7.5 minutes at +11 Boost Spit 100oct.

[Dutch]

After our discoveries on Server 2 with tempos off, further investigations and tests were carried out on server1.

This is the most boring video I've ever posted, but then again, it'll be quite interesting to some. I wanted to prove something to the sceptics, as opposed to Septic's, I suppose.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4mVFScdS3M&feature=youtube_gdata

[ATAG_Snapper]

Not boring to me, mate! Watched it with great interest, actually. I've been finding that low rpms (compared to what I have been running) is key to keeping temps down, as well as maintaining speed. I was even running around below 5000 feet at 2200 (!) rpms/11 lbs boost/50% rad and finding that rich, not lean, mixture worked best. Oil was running 85 C and water 103 C, with level speed at 240 mph IAS. The instant trouble showed up, pitch increased to 2650 rpms and mixture to lean. Rad was left at 50% and throttle full open (11 lbs boost).

I did burn a few engines earlier (just ask JTDawg LOL), but saw your video and decided to fly a bit more. Worked a treat! :thumbsup:

[ATAG_Torian]

So those settings work fine on the deck. U did say that at 12000 or above to use 2400. I think that may need to be revised down from 12000 to about 8000 (in my testing anyway...temps went up well before 12000). Wondering if it should come off boost when up there too.
Mixture has me baffled in this sim. I realise they have put rich as fully forward when it should be all the way back but I can't work out why u can take off in a 100oct with it left all the way back (fully fine in the sim). U can't do that in a plain Mk I. Another bug to fix I guess. Can't fathom why, with 3 or 4 patch releases now, they still can't fix such a basic flaw.
@ Snapper....fully rich should keep the engine slightly cooler as the greater volume of fuel also acts as coolant while a leaner burn is hotter...at least thats the way a friend who used to rebuild aircraft explained it to me. So if they have modelled that then it should run slightly cooler on fully rich. I'm not really sure why u would bother leaning out the mixture unless u needed better economy or the engine specifically required it. I'd be interested in any1 elses experience with mixture and the need to modify it or not but I'm not convinced of the need to adjust it to anything other than rich.
It's good that u guys are doing these tests. Hopefully we can find which is the best version of Spit in the current state of FMs. Should b a no-brainer (the IIa) but the long-suffering reds are left to try and make the most of the vagaries of 1C FM logic.

[ATAG_Snapper]

Torian, the mixture settings for the Spits are all over the map in this sim at present, and are no reflection of the Real Life mixture effects that you so accurately describe. As IvanK has said, if mixture for the Spits was accurately modelled in Cliffs of Dover, you would simply set Mixture to Auto Rich (lever pulled right back towards rear of plane) and leave it there. Fuel economy is not of major concern in this game.

[ATAG_Torian]

Torian, the mixture settings for the Spits are all over the map in this sim at present, yeah we need a guide for every freakin Brit plane. Must be a nightmare for new players to get a handle on.



Fuel economy is not of major concern in this game. yup thas what I figured.

[ATAG_Snapper]

Yeah, right now a rough Rule of Thumb is if oil temp hits 97 C or water (glycol) hits 120 C, your Merlin will break. That said, the Merlins in this game will also blow a gasket if subjected to high operating pressure/stress regardless of gauge temps -- such as operating at high boost (11 lbs sim = 12 lbs Real Life) and 2800+ rpms. Throw the Spitfire Pilots Notes in the trash bin for climb out or Emergency Combat -- you will fry the Merlin in this "sim".

Dutch has worked hard to find some operating parameters for us to at least complete a sortie without a Merlin blow out. But get jumped by a 109 and you have roughly 20 seconds at 3000 rpm's/11 lbs boost to settle the situation. Dutch has found radiator drag is crucial in getting up to high speed (for a CoD Spitfire) and keeping temps in line. Related factors seem to be holding the Spitfires and Hurricanes back in this game, but it's up to the devs to resolve them.

