't fully understand, and don't know
how to fix. d. The fuel draw is automated. The external tank is drained first,
followed by the left and right fuselage tanks together, and then the main tank.
The selector only selects which tank to report the amount of
fuel in, not the selection of which tank to draw fuel from. e. The real spitfire had a automatic mixture control. This simulated aircraft allows selection of Full rich, AutoRich, Autolean, (the Brits call it "Auto Weak") and LeanOff. This design is based on my simulation of the Cambridge Mixture Gauge. f. There is a voltmeter on the Virtual Panel. g. As with the real aircraft, you need to select the proper prop speed depending on the altitude, gross weight, and desired Indicated Airspeed. h. As with the real Spitfire, the supercharger changes speed automatically as the need for more air changes with altitude and OAT. i. The Spitfire has a very primitive Autopilot, that only holds magnetic heading, and/or holds climb/descent rates based on switch positions. This gauge design is from a realistic simulation of the Lockheed "Super Connie" by Hans Joerg Naegele.
j. The early Spitfires were carburetored and prone to fuel starvation on sharp dives. This "feature" is modeled correctly. The remedy is to quickly pull out of the dive. The penalty is that not pulling out will result in lockup of the controls and inability to "pull out".
k. The ATC uses the unique call sign "ARMY 803" to match the number on the fuselage.
NEW FEATURE
In addition to the standard canopy controlled by "Shift+E", Mr Stub's model has an accurate depiction of the port spitfire door.
Use the key Shift+; to open, Shift+/ to close.
CAUTION
Do NOT touch the keyboard "L" or "O" keys unless you intend to fire the guns. The 2D panel has a safety switch that has to be in the "up" position for the guns to fire.
REFERENCE INFORMATION
For standard procedures, see the Checklists tab.
Open port door Shift + ;
Close port door Shift + /
Toggle Canopy Shift + E
Release Ext. Tank Use Panel Switch
Toggle Wing Guns Switch on, then "O" Key
NOTE: To adjust fuel load, on the Aircraft menu, click Fuel and
PayLoad.
NOTE: The following are recommended Aerobatic speeds
DO NOT ATTEMPT WITH ORDANCE LOADED.
- LOOP
250 KIAS
- ROLL
200 KIAS
- HALF ROLL OFF LOOP
300 KIAS
- CLIMBING ROLL
300 KIAS
- Max Speed
355 KTAS (at 13,000ft)
- Max Speed
372 KTAS (at 16,900ft)
- Max Speed
325 KTAS (at 26,000ft)
- Max Range Speed
150 KIAS (Sea level to 20,000ft)
- Stalling
Speed (clean)
90 KIAS
- Stalling
Speed (flaps and gear)
85 KIAS
- Best Rate-of-Climb Speed
150 KIAS
Actual Spitfire MK Vb performance measured in 1942:
Merlin 45, 3000 rpm for 3 minutes max,
prop 10' 9" diameter
measured takeoff wt 6965 lbs
cog 7.3 inches aft of the datum
coolant normal 120 deg. short period emergency 135 deg. C
above25K ft, continuous 3000 rpm ok, else 2850 rpm continuous
http://www.spitfireperformance.com/aa878.html
a. You can "drop" the external tank, and although you can't see
it visually, you can see the external fuel quantity needle go to zero, and
the gross wt. of the aircraft will change properly, based on the weight of the tank and the weight of the fuel therein. Also, the parasite drag on the aircraft will lessen, due to the tank being gone. There is a switch on the panel to drop the tank.Design idea from CFS2.