Posted by: jedi
Posted on: 11:36:06 11/05/98
Message:
OK, my BIG assumption is that most of us WB'ers are NOT real pilots,
but are gamers who are obsessed with WW2 air combat ;-)
Simply put, the Spit flies intuitively. Want to go fast? Put the nose
down. Want to climb? Nose up and WEP. Want to turn? Lurch push stick left
and pull, plane go left. Want to turn tighter? Lurch pull stick more. So
it doesn't take a real pilot to figure out how it flies best--because it
really has almost no vices.
Then throw in the fact that it really is the best all-around "compromise"
plane in the game. You can fly any style successfully, and even if you are
trying to do something the other guy's plane does a little better, if HE
makes a mistake, or isn't quite as good as you, you'll win. And of course
they have Spits that span the whole RPS with only subtle changes in the
way they fly, so becoming good in the Spit means you can fly well throughout
the whole RPS.
The P-38L used to be the same sort of plane before it's magic flaps were
removed, (and really the whole 38 series is probably just as good a choice
as the Spit, but I think that guys seem to feel the Spit outturns the 38
now, and again, the intuitive way to fly WB is to turn).
Most of the older heads, I think, fly other planes, not because the Spit
is "easy," but because it doesn't take long to figure out the
right way to fly it, and at least for me, once I have a basic competency
in something, it becomes more interesting to learn one of the other planes
than just replicate my success level over and over in the same plane.
And of course, you have to factor in the "I just wanna win all the
time" crowd. Once you become a "really good furballer" (whatever
that is) you can generally kill oodles of newbies whenever you like in the
Spit, whereas it will take you a month or two to reach that same point if
you have to learn a plane like the F4U or P-51 or 109.
And it's also one of the "legendary" planes, like the 51 or
109, so you're going to have guys who just like the idea of flying a Spitfire
sim, like me :-)
So it's a combo of good, famous airplane, new players, "lazy"
players, and winwinwin mentality IMHO. Most of the other planes can't put
that same combo together.
And FWIW I fly the Spit as my early war RPS ride, so I certainly don't
slam the Spitters.
--jedi
Posted by: Dnil Maj 900th Bloody Jaguars
Posted on: 09:07:41 11/05/98
Message: Some of us refuse to fly spits, once again our opinion.
I fly mostly 51s and 47s late war with 38js for defense. Early war usually
f4fs and f6fs when they come out. I think the main reason people fly the
spit is its ease of flight and big punch with the guns. If guns were weaker
think people would bail on it(like the f4u-4). I personaly think its a weak
ride and helps a pilot out too much but IMHO most WB planes are modelled
wrong. I usually do not respect spit drivers as much, nothing like a good
109 driver to scare the piss out of me. Just ended a 50 kill streak with
not one sortie in a spit, 75% in 47s and rest in 51s. But its your $2 so
fly what ya want, but I agree the MA is the spit/190 arena.
Dnil
Posted by: =ram1=
Posted on: 08:57:25 11/05/98
Message:
Two years ago this would have read, why do so many people fly the P38?
Then, why do so many people fly the FW190D?
etc.
In fact the Spit was very popular back then, until they changed the artwork
and raised the cowling to make low deflection shots difficult (oops, ram1
said the cowling word). It then became much less popular until recently.
I think the popularity of the Spit is for a few reasons.
1. Most new pilots find it a good ride to learn in. It is the plane I
recommend to all newbies who come to training to get their first Warbirds
experience. It gives them time to learn and then move to other rides.
2. The Spit allows a pilot to fly the entire RPS in the same plane variant.
3. The Spit is probably the best overall fighter in Warbirds, not great
in any one area, but not a poor performer in any one area either.
4. Some pilots just like the way it looks.
In any event fly what you want to fly, your paying the same as everyone
else, but don't expect to change peoples minds.
=ram1= XO 901st Immortals
Posted by: fd-ski S/L Squadron 303 (Polish) RAF
Posted on: 07:56:35 11/05/98
Message:
Well, we're been over this great many times. You ask why people fly it
? Cause it's easy to fly. But that doesn't apply to Spit 14. There is a
wrong opinion that anyone can fly a spifire well. In my own experiance,
most of the spitfire pilots you will meet have no idea how to use it properly.
