Spitfire first take-off; first "landing" observations

Set your brakes to a comfortable button in your joystick as you'll be using it all the time, and I mean all.

Agree! I bound it to the Warthog joystick NWS button and was flipping over all the time. I soon learned if you apply brakes for more than half a second you'll nose over. However, with rapid tap-tap-tap and slight rudder in the desired direction I can now land and roll out.

Yay!

Sim Mode with no take-off assist. Take-off was a little tricky at first but after watching the video 100 times and crashing many times i have got it sorted, she is very touchy and needs a gentle hand to make it all work.

Landing is my terror, bounce bounce bounce....flip, roll and crash. My approach speed is way to high as is my AoA...practice makes perfect.

I have ripped my ailerons off a few times now when in a steep dive, blacked out because of the G's and crashed. I'm in love with this bird, she is a real dream to fly and a great challenge.

I use a Logitech extreme 3d pro, with a 3 deadzone (Helps me with the wobble i get in the air, since my joystick is pretty old) this is for both pitch and roll.

Landing is my terror, bounce bounce bounce....flip, roll and crash. My approach speed is way to high as is my AoA...practice makes perfect.

I was coming in way too 'hot' too, then I realized with flaps and a gentle rate of descent it will hold steady much slower than you think. I haven't stalled-to-crash yet (unlike with the Mustang and Dora when I was plummeting all over the place).

I've pretty much nailed it by coming in under 100mph, flaring and holding over the runway. Let the speed bleed off and you just plop down gently.

I was coming in way too 'hot' too, then I realized with flaps and a gentle rate of descent it will hold steady much slower than you think. I haven't stalled-to-crash yet (unlike with the Mustang and Dora when I was plummeting all over the place).

 

I've pretty much nailed it by coming in under 100mph, flaring and holding over the runway. Let the speed bleed off and you just plop down gently.

Thanks for that, i'll give it a try S!

Is there exponential that I can add to my stick?

To help with the very sensitive controls?

Go to controls settings, choose the axes You want to adjust, click "axis tune" and use the curve slider.

Will come back to trying to take off, in a couple of hours, it's a lazy Sunday, but did any one. Else find the tried to use the toe brakes, while rapidly clicking the mapped key, paddle switch in my case lol

WAGS, yes VR may be much better, but I've not been a good boy, so Santa's not bringing that any time soon, in fact I'm lucky I'm not suffering from defence cuts this year.

Hey guys I may be missing setting my propeller rpm properly - wondering what might be best to set it for my joystick, can either assign to a button or an axis ( thinking Warthog gray slider or the left throttle)...

Is this something we would need to adjust fairly regularly?

My first day or so learning to land her were difficult too. The most common problem being landing too fast and/or landing just on the main wheels, and not getting ahead of the aircraft with rudder to keep her tracking straight.

 

Also, I find landing in VR MUCH, MUCH easier.

 

Good luck!

I really, really did not need to read that last part LOL.

Have a busy week coming up so may be another week or so before can really get into it again, but will certainly work hard at it and am confident I will get there.

Thanks again!

It is spring loaded and unbreakable. :lol:

 

Every next bounce is about half of the height of the previous one :huh: It's not far away from a basketball:

Every next bounce is about half of the height of the previous one :huh: It's not far away from a basketball

S!

Hey guys I may be missing setting my propeller rpm properly - wondering what might be best to set it for my joystick, can either assign to a button or an axis ( thinking Warthog gray slider or the left throttle)...

 

Is this something we would need to adjust fairly regularly?

I have it mapped to the throttle gray slider and as I use Target Script, I have it coded so that the middle notch is 2850 rpm.

Yes, you will need to adjust it often enough to give it some priority in your mapping.

I have it mapped to the throttle gray slider and as I use Target Script, I have it coded so that the middle notch is 2850 rpm.

 

Yes, you will need to adjust it often enough to give it some priority in your mapping.

Good idea :thumbup:

I would be really curious to see a real Spit pilot try ours. I doubt the real thing is THIS hard to kerp straight.

Well, Nick Grey is a real Spitfire pilot from The Fighter Collection and he directly participated in development.

I think the real problem is the complete lack of sensation - in real life lateral movements can be felt much earlier than they can be seen. In the Spitfire, this is exacerbated by poor forward visibility during the take-off roll. It can be hard to detect yaw and damp it before there are fairly big moments occurring.

I've had similar experiences the few times I've tried driving simulators (and of cars that I've driven a fair bit in real life). At first, I generally feel that oversteer is way over done and that the chassis feels too unstable. However, it is because all of those subtle cues of oversteer are missing (early G unload, reversal of lateral forces, changes in vibration, steering weight changes) - generally the only cue is visual and changes in engine sound (not too alarming since oversteer often occurs during throttle application). Once I start to pay attention to the cues that are present, things make a lot more sense and better match reality.

With the Spitfire, I am really focusing on my line-up references to catch early yaw and it is really helping. It does interrupt my instrument scan, but I'm hoping as I grow used to the necessary control inputs that things will get much easier.

