Based on the tilt of this thread, I’m going to be a complete contrarian and put in for the AH Spit. Why? FlyingIron is too much with the machismo of “accurate handling.” For my money and time, taxiing to the runway and getting into the air shouldn’t feel like a circus-trick. It’s not a “taxiing simulator,” afterall. AH actually get that (the nifty switch on the new Mustang). And, in my simming life (20+ years), I’ve “flown” (ie. used a plastic flight controller to manipulate code) Spits by RealAir, A2A, AH, and FlyingIron, and compared to the fun I’ve had with the first three, FI is a big no thanks.
FI are really establishing themselves as the premier warbird dev in MSFS so far, they’ve got a F6F, FW190 and BF109 also in the works. If they’re to the same standard as the Spitfire and P38 I think we’re in for a treat.
As noted by others the support of their products is great, constantly evolving to match the sim capabilities. Once SU8 drops I’m sure they’ll be quick to incorporate the new propeller modelling.
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I’m a huge fan of the FlyingIron Spitfire, currently flying it around the world in the Silver Spitfire route. I’m currently 46 legs and 60 hours into it. I don’t have any issues taxiing or taking off, as some have mentioned. As long as you read the manual and trim for takeoff as it says, you’ll be fine. The sound is phenomenal, flight model is solid, there’s an option for GPS, an option for autopilot, and guns on the wings.
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I have zero problem taxiing the FI Spitfire, on either pavement or grass.
Getting into the air is similarly not difficult if you put in several degrees of right trim (as called out in the manual), add right aileron during your takeoff roll, and not jam the throttle full-forward on takeoff. 4 pounds of boost to start, increase to 6-7 once the tail lifts and the rudder becomes more effective. Spend half an hour practicing sometime and you’ll never have any problems at all. It’s a lightweight, carefully balanced plane with a very powerful engine. It’s not a Cessna 152.
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In addition to the advice posted by @CaptHawkeye50 and @LameLefty - have you checked the version number of your FI Spitfire? I had the same reaction you did to the first version and put it aside for a long while. But takeoff behavior was radically revised in the 1.1.0 update - toned down to make it more realistic. You still need to use good technique, as others have posted. But it’s much more manageable now. If you’re still on the original, you might want to update and then give it a second look.
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AH has released some sub par planes, but the Spitfire is not one of them, I have both AH and FI and like them both, but I think I’d take the AH one if told I could only have 1.
No contest…Flyingirons every time. Have the Spit…and the P38 .
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i think both are good, but the flyingiron appeals more to the people who want some realism and the ah open is more for the arcade fliers.
and one is not better than the other.
Flying Iron is cheaper as well.
Like Pac-Man? 
Even study level aircraft are games unless you own the $35,000 X-Plane simulator version which offers FAA flight simulator certification from what I understand.
I have the FI Spitfire. After the initial challenge I’ve become very competent at take-off and landing. Excellent!
I have acquired the AH P51D, my first and probably my last purchase from AH! How any pilot of the era managed to take-off and land this plane, if AH’s rendition of this aircraft is correct, then they must either have been geniuses, otherwise dead.
Never owned this plane in previous sims and I guess some peeps are going to disagree, but I’ve spent too much frustrating time (and followed the manual) attempting to tame this plane so I guess it’s not for me.
It would be interesting to know how it compares to the equivalent prop planes in DCS. I only got the DCS planes so I always hoped someone would compare these two renditions of each plane to each other. The P-51D in DCS is probably one of the easiest prop planes to take off and land, the Spitfire on the other hand needs the right controls and the right trim and a lot of practice and technique to start and land well. Its flying really nice but theres no way around the trim wheels for it. Since I was positively surprised about the helicopter flight model added in the 40 year anniversary it would be interesting to know how the prop planes are. But taking-off and landing something with such a huge engine and with the gear of a spitfire and a joystick that doesnt have the real length cant be very easy.
The Mk1X from FlyingIron is good, not perfect. One thing I’d like to see, if it gets patched is the prop blades graphically rotate as you change the pitch. AH P51D does this. As just an armchair pilot I really don’t know which is simulated better. The Spit learning curve in the sim is quite easy.
The P51D is a frustratingly difficult plane on takeoff and is not so easy to land and as far as pilots were back in the day, I wonder how many died just trying to fly this thing. After all there were no simulators then. I think the difficulty on takeoff was do to the massive 4 bladed prop that developed so much torque that even careful use of the rudder was still a ■■■■■!
Having said this, both planes are a fine example of payware. The DCS version of the P51D is better both in performance and graphic detail. There is a mod that improves the flight characteristics of the AH version.
You’re kidding, right?
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