Quick question - does the gunsight work? I can’t find info or switch.
Great aircraft - well done.
In 2021, you would probably want to take a Portable VHF Com/Nav/GPS unit with you … and a GOOD noise cancelling aviation headset .
Would be nice if one of these could “POP UP” in the Spitfire !!
Otherwise there is always the VFR map , LNM etc – but a Handheld unit would add to the immersion.
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Great selection JK.
Out of curiosity, roughly how many different Mk IX liveries were there from the era in which that aircraft flew?
(Not suggesting you do them all, just curious re the variety) 
TG
Re the take offs, if they are rumpty, try around 1/2 throttle , glue the tailwheel down with up elevator initially, & hold in a bit of right rudder.
If you can control the left hook you should be ok.
Avoid crosswinds
TG
oh dear…
They built 5665 Mk.IX Spitfires, and another 1054 Mk.XVI’s, which were identical, so that’s the start.
Quite a lot of them will have gone through several liveries throughout the war after being transferred to another squadron etc, or being painted with invasion stripes, and then after the war many were sold and resold…
so well over 10,000 I would say…
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That should keep you busy for a week or so!
Appreciate you putting your time & artistry into this aircraft.
TG
The plane unfortunately flies like ■■■■. In the crosswind, it is almost impossible to take off and land without some wacky dancing. The plane is super unstable and wobbles even at 10 knots crosswind with 3 wheels on the ground. It is quite clear that MSFS does not simulate crosswinds correctly, but for this very reason, the flyingiron should not try so hard to make it as realistic as possible because MSFS just cannot handle it. Without crosswind is all good, but with a crosswind, it is really a wacky plane to land and take-off.
No, that’s pretty accurate. The Battle of Britain Memorial Foundation maintains and flies a number of historical WWII aircraft including Spitfires. The plane is difficult to control in crosswinds, to the point that they impose a crosswind limit of 15 knots on all flights, and in crosswinds of 10-15 you have to have accrued at least 50 hours in the plane. I understand that you may not personally like that, but it seems to be the reality.
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Further evidence: A spitfire had an accident in 2017 where upon flaring for a landing rolled left and had a wing strike on the ground. The main contributing factor seems to have been gusting crosswinds that caused the plane to roll.
Government Incident Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a5f1679e5274a444181005b/Spitfire_TR9_G-ILDA_02-18.pdf
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Also see: A History: Cliff Spink & the Spitfire
Talks at one point about the Spitfires, especially the baby Spits being unruly in a crossword and exhibiting exactly the behavior you’re describing.
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10-15 knots is max rated crosswind in a Spitfire. Apparently RAF fields were set up so that one could avoid them altogether, see my link to Avsim discussion above.
I’ve posted other links on this topic as well.
So, it’s supposed to be really sensitive to crosswinds. Especially full perpendicular.
That said, my guess is it’s a hair oversensitive, because I find landing near impossible with anything over 10 knots full perpendicular. Aileron helps a lot with take offs up to maybe 12-13 knots full perpendicular. Jabbing rudder.
Pulling full back upon landing as you would with any taildragger. All taildraggers are sensitive to sudden crosswinds.
I think maybe it takes a bit too long to slow with gear down but without flaps. Which is an issue because crosswind landings can be easier without them (or half flaps in a Cessna).
Also, I’ve seen it advised on A2A forum to ease rudder and aileron correction just before landing. Not to sideslip land it just like a Cessna. That does help a bit, I find. Then full back and don’t overcorrect.
In any case, you can definitely do crosswind take offs and landings in this thing below 10 knots.
I just got the Spitfire this weekend for VR. It’s great so far! My only complaints are that the cockpit sounds are not great. The external view sounds are really nice, and I hope that they adjust the cockpit sounds to sound ‘beefier’ and less like an old lawnmower. Also, in VR you’re unable to zoom in on any of the instruments. Not a big deal but it would be nice to do.
Overall very happy with my first add-on purchase to date for this sim!
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Just had my first flight in the MkIX with my newly completed AuthentiKit throttle quadrant, which just happens to be for a Spitfire MkIX! I just about managed a circuit, although I wouldn’t want anyone to see the playback! The throttle quadrant is working very nicely, although bomb release isn’t doing much in msfs
I had already built the Authentikit flight stick and trim wheel (amazing free plans for 3d printing), and the flight stick especially makes it a lot easier to have fine control over the spit. The throttle quadrant is really smooth with just the right amount of friction, which gives me even less excuse for still crashing on takeoff…
It’s great in VR to have the controls really match what you’re seeing. I almost exclusively fly in VR, which makes it a bit odd that I’ve added weathering. Looks like it’s been stolen from a wreckage and then kicked about a field!
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Think it looks great with the weathering, nice job
Pretty sure I’ve already accounted for all post-war ground accidents, and managed to destroy the equivalent of every remaining Spitfire. Starting to wonder if this is a sign I need to replace my 20 year old CH pedals and Sidewinder joystick.
Still, this aircraft makes me excited to play Flight Simulator. I’m always geeked to get out there wreck a few more spits, and try again. Then I nail a trip around the pattern, and I almost feel like a real pilot again.
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Ha, I’m sure the flight model isn’t perfect, but I was just watching a video that said the #1 cause of lost Spitfires during the War was the plane spinning out on the ground and flipping. Pilots would give it too much power and the P-factor was so great that the plane would spin in a circle. So yea. More spits were lost to novice pilots before even taking off than were lost to crashes or being shot down by the Germans.
Back to the Spit today to have yet another go at getting it right! Ready for takeoff realised I had a 90 deg crosswind at 14kt - thinks, this is going to be interesting! But got it airborne with only a couple of wobbles for a half an hour flight, beating up the local airstrips then seeing if I could do some cloud dancing.
Unfortunately I hit severe icing around 10,000ft and it was no fun so back down and go for a landing. Still a crosswind but I made a good approach and a bouncy landing - then ground-looped again on the rollout. Aarrgghhh!
Right, changed the weather to a light breeze straight down the runway and asked for circuits. Well waddayouknow, three good take-offs - two from the rollout after uneventful landings with a greaser to finish.
So for now I’m going to avoid crosswinds until I’ve had some more practice. But meanwhile what a lovely smooth aircraft to fly! Just davoid crosswinds!
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I routinely get yaw and wing dip on the takeoff roll even with a wind that’s only 10 degrees off runway heading. I can correct maybe one of them, but the rudder needs something like a little jab, and the aileron needs a completely different input, which I can’t manage at the same time, so I’m either off the runway by then or dragging a wing. And I eeeeaaase the throttle up too. It almost seems like it’s random if it’s going to be smooth event, or if everyone on the ground is going to be running cover. So I’m wondering if the little bit of jitter on my joystick, even with the large dead zone, is starting a cascade of instability that manifests later as the take-off roll proceeds. My sensitivity curves might be suspect too, where I wind up overcorrecting as a result.
Newb question: still losing my engine at high altitudes even though I have the fuel pressurization ■■■■ (■■■■) set to on? The engine makes a bad grinding noise and I can’t get power back at all. Maybe I’m misreading that switch, but it’s off by default isn’t it? Tried to dead stick it but then the landing gear wouldn’t drop. Was rolling on the tailwheel holding it off the ground, but then a black screen of course.
Check the compass is unlocked
Amended repaint for the Spitfire Mk.IX by FlyingIron, in the colors of Spitfire LF.IX TA864 of No.318 (Gdanski) Squadron, flown by P/O Zdzdislaw Uchwat, from an airfield near Udine, Italy in May-June 1945. Repaint by Jan Kees Blom.
(I trust JKB will not mind the liberal application of grey primer)
TG