They go into a T&B mode right after the first pass.
There was times when P38L was the king of main. Then Fw 190D-9. 2.1 introduced
F4U-4D ( which by the way you will barely see in MA those days ) New champion
is Spitfire 14. But it's not as dominating as it used to be. Spitfire 14
can be beaten many ways. I think Imol finally found a good balance for the
end of the war RPS.
: Also, I have noticed after 2 years of flying WB: that a majority
of people
What are you talking about ? Spits pilots call people chicken ? Could
you stereotype some more ? Boom and zoom against Fw 190D ? I don't think
you flew Spitfires quite enough. Until Spit 14 is introduced ( and mind
you it's quite late ) Spitfire 5 is grosly outclassed by 109F and 190's.
Almost same goes for Spit 9 and P 51D, Me 109K and Fw 190D. For many years
now Spitfire 9 which was introduced in 1942, was the latest Spitfire you
could fly in 1945. I think this is where this whole "Bad Spitfire Bad
" starts. Did you have a problem flying P 47D against Spitfires 9's
? With 40Mph adventage ? Same for some of the LW guys who get really loud
about Spit14 - was that "fair" to kill Spits 9's in 109K and 190D
? Hell, P51 with almost 50 MPH adventage - same thing......
: In a BOOK by RICHARD S Johnson, one of the leading P47 aces of
As for the Johnson argument - which has been used here quite a bit, "it's
a pilot not machine that matters". Good pilot will kill bad pilot regardless
of the plane used. As for the "Runner" thing, I have no idea who
called you a runner. I've never seen it happend. I thought it sometimes,
but it's silly to call people shit like that. Genralisation that "Spitfire
pilots do it" is even worst.
You wrote that you like to fly other plane, great, hope you enjoy them.
But, please, spear us this old song, which have been sung here so many times
- "please love me cause I fly underprivilaged planes". Lot of
WB pilot seem to feel that flying different plane - or inferior plane -
makes them special and that they should be publiscly thanked and followed.
Well, sorry, won't happend. I flew Spits 9's against end-war planes before
2.1 - and never asked for anyone's admiration. Want a challenge ? Fly a
Spitfire 9 against a good pilot in Ki84 or P51. Fly it against Me 109K or
Fw 190D.
: Anyway, Sorry to go on like that. I like all the aircraft in WB
and I try to
I fly all the aircraft of WB, as the saying goes "know thy enemy".
With exception of P51 I found all the American planes to be crude and unredefined.
Lacking vision and sophisticaton of design. German planes are work of advenced
technology, far ahead of everyone else. Designed by experts for experts.
Russian planes, simple and ingenious in thier simplicity. Japanese planes,
lacking a long term vision and consern for a pilot. And Spitfires - all
around excellency in design. Pure beauty of the skies. Perfect combination
of different atributes.
: In closing, I like and LOVE the SPIT. Could someone please explain
to me WHY so many people fly it?? IMOL has worked very very hard to provide
us with a variety of aircraft to meet the demands but in the end its the
Stangs, Doras, and mainly the SPITS that get flown. I think there is too
many version of the SPIT and those British slots could of been givin up
for the TYpHoon or TEMPEST...hell what about the Lancaster.
Thrust me, if there is one thing that will give you a headache - it's
a Tempest. Imagine this - plane that is faster then any on the deck - that
includes 190's. 4 20mm cannons - and we're talking high velocity ones :)
Plane that climbs like a rocket, and turns decently ( better then 190 and
probably 51 ) . Can you imagine the arena then ?
: WEll my 2 bits.
: NO Slam on Spit pilots, I just dont see why so many fly it and would
like to know more?
So slam on the spit pilot, you accuse us of having to manners, calling
people "runners". You say we fly unchallenging plane. Sounds like
a slam to me.