So far things are steadily improving, but I too was pretty frustrated at first. I wonder if VR would make the take-off easier as well....

-Nick

Well, more metalwork on the scrap yard. I cheated and had a fly, IMHO the instant response from the pedals and stick were a bit unrealistic. So adjusted the stick in pitch and roll, by the same amounts 9, and the rudder by 10, Getting slightly further down the runway before the wing dips right and we go grasscutting.

I've got the stick back and to the right to counter torque, but rudder does not feel effective, getting to 6-7 of boost before I bondu bash.

Did manage to land 3 point from the short flight, and did groundloop, Finding it NOT automatic to press the paddle switch/brakes, but hitting the toe brakes.

A bit more time next week, and comments appreciated

Hey guys I may be missing setting my propeller rpm properly - wondering what might be best to set it for my joystick, can either assign to a button or an axis ( thinking Warthog gray slider or the left throttle)...

 

Is this something we would need to adjust fairly regularly?

Your Warthog throttle has two throttle levers, left and right engine. Use one of them to set RPM, the other to set boost.

Ok many thanks guys, I will try it with both left throttle and gray slider to see which I am more comfortable with.

On that I have put the Engine RPM Analoge onto the left Throttle, have the right throttle as just that, but do not see a control for Boost. I have however got further down the runway, jabbing the brakes to keep in line, .....before I took the right wing off as usual.

Going out now, will be back tomorrow for more concrete scraping... lol

On that I have put the Engine RPM Analoge onto the left Throttle, have the right throttle as just that, but do not see a control for Boost. I have however got further down the runway, jabbing the brakes to keep in line, .....before I took the right wing off as usual.

Going out now, will be back tomorrow for more concrete scraping... lol

Could be wrong but I believe the right throttle set to throttle would be considered boost, I am sure someone will correct me if that is not accurate.

Thanks for tip on the brakes, will give that a try as well.

I hear ya on the scraping, in my case especially on landings lol.

Outer lever on my Warthog for RPM, inner for throttle (boost), almost like the real thing :D. Following this pattern - paddle switch on the stick for brake. Sure, it's not analog, but by tapping it rather than holding, one can control braking force well enough for all activities on the ground.

Had to crank up curves to 25% however, to become comfortable with controls! But obviously, that's a very subjective thing.

As for DCS Spit, ironically, landings are easy for me - as long as I touch down gently in 3-point attitude it's no more difficult than Bf-109, but I still haven't developed a reliable, bulletproof technique and controller settings for taking-off without wobbling all over the place :D.

Reading this makes me feel better because i have had a super hard time taking it off because of the lack of visual inputs for when putting rudder, etc. It was a nightmare. Groundlooping all over the place. I crashed more than 100 but still to this day i can't do it with Wags method.

It wobbles all over the place because i don't know how to dance on the pedals. It's such a challenge, but i have managed to at least get 80% of the times in the air without crashing. Not pretty takeoffs, though. I guess time, practice, theory and muscle memory will help.

I also find it really hard to handle on the ground. I haven't started to try landings because i usually do after i have nailed the takeoff procedure, which i haven't.

I will try to use brakes as I roll.

I guess experience is important, but I am not an expert on warbirds so I don't know how to handle.

My first day or so learning to land her were difficult too. The most common problem being landing too fast and/or landing just on the main wheels, and not getting ahead of the aircraft with rudder to keep her tracking straight.

 

Also, I find landing in VR MUCH, MUCH easier.

 

Good luck!

I am proud to say, I have now successfully taken off beautifully with 0 takeoff assistance,, and even made a decent landing!

Thanks again for all your tips, they were most helpful!

Some of you may be using far too much power, the legacy of past "flying on rails" sims or simplified FMs. Even COD does not do the Spit justice due to the underlying FM algorithms.

I am getting up with no real problem using figures given me by a current MkIX display pilot. He uses max +6lbs boost and 2400 rpm, reducing to +4lbs boost for general flying and +6lbs for the displays. All these of course to protect the engine but there's more than enough power to get you flying. What you do next is up to you but in combat I generally keep to the Cruise settings +7/2650 unless I need to push it up but don't leave it there for too long or you'll damage the engine.

After a day of practicing I can take off and land normally.

Takeoff:

Trim the nose down, 1, even 2 notches. Stick slightly back, and to the right. Apply power gradually to 8 lbs , dance on that rudder. As you gain speed, stick slightly forward, and as you climb don't let the nose come up too high.

Landing:

Come in at 100-110 mph, 90 above the fence, trim one notch tail heavy, flare - this is the key: if you flare well, it will be easy to keep it straight. If you flare too high, or too low and bounce the plane will veer off. A well flared landing only requires a few kicks should the nose start to turn. Assigning the brake button to the stick helps a lot at lower speeds, as you will need it along with the rudder input.

Right aileron or left aileron aren't supposed to be applied on the takeoff run when there is crosswind?

I am able to get airborn in a 20feet (not my plan but doing fine) 8lbs boost is WAY too much power... IMHO for take off.

I think this plane fly's VERY light.