Offline, try flying the 100-octane Spits and Hurries with Engine Temperature Management deactivated (uncheck the box, but keep CEM checked). You will truly shyte yourself, sir!
Septic and I did just that last week in Server #2; Septic in an E4, myself flying the 100 octane Spitfire 1a. An eye opener, mildly speaking. A 109 venturing over Dover in ETM-off mode would have.......a stimulating visit. :)

[Dutch]

Wotcher Torian old bean, long time no see!

Wise words from Snapper there. Two observations though;

a) once you're at +11lbs/50% rad/2400-2600 rpm, you should have mixture in the 'lever forward' position. In reality this was the 'weak' setting, but in game it is reversed so is the rich setting.

b) airspeed is as crucial as any of the above parameters, so if you're climbing steeply at low airspeed, you'll overheat more easily. Always sacrifice outright RoC for airspeed on the climb. This is maybe why you overheated at 8000ft rather than my 12. The book says optimum climb speed is 185mph, but the game seems to want to climb Spits at 160mph. Try to go by the book figure and trim for 180-185 IAS and your cooling will be fine up to the altitude where emergency boost stops working and boost drops to +6.25 (15,000 IIRC).

c) Oh that's three things. Sorry. This 'airspeed is critical' factor is why I'm still bursting motors once in combat. As soon as you increase your climb rate to match a 109, your airspeed decreases, your temps climb and bang you go. By rights you should open the rad a bit for more cooling, but currently you can't because this justs adds too much drag and slows you down, thus not relieving the situation at all. One for the devs methinks.

d) 4 Things. Sorry. Avoid the usual combat policy of 'full throttle, 3000rpm, 100% rad' like the plague - in any RAF Fighter. Combined with the low airspeeds of a vertical dogfight you might as well turn off the game there and then.

:salute:

[ATAG_Torian]

G'day Dutchy,
I been around but we haven't crossed timezones recently with each other on the server.
Good insights u & Snap been nuggeting out. Will try and keep within those parameters.
So u guys think the the MkIa 100oct is the pick of the bunch in current FMs ?
I've mostly been flyin the vanilla MkI which I thought was the best FM we have. The IIa is just a bad joke at present.

[ATAG_Septic]

I'm still trying to figure out which Spit is the most competitive. I tried the IIa a bit yesterday and it's better than I expected but the mixture settings are confusing. I use my second throttle lever as mixture, so it goes up and down with the throttle, which works well on the other marks but the IIa seems different, especially at height. THE IIa seems much quicker to warm up.

I adjust elevator trim heavily down on all spits (about twelve clicks if mapped to a button), which I believe gives a better climb rate once the speed has built.

Septic.

[Dutch]

I'm still trying to figure out which Spit is the most competitive. I tried the IIa a bit yesterday and it's better than I expected but the mixture settings are confusing. I use my second throttle lever as mixture, so it goes up and down with the throttle, which works well on the other marks but the IIa seems different, especially at height. THE IIa seems much quicker to warm up.

I adjust elevator trim heavily down on all spits (about twelve clicks if mapped to a button), which I believe gives a better climb rate once the speed has built.

Septic.

Yep, the IIa is different again with the mixture stuff. From memory, you need to change to weak mixture (lever back) above 12,000ft IIRC. Deacon has been trying some of my settings with the IIa so hopefully he'll chip in here. I already found out that you can run the IIa at 40% rad for even less drag.

Good call on the trim Septic, In fact the trims match RL info from various books very well. Geoff Wellum, on preparing his a/c for scramble - 'full right rudder bias, one degree of down trim'. If you look at the trim gauge on the lower left dash, setting the needle to one division down on the gauge helps keep your airspeed up after wheels up. If you gradually reduce the rudder bias as you speed up down the runway, you get a lovely straight take-off run.

Which is most competitive? Ask the 71stAH and they'll say the MkI. Ask Deacon and he'll say the MKII, ask me and I'll say the MkIa 87oct, but this is because once you know them well, you can keep the dreaded overheating at bay more easily in all three. For speed and agility combined I'd say the Ia100oct, but it explodes very easily.