Sorry for being little rough. I haven't had my morning coffee yet :)
fd-ski
S/L Squadron 303 (Polish) "Kosciuszko" RAF
Posted by: =Gryf=, CO Rogue Gryffons
Posted on: 09:59:37 11/05/98
Message:
: I fly all the aircraft of WB, as the saying goes "know thy enemy".
With exception of P51 I found all the American planes to be crude and unredefined.
Lacking vision and sophisticaton of design. German planes are work of advenced
technology, far ahead of everyone else. Designed by experts for experts.
Russian planes, simple and ingenious in thier simplicity. Japanese planes,
lacking a long term vision and consern for a pilot. And Spitfires - all
around excellency in design. Pure beauty of the skies. Perfect combination
of different atributes.
Fd, pass me whatever drugs you are taking. I just have to gain the right
frame of mind to see what you are saying, and perhaps, even kind of agree
with them. I seem to remember a few guys on the other side of the channel
that thought along these lines too (VBG).
Your all around excellency of design *HAS* to include the pilot. Who
else but a perfect pilot could stay in a fight for any amount of time with
the ammo load the Spit took into combat.
I mean, I dig the Spitfire, I recommend it to every new pilot. It's forgiving
qualities in flight make it an ideal choice. But comon... Perfect? ROFL.
I guess I just don't get a woodie everytime I see one.
Just *MY* opinion of Course :)
=Gryf=
Posted by: lazs
Posted on: 08:56:52 11/05/98
Message: : I fly all the aircraft of WB, as the saying goes
"know thy
my take is that U.S. planes were far from "lacking in vision".
The only planes with range and durability in the war. Also the only real
usefull fighter bombers. Very much ahead of their time.
Also best carrier planes and best radial engines and most sophisticated
superchargers/turbochargers. Also best wing designs. German planes? Very
advanced, until '42. Short ranged, short sighted and long in the tooth.
fragile. Either poor visibility in a '30's airframe or short ranged, clumsy
and low alt in a decent airframe. The Russians? really good low alt planes.
No frills. perfectly designed for the job at hand. Very good against the
30's high alt. 109's and clumsy FW's. Japaneses planes? Again, big techno
leap at first with no follow through. Worst planes for pilot survival. Guarenteed
long term losers. No pilots no airforce. Make em survivable and they become
target drones for U.S. iron. British planes? Some of the best and some of
the worst. Mix of Lucas like bumbling and meteor like briliance. Spits the
best all around of the bunch. Probably the best field defense plane around
but out of the war as ranges increased. "Versitile airframe" euphemism
for "long in the tooth" as the war went on. Short ranged with
No real fighter bomber capability and no way to fix either problem.
lazs
Posted by: Strider 417
Posted on: 09:51:48 11/05/98
Message: A little off IMHO
: my take is that U.S. planes were far from "lacking in vision".
The only planes with range and durability in the war.
This is true
Very much ahead of their time. Also best carrier planes and best radial
engines and most sophisticated superchargers/turbochargers.
Thought the merlin in the spit 9 had and astounding supercharger?
Also best wing designs. German planes? Very advanced, until '42. Short
ranged, short sighted and long in the tooth. fragile. Either poor visibility
in a '30's airframe or short ranged, clumsy and low alt in a decent airframe.
The Russians? really good low alt planes. No frills. perfectly designed
for the job at hand. Very good against the 30's high alt. 109's and clumsy
FW's. Japaneses planes? Again, big techno leap at first with no follow through.
Worst planes for pilot survival. Guarenteed long term losers. No pilots
no airforce. Make em survivable and they become target drones for U.S. iron.
British planes? Some of the best and some of the worst. Mix of Lucas like
bumbling and meteor like briliance. Spits the best all around of the bunch.
Probably the best field defense plane around but out of the war as ranges
increased.
No, the spit was used as a "tactical" fighter after D-Day,
following the advance of the allies accross the continent. They were VERY
much in the war.
"Versitile airframe" euphemism for "long in the tooth"
as the war went on. Short ranged with No real fighter bomber capability
and no way to fix either problem.
I think what we are discussing here is how each nation designed its airframes
to do different jobs.
