parsifal
Colonel
Dont suck me into this. This looks like one of those strange North American Intiation ceremonies that I have heard of occasionally
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Dont suck me into this. This looks like one of those strange North American Intiation ceremonies that I have heard of occasionally
Re ailerons on the Spitfire and Bf109. Both became virtually immovable at high speed. The British thought the Bf109 had a greater problem than the Spitfire but on running comparisons discovered that the force required to move the ailerons at various (high) speeds was comparable. The only advantage the Spitfire pilot had was the ability to exert more force on the control system due to the differing design of the two cockpits. Essentially the Spitfire pilot had slightly more room and his seating position enabled him to apply more muscle to his control column,or in his case the spade grip.
Distortion of fabric covered control surfaces was a problem common to all such systems.
Cheers
Steve
242 Sqn were not fledglings they were put together from RAF guys that were Canadian serving in the UK , most were pre war. The Squadron was designated canadian much like 71 Sqn was desinated American as a propaganda thing for us Maple syrup swilling oafs.Please remember that Canadians, Aussies and Kiwis were considered `black troops`by the RAF not suitable for command and ill disciplined
I dread to think....
However, at least the Canadians had the wisdom to follow our lead with free national health care.
Being in the Commonwealth and supporters of our Royal family has obviously been a good thing.
If the American had not been so anxious to leave the embrace of her Britannic Majesty you would have had a free health care system too and a Queen.
Cheers
John
Please don't quote Richard Harris on the advantages of having a Queen!
A problem sorted early in the Spitfire's career though Steve.
The Spitfire would always turn harder than a ME109 due to its wing design and strenght.
Cheers
John
I dread to think....
However, at least the Canadians had the wisdom to follow our lead with free national health care.
Being in the Commonwealth and supporters of our Royal family has obviously been a good thing.
If the American had not been so anxious to leave the embrace of her Britannic Majesty you would have had a free health care system too and a Queen.
Cheers
John
Re ailerons on the Spitfire and Bf109. Both became virtually immovable at high speed. The British thought the Bf109 had a greater problem than the Spitfire but on running comparisons discovered that the force required to move the ailerons at various (high) speeds was comparable. The only advantage the Spitfire pilot had was the ability to exert more force on the control system due to the differing design of the two cockpits. Essentially the Spitfire pilot had slightly more room and his seating position enabled him to apply more muscle to his control column,or in his case the spade grip.
Distortion of fabric covered control surfaces was a problem common to all such systems.
Cheers
Steve
1. Yeah and the free handouts only brings out the lazy in people.
With respect you have taken 'finest hour' out of context. Here's more of the famous speech.
...However matters may go in France or with the French Government or with another French Government, we in this island and in the British Empire will never lose our sense of comradeship with the French people. If we are now called upon to endure what they have suffered we shall emulate their courage, and if final victory rewards our toils they shall share the gains, aye. And freedom shall be restored to all. We abate nothing of our just demands—Czechs, Poles, Norwegians, Dutch, Belgians, all who have joined their causes to our own shall be restored.
What General Weygand has called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be freed and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands.
But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new dark age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, This was their finest hour.
Our 'finest hour' included everyone in the British Isles, her Empire and her Commonwealth.
Cheers
John
Please don't quote Richard Harris on the advantages of having a Queen!
Bear in mind that report was mentioning the difference when less experienced pilots in the Spit who did not have the confidence to push the spit could not shake off the test pilots in the Me109, pilots of equal ability had no problem shaking off the 109 and that in itself could start a whole new thread, it graphically demonstrates the most importand part of any aircraft is the guy flying it!
Exactly so. Most pilots on the squadrons in 1940/41 did not have the ability or confidence to push the Spitfire anywhere near its limits and my point was that this negated the much vaunted superior turning circle of the Spitfire in the real world.
Douglas Bader was very keen to get his hands on the Bf109F that Pingel kindly delivered to the British as he reckoned a few hours flying by a few experienced combat pilots would be far more useful in quickly devising tactics to counter the new model than the weeks and months of testing and assessments that would be done by the R.A.E. at Farnborough. He wrote a typically undiplomatic letter to the headquarters of 11 Group suggesting exactly what the R.A.E. should ascertain and pass on to Fighter Command and that "Wing Commanders, Flying", that is himself,be given the opportunity to fly the aircraft. He needed to know where the Spitfire was superior (if anywhere) in order to exploit that superiority in combat. Combat pilots knew how marginal these things were.
Cheers
Steve
Bader was a strange old fish, he wanted to know how to beat the 109 in combat, but also wanted to fly about in groups of 50 in tight formation. That is how not to beat a 109 as flown by the LW.Douglas Bader was very keen to get his hands on the Bf109F that Pingel kindly delivered to the British as he reckoned a few hours flying by a few experienced combat pilots would be far more useful in quickly devising tactics to counter the new model than the weeks and months of testing and assessments that would be done by the R.A.E. at Farnborough. He wrote a typically undiplomatic letter to the headquarters of 11 Group suggesting exactly what the R.A.E. should ascertain and pass on to Fighter Command and that "Wing Commanders, Flying", that is himself,be given the opportunity to fly the aircraft. He needed to know where the Spitfire was superior (if anywhere) in order to exploit that superiority in combat. Combat pilots knew how marginal these things were.
Cheers
Steve
Bull.... if he was that serious he would have changed formations from the Vic to the finger four before mar 41Bader was a strange old fish, he wanted to know how to beat the 109 in combat, but also wanted to fly about in groups of 50 in tight formation. That is how not to beat a 109 as flown by the LW.
Bull.... if he was that serious he would have changed formations from the Vic to the finger four before mar 41