Funnily enough, I have a split throttle too with the G940, and woke up this morning thinking 'why don't I link mixture to throttle by using the split throttle?' - It might work perfectly. Cheers Septic! :D

[ATAG_Snapper]

I've been flying the IIa of late and getting some decent (ie compared to other CoD Spits -- ALL of them are borked). Because it goes to +9 lbs boost at full throttle vs 6.25 lbs of the others, I've not pushed the throttle through the gate. Taking Dutch's advice to keep rpms low, once I've taken off (9 lbs boost, 2800 rpms, 100% rad), I hold the nose down (ie trim downwards as discussed above) as I haul up the wheels. Wheels up, I leave throttle at 9 lbs, coarsen pitch down to 2400 rpms and close rad to 50%. This will support a climb of 2000 feet per minute @ ~ 180 mph IAS and keep temps good (oil - < 90 C, glycol - < 100 C) to 10K - 12K feet. (obviously if temps climb, reduce your rate of climb to increase forward speed). Once over 10K feet, I'll coarsen pitch down to 2200 rpms, keep full throttle, and play with rad between 50% and 35% after leveling off - keeping an eye on temps.

EDIT: mixture is left at pulled fully back which is...in this sim....gawdknowswhat.....rich? lean? auto rich? auto lean? Because I don't go to boost cut out override, I never push the mixture lever fully forward. I also get shot down a lot. LOL

As Dutch has noted, speed is key in keeping temps down, as is reducing radiator drag. Here's the kicker: if I'm only climbing to 5000 feet or so, after leveling off I'll reduce rpms to 2200 and radiator to 25%! The temps stay cool and as you reach Manston/Hawkinge/English ships to engage vulchers or skip bombers, you'll have some credible smack of 280 mph IAS level or 300+ in a very slight dive with cool temps.

Still learning stuff. Torian will adapt these goofy settings quickly, it's the noobies I feel sorry for. We all have literally hundreds of hours on type; we are the "awful test pilots" mentioned over at 1C; we've been at it since the beginning and can adjust the controls while looking out the canopy. And we STILL blow up Merlins!!!! What a nightmare for a newcomer who decides to fly Red!

[ATAG_Deacon]

Deacon has been trying some of my settings with the IIa so hopefully he'll chip in here.


Thanks Dutch and Snapper, for all the testing and work with the Spits! Nothing less than superb!!!!

I keep things a little easier on the engine than Snapper.

Take off =

50% rads. In fact I just leave it at 50% and rarely overheat anymore.
2600 rpm and 6 lbs boost to 10k

Over 10k I go to 2400-2450 rpm and 6 lbs boost, mixture to 50-60% (as long as I get nice blue flames). I can climb around 1500 fpm at these settings with 90 oil and 100 water temps. Once at alt I just level off and watch the speed go through 220-240 mph indicated.

I like going to 18-21k and waiting...sometimes it's a long wait, sometimes not so much...but many 109's can be caught unaware from up there (sssshhhhhhh :thumbsup:)

[Dutch]

Thanks Deacon. Your input always welcome. :D

Please keep us posted on any other MKII foibles you encounter! :)

Have you tried any emergency boost settings at all?

Cheers!

[startrekmike]

This thread has told me more than anything I have been able to get from the 1c forum or youtube, I can finally wrap my head around the CEM needs of the red aircraft!

That said, since you all seem to have kinda figured out the settings for various aircraft and altitude conditions, what are some overall good "rules of thumb" settings for things like the following on all variants of the red aircraft.

- Long cruise at high and low altitude.

- Combat with a fighter like the 109

- Climbing to meet the enemy formation (bomber or fighter)

- combat with bombers (I imagine that my well practiced Rise of flight "boom and zoom" tactics work here so fast climbs and fast dives are a must!)

- getting maximum speed and low, medium and high altitude.


I know this is a lot to ask for (especially for a newbie like me!) but it would be great to have something concrete and all in one post, something that can be shared to all the new pilots (like me) that are trying to get a handle on proper engine management in combat (not just straight speed tests and climb tests).

Anyway, fantastic work on the engine figures and I am glad that I found this forum, what a fantastic community!


