How's your Spitfire's landing and takeoffs going??

I’m getting better at landing, doing more of a controlled power on landing, however as I slow down on the runway the wings keep dropping onto the runway. Sometimes ending in a ground loop.

Takeoffs aren’t happening at all as the wings start dropping and pulling off to one side and then the other, sort of snaking along before I have to cut the power.

In the air, she turns as you start to think about it, which is uncanny :slight_smile: In VR its a bit special fighting the 190s but the mirror on looks cool but isn’t much use.

Uuuuuhhhh… same problems with takeoff, but…I learn to leave the stick on the center and DON’T MOVE IT, then power up slowly to +8 boost and correct with pedals SMOOTHLY AND GENTLY. Trim pitch -1 and Trim rudder on the right… Landings???¿¿ What are? I simply splat on the ground…

lol, glad its not just me. I’m finding she sinks at my usual 80mph clod landing, instead I’m keeping the power on and adjusting at around 90-100.

I’ll give the takefoff advice a bash.

Puff talked me through the start up process and got the buttons assigned and it’s been a dream since. Just taxying that’s a problem, can have the odd problem on the initial take off run if I’ve not set it right, but it’s one of the best modules I have. I’m looking forward to the clipped wing version being available and the addition of the bomb racks and drop tanks.

My takeoff now are - Trim to one or less, stick back and hold, power straight up to boost 8 and then almost immediately gentle right rudder and right wing down (adjust accordingly with gentle inputs), followed by pushing the nose down as I hit 80mph on the speedo and I’m in the air! Hit the wheel brakes to stop them moving and then gear up around 140.

Landing is still a bitch, got to be dead straight, otherwise a wing drop will happen, touching down really gently at almost 70mph, then stick back and tap the brakes. I had to keep adjusting rudders but just got my first landing without a wing down after about 50+. Landing a glider and a Cessna in a crosswind is bloody easier, but hey this is a sky racing machine and she feels like that in the air, she hates the ground. With VR added this is closest I’ve come to really flying.

That wing drop must be due to speed being slow. Just a guess. Try 10 mph faster approach speed. Is it the left wing that drops?

I manage takeoffs with the auto engine start and a taxy to the runway. The aircraft is quite steady in direction but I need to dampen elevator and better adjust elevator trim as currently I tend to porpoise at rotation.
When I do a manual start procedure the aircraft is very unstable in direction on the takeoff run (power 7-8 boost). I don’t understand why as I think I use the same elevator and rudder trim settings as on auto-start ?

Landing, I have managed one or two out of several attempts but have trouble keeping aircraft on the runway as speed drops off after touch down.

Other problem that needs sorting out is my track IR which seems to drift off initial centre point. I need to stop/start to get it centred every 15-20 minutes.

4 TO attemts with 2 succesfull.
All trims are set according to the pilot notes. Left wing tends to want to be at the ground but will corret itselft with a little rudder and ailerons.

2 Landing attemts = 1 fatal and 1 with the right gear colapsed as the wing dropped. ac had to be transported on a truck with all the damage.

So far all my take-offs have been successful, landing, eh, not so much. My first try in the Spit, take-off and land was kind of a success, the take-off was a bit hairy, then I fried my engine and had to make a dead-stick landing, think that was my best landing so far. All other landings I have dipped the wing severely, making sparks with it, but at least the plane have looked like it’s in one piece, but no landing apart from that first one have been something to be proud of, quite the opposite!

Now on 20% help with the easy take-off setting - but the landings are brutal and no mistake! Wiung drop, scrape + ground loop being the best I can manage.

FRom Philstyles vids and chat on forums a smide on brake on landing seems to help.

I wonder if a grass runway would help? One talk from warbird pilot I listened too seemed to indicate that grass (slippery) was alot more forgiving it you didn’t have it dead straight on landing…

This has helped me as Phil was having wing drops like me all the time.

//youtu.be/f0-kP0QaniA

I’ve nailed 3 landing in a row now. Setting the brakes on a slider before landing (setting at 4) really helped and then lightly dancing on the rudders after touch down so it activates the brakes. (I’m sure this FM will get tweaked to make it easier) I’ve added a brake button and press that at the last seconds to put full brakes on as I can’t reach the slider easily. She can do a very short landing and takeoffs, just need a carrier to practice on, heading for Malta. (and a MkVb).

I’ve also noticed that by having the brakes on the slider at around 2 on the ground makes taxiing a lot easier.

Takeoff going okay now. Three small turns of right rudder trim, one notch down of elevator trim, stick back and smoothly power up to 8 boost. Might have to add a touch more right rudder and slight right elevator to steady wings as speed builds, letting the stick go to neutral to get the tail off and suddenly she is airborne, smartly but smoothly add power to 12 boost and fly along the runway taking off the right trim and wheels up at 140mph. Knock back to 2800rpm and climb up at 180mph, your best climb speed. This is where she excels and you just think about turning and you are, she’s an absolute joy to fly. :cool::cool:

Thanks for that Swoop and Phil, i followed the instructions and landed perfectly almost!
One request- would like to see someone’s control settings and curves, as i have played around with most of the settings but would benefit from using other settings as a starting point.
Happy new year
Pinetree.

Does depend on your stick and what you like I find. I tried Phil’s warthog setting and totally hated them on my MSFF2. I really like the quick flick of the controls and have got to use to that. Saying that I have changed curves to 20 for Pitch, Roll and rudders.

Happy New Year to Harvey! Just about to head out now!

Happy new year Matt!