The americans, after a lot of early failures, built fighters to do the
job of a long range strategic escort fighter.
---can you imagine a P47 in the role of tactical fighter, taking off
from field 2 miles from the front 2 days after D-Day? I think thats a spits
job....
The brits #1 priority was defense of the island. The spit is built with
that in mind, sacrificing range only to meet that role. The brits also believed
bombeing was a task done at night and here, their had the best nocturnal
fighter of the war in the mossie to do the escort job:)
The development of a/c really boils down to what the builder designs
it to do.
Posted by: o-o-o- XO Fourth Fighter Group
Posted on: 10:32:49 11/05/98
Message: : ---can you imagine a P47 in the role of tactical fighter,
taking off from field 2 miles from the front 2 days after D-Day? I think
thats a spits job....
No, but I can see the P47 loitering 15-20 miles behind the front as an
"Alert One" tactical support force (and doing that job far better
than the Spit, P38, or P51 could ever do)
Posted by: -mako-
Posted on: 05:29:08 11/05/98
Message: Reasons I fly the Spit most
1. I'm relativly new to game (about 4-5months)
and the spit is the one of the most versitile planes avail. not great
at many but good at all.
2. In the strong BnZ planes i tend to lose control more often. They dont
seem to be as forgiving in spins and such.
3. Not as fragile as zeke or ki not as hard to see out of as american
iron
4. each rps i try new planes and i am getting to be a better pilot with
all the help from veterans and all but, when i need ity bad i go back to
my spit ride for the reasons mentioned above.
5. Kudos to all my fellow pilots of WB. If not for this great game what
would we all do with our time
Have a great day all
mako out
Posted by: Hacker
Posted on: 02:50:00 11/05/98
Message:
: Just wondering why so many people fly the SPIT in WB arena?? I mean,
That is why. It is a "very stable and easy machine to fly";
at least the Spit I,V, and IX are. The Spit XIV (IMHO) falls somewhere in
between the skill level need to fly a Spit IX and say a F4u-x. Human nature
being what it is you go the easiest route first until you feel you know
what you are doing and then move on. The Spit (and to a slightly lesser
extent, the Ki-84) can do every thing well. The Spit also lets you indulge
the natural tendency to TnB with a target that just attacked you. Again,
human nature.
I fly the Spitfires mostly in part due to a bug in my PnP BIOS involving
my gameport and/or Dial-up Networking which results in a big performance
decrease (stability) of any planes I fly. I have flown for extended periods
of time the Bf-109E and F4u-1D with some limited success Bnz'ing; However,
with this system bug it was more trouble than it was worth. But yes, it
is one of the easier planes to fly; the Ki-84 and P-38L are also quite user
friendly.
What you are seeing is only to be expected. In the HA last weekend the
vast majority on the Allied side where P-38Js and Ls. Nary a P-40 to be
seen I flew a P-38L for most of the evening there (I did take a '40 up for
2 sorties early in the day and managed to get one kill). On the IJN side,
the Ki-84 was king. You saw a zeke about every 7 or so enemy planes.
: Also, I have noticed after 2 years of flying WB: that a majority
of people
They are trying to goad you into doing something silly. Ignore them.
However extending in a fast plane is an relatively low skill way to escape
a situation. If one tends to call a Spitfire pilot a "dweeb" for
flying it because it is so easy to maneuver, expect to be called a "dweeb"
if you fly a fast plane that can get you out of a situation quickly.
: In a BOOK by RICHARD S Johnson, one of the leading P47 aces of
Again, they are trying to bait you.
: Anyway, Sorry to go on like that. I like all the aircraft in WB
and I try to
You see the same phenomena in the HA. See above for my experience in
the HA last weekend. In the present HA Allied Plane set I expect to see
a lot of Yak-9s with its slightly superior speed, superior climb rate, horizontal
turn, roughly equal roll rate, better fire power (discounting the hard to
aim 37mm the P-39 has), and unmatched six-view. The experts and experimenters
will be in the '39.