Take care, I hope my suggestion is not too forward.

[Dutch]

Hiya Mike,

Good to know it's helped. Unfortunately it's 1am here and time for bed, but lots of the other chaps should be awake around now. :)

If not I'll see if I can answer some of your queries in the morning! Thanks for the nice comments!

And welcome to the forum!!

:salute:

[ATAG_Snapper]

Hi Startrekmike and welcome to the forum!

As you've discovered, things are a little goofy with the RAF fighters' Flight Models. If you try flying most of them by the procedures & settings laid forth in the 1940 Pilots Notes -- you'll fry your Merlin engine in very short order. In a nutshell, we were determined to figure out just HOW the RAF fighters could be flown with this current beta (1.08 ). Led by Dutch, a number of us who fly Red or Blue came together to first determine what, exactly, was causing the Merlin's to so quickly overheat at normal high cruise/climb and emergency combat settings. For several days we turned to our testbed Server #2 to expand on Dutch's initial offline discovery that simply unchecking "Engine Temperature Management" in the Realism Options instantly cured the overheating problem.

But Dutch found there was more to it. A LOT more. In fact, the crux of the whole RAF flight model performance problem, including but not limited to the overheating problem, lay within. In two words: Radiator Drag. This is what's killing the Spitfires, and by logical extension, what's also crippling the Hurricanes.

Dutch ran tests specifically evaluating the radiator drag on the Spitfires. Many of us, in different capacities, either ran different flight tests together or alone, and still others here lent their technical acumen to help us acquire and decipher the data we were gathering from deep within the program. The specific numbers have been relayed to the devs for fixing, essentially we have to fly the Spits & Hurries to minimize air drag from the radiators as much as possible and yet still not cook our precious Merlins.

Phew! Now we get to your original question. What settings? Answer: it varies greatly, in that everyone has been finding slightly different optimal settings that work best for them. What Dutch established, though, is paramount: speed. The more air through the radiator, the better. However, and this is crucial....balance in flight must be established between the heat output of the engine (ie high throttle settings (boost) and prop pitch (rpms) and forward speed hampered by high radiator drag (open radiator vs closed radiator).

I've been flying the Spitfire 2a of late, Dutch the Spit 1a 100 octane. His procedure and settings will vary slightly from mine; we're all in a Work in Progress.

For me:

Take off: radiator open 100% (it says 93% -- good enough), mixture lever fully back, prop pitch fully fine, open throttle fully open (9 lbs boost). The rpms will quickly climb to 3000 as you pick up speed. Rotate at 80 mph IAS, wheels up. Once wheels are up, pull the prop pitch lever to reduce rpms down to 2600. Hold the nose down to allow the Spit 2a to speed up to 180 mph IAS. At that point, keep the throttle on full and close your radiator to 50%. Adjust your elevator trim to maintain a speed of 180 mph IAS while you climb. This should give you a climb rate of approx 2000 fpm. If your oil temp climbs above 90 C, reduce your throttle to allow boost to drop from 9 lbs down to 5 - 6.5. Drop the nose of your aircraft! Your climb rate will drop, but it's important to maintain your speed to a minimum of 180 mph IAS. If your water temp climbs to 110 C, pull your prop pitch back to bring your revs down to 2400. Again, drop your nose to increase your airspeed. Resist the temptation to open your rad above 50%. Drag is incorrectly modelled and you will find your airspeed dropping, which is counter-productive.

At 10,000 feet, pull back your prop pitch still further (2200 - 2400 rpms). If you continue to climb keep your rad at 50% and maintain airspeed at minimum 185 mph IAS. When you eventually decide to level off, you can experiment a little. At 2200 rpms, full throttle or slightly less (your boost will now be significantly less at high altitude. This is normal), you can try closing your rad still further down to 35%. Watch your temps closely. Your forward speed will increase, providing more cooling airflow through your rad and keeping temps in line.

