Spitfire vs ME 109

davidbir · 02-29-2012, 08:09 PM

A nine minute film comprised apparently of original and computer generated footage. I am not sure a Spit could turn quite as well as this one does but it is great stuff:

The German

Joeaksa · 03-01-2012, 06:23 AM

The Spit will out-turn the ME but the ME had fuel injection which really helped it in acro against the other airplane. You cannot do negative "G" maneuvers with a float type carb for very long before you run out of fuel delivery.

They were both very good and capable airplanes. The ME's main fault was the narrow and fragile landing gear. They lost more pilots on takeoff/landing accidents than were shot down.

kach22i · kach22i's Garage

Irish neutrality during World War II
Irish neutrality during World War II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I had no clue.

Yorkie · Yorkie's Garage

By mid '41 the carb issue was mostly fixed due to Miss Tilly's Orifice - a mod to the carb to provide just enough fuel during violent maneuverer's. I think this also helped the P51 become such a great aircraft as the two shared a common powerplant design.

cashflyer · 03-01-2012, 08:18 AM

Dang... I thought those planes used pressure carbs.

davidbir · 03-01-2012, 08:54 AM

I am glad somebody brought up "Miss Tilly's Orifice", we wouldn't have wanted it to go unloved, would we?:
Miss Shilling's orifice - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hawkeye's-911T · Hawkeye's-911T's Garage

Joeaksa - has nailed it - IMHO

island911 · 10:22 AM

The Spitfire has that beautiful elliptical wing. Read; highly efficient wing loading.

gotta love that stuff...

Just last summer I saw both those planes flying together - Flying Heritage Collection, out of Paine Field. ..One of Paul Allen's cool projects.

I snapped this as they passed the moon. (barely visible)

davidbir · 03-01-2012, 10:16 AM

I was at the first Goodwood Revival in '98. On the Friday two Spits and a 109 went up and put on a "Dog figt"--the 109 of course lost and went off trailing 'smoke' to the delight of the slightly partisan crowd, one of the Spitfires came in and landed but where was the other? Suddenly we were aware of a rising wailing sound and the announcer in the tower cried "My God, I'm looking down on him!!"
Down the main straight hurtled the other Spit, at less than twenty feet! I was standing beside the tunnel to the infield and the noise/sight/feeling was stunning!
During this time the Earl of March ('Is Lordship) was touring the track in a Bristol 400 to officially open it for the event. Having come through the chicane he turned onto the main straight to be confronted with a Spitfire at about fifteen feet @ 300mph coming directly at him--"All I could see was the pilots eyes" he is reported to have said. The Spitfire pilot (Bob Hanna) had the decency to pull up..

island911 · 03-01-2012, 10:46 AM

Wow! Nice!

You should definitely make it down to Paine Field, if you haven't. They aren't so daring with Allen's collection, but they do get them out and flying.

... and just keeping them flying seems a daring task. ..70 year old rebuilt planes.

Here the Messerschmitt landed early with mechanical problems.

davidbir · 03-01-2012, 12:01 PM

I just couldn't resist this--most of you have probably seen it--it is the same pilot as at Goodwood:
Spitfire Low Pass - YouTube

Joeaksa · 03-02-2012, 03:25 AM

Several of those airplanes up in Paul's collection in Washington were restored here in Arizona down at Casa Grande. Yes, they do test fly all of them here before taking them up to the musuem and we love it!

stuartj · 03-02-2012, 03:58 AM

Never get tired of this....turn it up. But not at work.

Oh My God Spitfire Pass - YouTube

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

My mother had the displeasure of seeing ME109s and Spitfires dogfighting, over her house. They had more than one pilot land nearby, from each side.

They also had one of the small bombs from a bomber land in their backyard. The families biggest problem with that was people started using it as a garbage dump.