: In closing, I like and LOVE the SPIT. Could someone please explain
to me WHY so many people fly it??
See above explanations.
: IMOL has worked very very hard to provide us with a variety of aircraft
People are spending $2.00 (and a lot more in some cases taking into account
different nations phone rates, long distance calls, ISP rates and currency
exchange rates) and some people don't have the financial wherewithal to
spend 4 hours a night almost every night that some do. They want to kill
and kill quickly.
: I think there is too many version of the SPIT and those British
slots coul
That is another thing. The Spit is the only plane that is present form
the begining of the RPS to the end. Yes, there are 4 different flavors of
Spits in the latter RPS, That Spit on your tail could be a V, IX or XIV
(very few Mk Is I would think). That is at least four to tailor to your
needs: If you are defending a base and strictly TnB go with the Spit I;
If you want to mostly TnB use the V; if you want to mostly BnZ, use the
XIV; if you want to do a little of both in equal measure go with the IX.
: WEll my 2 bits.
See above. May your fights be warp-free.
--->-hack-
Posted by: =Gryf=, CO Rogue Gryffons
Posted on: 10:21:32 11/05/98
Message:
: They are trying to goad you into doing something silly. Ignore them.
Ok, what would be a "High Skill" way of dealing with this engagement?
I am quite curious to see how a Pro does it.
Personally I teach any student I get that to stay alive you have to stay
out of the guns of the enemy plane. He can't shoot you, he cannot kill you.
One way to do this is to stay beyond his gunnery range. BnZ tactics dictate
you have to stay fast, extend and get back at him. I am very curious what
high skills you need (Besides a one pass kill) to fight in, well, say a
F4U-1D and not exetned useing superior speed to stay alive.
I certainly hope I am not *THAT* low skilled a pilot as too be teaching
a completely eroneous way of fighting.
=Gryf=
Posted by: Hacker
Posted on: 14:47:16 11/05/98
Message: :
: Ok, what would be a "High Skill" way of dealing with this
engagement? I am quite curious to see how a Pro does it.
Don't take me wrong. I have nothing against a P-51 or a FW-190 or a F4u-x
or even a Spitfire XIV using there superior dive and/or level speed to extend
from a situation. I was just pointing out that it is an easy way to get
out of a bad situation in it just like it is fairly "low skill"
and easy way to get out of a bad situation using the 109, Ki-84, Spitfire
and P-38s climbing ability. People call other pilots "dweeb" when
their opponents use the natural ability of their planes against them. It
is a very misused term. The only time I use it is in retaliation when they
try to say that it takes almost no skill to fly the Spit and then imply
that it takes a Doctorate to fly whatever their favorite plane is. I have
never claimed to be a pro, never implied that I was. It is the ones who
fling the "D" word around that imply that they are. That was my
point.
I'm hardly a "Pro" but a "High Skill" way I would
guess is to get into a scissors and "force" the opponent to out
in front of you. Quite dangerous in that an enemy can get a snapshot off
especially if it is a FW or a Hurricane II or a Bf-110G behind you. God
knows I have overshot many a 190 and died in that situation often. But I
have also induced overshoots myself and killed the enemy. :-) The safer
(and by implication easier) way would be to dive if you have alt from a
slower and low wing loaded plane.
: I certainly hope I am not *THAT* low skilled a pilot as too be teaching
a completely eroneous way of fighting.
: =Gryf=
Again, I am not disputing a single word you just said. A pilot would
be either a fool or highly skilled to do other wise. That is why I said
"They are trying to goad you into doing something silly. Ignore them."
I have BnZ many a Zeke and P-40 in my Spitfire IX using the same extend
and come back tactics using my superior top end speed. If I was pretty much
alone with my prey that is, if he has company I usually run like a FW myself.
:-) Just expect to be called a dweeb if you do it. Either he his trying
to get your goat or means it but doesn't know what he his taking about.
It is one of those words that people throw around unthinkingly.