109 show up? Open rad to 50%, push prop lever forward to increase revs to 2600, and open throttle fully. If in dire straits, increase your rpms using prop pitch to 2800, and go to boost cut out override if below 10,000 feet. Use VERY sparingly. In this sim you'll have about 20 seconds before your engine blow up; the real Spits had well over 5 minutes to settle things.

Bombers? They're fun! Our wizard mission designer, Wolf, has devilishly increased the marksmanship of the defending AI gunners in the bombers. Coming up from behind (as we all do!) is a bad idea. Not only is it harder to hit vulnerable parts of the bomber from six o'clock, it now exposes you to a hellish defensive crossfire -- with drastic results. As you intimated, boom & zoom is the way to go. Good deflection shooting is key (I aim for the cockpits) and, by the same token, helps dodge the return fire. A side benefit is that you are less of an easy target for any escorting 109's high above. I now approach enemy bomber formations at least 5000 feet higher from up sun (if I can). This frequently has brought me in an advantageous position of escorting 109's -- some are alert, some are not! ;)

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[ATAG_Deacon]

~S~ All,

Snapper, great synopsis on the Spit! You and Dutch have done wonders :salute:


Have you tried any emergency boost settings at all?

No sir, I've been taking of primarily from East Church and taking two different routes depending on where the action on TS seems to be. I will circle EC (East Church) to about 3k then head either towards Mansgate, arriving at about 10-12k and heading from there either to Calais or Hawkenge...usually climbing to 18-20k along the way; it's either that or I head south, staying well inland and away from any fights, I'll go down and out over English Point...again going to 18-20k. I like to perch up there. Much also depends on time of day and where the sun is.

I usually climb at 1500 fpm, 2600 rpm & 6 lbs boost to 10k then lower rps to 2400, rads at 50%. I can usually keep temps at 85-90 oil and 100-103 water at these settings. Once at alt I will lower my nose a bit and let the speed build up to cool off. I've been avoiding the low (10k and below) fights as they seem too one sided :grrr:, which shouldn't be the case.

Ever so hopeful that the next, or pending RC patch, fixes these issues...

Hope that made sense, it's been a long...long day at work.

[startrekmike]

Fantastic response!

I am a little confused about boost cut out, what exactly does that mean and how do I manipulate it? is it something that is automatic or can it be manually controlled?

Second, do these rules tend to apply to the Hurricane also? I mean, I know it will be a bit different but we are talking about the same engine so I suppose the operations would only vary slightly.


Keep em coming! I need all the help I can get to learn this (I can't hope online till I have a better video card, right now I am stuck with a 512Mb Geforce 9800GT so I dare not try to play online, though my frames are okay in single player).


Very glad that I found this forum, everything is very clear and easy to understand here!

[ATAG_Deacon]

I am a little confused about boost cut out, what exactly does that mean and how do I manipulate it? is it something that is automatic or can it be manually controlled?

Hi Mike,

Look at your throttle, when you push it all the forward, it stops at a little red tab. If you click on the tab it will open forward, allowing you to push the throttle a little further. It will give you more power for a very short period. In real life it could not be used for greater than 5 minutes. In Cliffs it can be used for about 20 seconds before your engine will fry.

Hope that explains it. I'm a layman so don't expect me to get too technical with things...:thumbsup:

[startrekmike]

I imagine that the boost cut out button on the Hurricane is the same idea then, I will give it a try :)

Okay, so my next question is kinda silly and a bit longish.

So I am cruising along in my Spitfire MkIIA at a altitude of roughly 4000 feet, I am looking to go pretty quick so I have the radiator set to a bit less than 50%, the mixture up to full rich and the prop pitch/RPM's set to around 2700/2800, will this get me to a pretty decent combat speed while flying straight and level as long as I properly trim the aircraft?

Next thing, when I go above say, 8000 feet, should I increase the pitch of the prop (to a rougher pitch so it bites better) and lower the mixture? should I do as it says in a post above and drop the RPM's down to around 2200/2400? Will that get me the best speed (outside of stressing the engine) at a straight and level condition with proper trim?

I know these seem silly and I possibly answer my own questions, but I need to make sure I am doing (and understanding) it right, explaining it this way allows me to kinda recite what I have learned thus far and will allow you to correct me if I am making a drastic mistake in my understanding.


When in combat, do you find that you like a fine prop setting or a coarse one? does the coarse setting really only help you at higher altitudes? (by coarse, I mean all the way coarse).

[ATAG_Deacon]

So I am cruising along in my Spitfire MkIIA at a altitude of roughly 4000 feet, I am looking to go pretty quick so I have the radiator set to a bit less than 50%, the mixture up to full rich and the prop pitch/RPM's set to around 2700/2800, will this get me to a pretty decent combat speed while flying straight and level as long as I properly trim the aircraft?

Yes


Next thing, when I go above say, 8000 feet, should I increase the pitch of the prop (to a rougher pitch so it bites better) and lower the mixture?

Yes and no...you need to start dropping your pitch above 10-12k or you'll burn up your motor...



should I do as it says in a post above and drop the RPM's down to around 2200/2400? Will that get me the best speed (outside of stressing the engine) at a straight and level condition with proper trim?

Yes


I know these seem silly and I possibly answer my own questions

There are no silly questions. Your best bet is to get on TS3 and ask for help/answers. Plus you'll get to know us better.


When in combat, do you find that you like a fine prop setting or a coarse one?

Fine pitch within reason...height, engine temp, speed, attitude (climbing or diving)...will all play a roll ie: in a Spit you do not want to dive in Fine Pitch...you'll over rev your engine and burn it up very quickly. When you level off, keep your pitch Course until you're bleeding off E as if you go to Fine Pitch the prop will act like an airbrake, so there is not really a correct answer...it is all very situational.


does the coarse setting really only help you at higher altitudes? (by coarse, I mean all the way coarse).

See above, it depends on many factors

Mike, get on TS and ask someone there...it is much easier to verbalize answers, and again, you will get to know us :)

-Off to sleep gents...gn.

~S~

Deacon

[startrekmike]

Thanks for the help!

I will hop on the TS channel tomorrow, perhaps maybe even fly online if it does not kill my framerate too badly.

This help means a lot to me, I have a much clearer idea of what I need to do now that I have gotten my questions answered.


Thanks so much!

[Dutch]

Good Morning!!

Phew, saved myself a whole bunch of work by going to bed there! I'm a two-fingered typist, so it would've taken me all night to type what the chaps have detailed! Thanks guys! :D

With regard to prop-pitch, it's important to distinguish between the 2-pitch and the constant speed units, and to get a grasp of how they work. They work completely differently.

With the 2-speed units in reality, fine pitch (high revs) was only really used for take-off, landing, and low altitude combat emergencies. Most of the time was spent in coarse pitch. So the easiest way to manage them is to take off exactly how Snapper says, then as soon as you reach 185mph, throttle back to zero boost, change to coarse pitch, throttle back up to +6 and leave it there until you need extra revs. Whichever setting you pick, the prop behaves like a fixed pitch prop, and therefore speeds up in a dive risking over-revving your engine, and in fine pitch is too finely pitched for the thinner air at altitude. Some flyers in the game have discovered that the 2-pitch is quite forgiving on temps, and can be kept in fine pitch (high revs) up to about 10-12,000ft for a good rate of climb, but you have to again watch your temps and airspeed. Again, set your rad at 50% to minimize drag, and swap between pitch settings to keep your climb rate going while keeping oil and water temps under control would be my advice. I always throttle back before changing pitch, to avoid over-boosting the engine. I don't know if this is even modelled, but I like to look after engines!

The constant speed units are exactly that. Constant speed, meaning RPM values. In a climb, cruise or dive the CSP unit will try to keep the RPM at the revs selected. So for climb, 2400-2600rpm, for cruise 1900rpm/+0 Boost, for combat 2650rpm. Even in a power-on dive, the CSP will try its damnedest to stay at the revs selected. As you'll realise, selecting a certain rpm, say 2500 for the climb, the revs will stay at 2500 all the way up, because the CSP automatically compensates for the rarifying of the air as you climb.This is also particularly useful to keep the rpm at the bottom of the engine's power band, much like a car or motorcycle, so that when you ram the throttle forward you get max acceleration. I'm not too sure of the differences between the versions of merlin modelled, but 2650rpm seems to work for me (as it did for Geoff Wellum, from whom I get most of my info :D). So the best setting for absolute maximum speed is always 3000rpm/max Boost at any altitude, because the CSP sets the blades to maximum efficiency for that altitude. However in the game this will soon blow your engine.