To make my point clear. There are those who "have no respect"
for Spitfire pilots because it is a relatively easy plane to fly and survive
in. By that logic a P-40 pilot should "have no respect" for a
P-51 pilot because a 51 is an easier plane to fly and survive in relative
to the P-40. I am saying all this is a fallacy as any trip to the HA shows.
Most people will fly the easiest plane available. In the MA it is the Spitfire.
In the HA it happens to be the easiest plane available. The Yak-9 this week
(IMHO), the P-38 and Ki-84 last week, the P-40 and American iron in general
during a previous PTO. If you had a HA with only the P-47D and the Fw-190A4
available guess which plane most people would gravitate to?
If you were to neuter the Spit the next plane in line most would fly
(IMHO) would be the 109E/F and 190A4 early and mid war and the Ki-84 late
war. "Fix" the Ki-84 it and I would bet you will see a resurgence
in P-38L use. So complaining about it is futile was my point.
May your fights be warp free.
---->-hack-
Correction: The Bf-109 series also appears from the very begining of
the RPS (109E) to the end (109K)
Posted by: F/L --Rf-a Squadron 303 (Polish) RAF
Posted on: 02:08:29 11/05/98
Message:
I assume you are talking about the MA. Most new people fly in the MA
and they like the spit becasue it is easy to fly. A lot of other people
(both new and WB veterans) like it because they enjoy flying RAF types (like
me). It is very simple.
If the 109 was easy to fly, I bet you would have 75% of the area flying
it - 50% new or inexperinced guys + 25% hardcore LW guys (like ik :))
Now you tell a new guy to fly something difficult. Tell him this: Sure,
you might die fast and not kill anything, but you won't be a dweeb. ...lets
see what his response might be, ok? I imagine it will go something like
this: Gimme a Spitfire! :) - and there is nothing wrong with that. They
pay good money to be online and it is understandable that they want to do
the fast they can. Spitfires give them this chance.
My advice is this: If you have a problem seeing too many spitters, forget
the MA and head on over to the HA - where the big boys play. :)
just my 2c
Jack Szarkowski
F/L --Rf-a Squadron 303 (Polish) RAF
PS- off topic, but thought I might mention this: I feel your pain Jug.
:( THe P-47 is not nearly as good of a fighter plane as it was in WWII.
In my opinion, the WB 47 is waaaayyyyy to sluggish. From what I read, it's
roll/turnrate/manvrblty was close to that of the P-38.
Posted by: Topcat
Posted on: 02:00:19 11/05/98
Message:
(Snip alot of interesting points)
: NO Slam on Spit pilots,
hehe, well, there might have been just a *little* slam there?
: I just dont see why so many fly it and would like to know more?
The obvious reason why so many pilots fly it is because it is easy to
fly. It lets you try both b&z and t&b without having to learn a
new aircraft, and is very forgiving of mistakes (eg if you blow all your
e you can still put up a good show in a turnfight). It's also available
(and competative) all through the RPS.
There is a mix of reasons why I fly it. Partly because of the above reasons,
but also because there are few British fighter aircraft available for me
to choose from. I fly the Hurri too, particularly at the start of the RPS,
but it's madness to fly it through the entire 3-week schedule (unless you're
trying to prove a point to yourself). The Mossie has just come out (yippee!)
and I'll be trying to learn how to fly that aircraft too, but it's a long
time before it becomes available in the RPS and I don't think it's the type
of aircraft I'll be choosing for the majority of my flights.
And before you say it, yes the British flew most of the US aircraft too,
and I am slowly moving towards the P51 and others, but (for me) it's just
not the same flying an aircraft with US markings. I also sometimes fly the
German aircraft (know your enemy!) but my first love is, and will remain,
the Spit (Spit 1 particularly).
Posted by: F/L --Rf-a Squadron 303 (Polish) RAF
Posted on: 02:14:17 11/05/98
Message:
:I am slowly moving towards the P51 and others, but (for me) it's
just not the same flying an aircraft with US markings.
CC, very true Topcat. My dream is to fly a Mustang MkIII coded PK-G in
WB. ahhhhh. :)
Jack Szarkowski
--Rf-a F/L Squadron 303 (Polish) RAF |