As the chaps have hinted at above, it's best to pick an aircraft model and stick to it, in order to fully get to know it's particular idiosyncrasies. I'm sticking to the 100oct Spit for now, simply because I'm a glutton for punishment. Well, I used to love flying the old Blenheim FM, which must tell you something!

God knows what'll happen if the devs release an update today though......................................

[Dutch]

Just to update the info a touch:

Instead of testing, I've been flying for fun over the last few days and found an even simpler solution for the 100oct settings.

Before take-off, again set rad at 50% and leave it there. Mixture lever fully back. Take-off at 3000rpm, gear up, level off and allow airspeed to build to 185mph. Drop to +3 boost, lower revs to 2400 and forget them. Leave them there.

Throttle back up to +6 boost. By now you'll be doing about 200mph on the flat. Turn towards the sun and climb (never climb away from the sun, you never know who's watching). You'll get a climb rate of initially over 3000fpm dropping to 2500fpm as speed drops to 185mph. Trim for climb at this speed.

As you hit around 12,000ft you'll see temps start to rise. Throttle back to +5 boost, or level off a bit to increase airspeed. This will keep things cool. Twiddle mixture a bit to ensure blue flame.

Go jerry hunting.

Above 14,000ft, emergency boost doesn't give any real benefits, so leaving engine at these +5 to +6/2400/mixture back settings will give good performance against 109s. BUT!! If they dive away (as they tend to), punch the emergency boost, firewall it and set mixture full forward, as it certainly does work the lower you go.

With the +11boost/2400rpm/mixture forward/50% rad settings the 109s will get the shock of their lives. Just don't be tempted to alter either pitch or rad settings.

This doesn't mean that the devs don't need to change some things, but we shall see.

Stick to these golden rules and the current 100oct is very competitive.

:)

[ATAG_Snapper]

Will give it a go, Dutch. Sounds good. Before going into combat it's smart (and SOP) to check temps prior to engaging. But I welcome any high performance settings that allow you to keep an eye on your opponent without having to constantly check and adjust rpms/throttle/radiator during combat to avoid overheating and messing up SA.

If the devs actually fix the FM's we'll have to relearn the correct settings per the Pilots Notes. The A2A Spits (1a & 2a) feel and sound like two completely different aircraft compared to their CoD counterparts, even though the cockpits appear almost identical. The A2A Spits are modelled to combat specs (including ammo weight and oxygen system), but the short takeoff run with the CSP is a little unsettling after flying the CoD equivalents -- you're rotating before you know it! In CoD you're taking a quick tour of Kent before the Spit decides it's time to fly! :D

Oh, and the sound difference? Well, the A2A Spitfires sound like they have Merlin engines up front, the CoD Spits sound like they have Peterbilt diesels!!!

[Dutch]

But I welcome any high performance settings that allow you to keep an eye on your opponent without having to constantly check and adjust rpms/throttle/radiator during combat to avoid overheating and messing up SA.

Yep. That's just it. With rad at 50% and rpm at 2400, you can pretty much ignore temps, other than the odd glance if you alter throttle setting etc. I found that over 14,000, all I did was manoeuvre and shoot - leaving engine settings as above.

I also dived after a 109 from height who kept checking 6, realising I was still there, going back the dive, checking, realising I was still there etc. Owing to the intial advantage of him bunting into the dive, he did finally outdistance me, but I got enough shots into him to be credited with the kill when he de-spawned.

Now all I need to do is get my gunnery skills up to scratch. They're crap. :(

[ATAG_Colander]

but I got enough shots into him to be credited with the kill when he de-spawned.

This is something I'm thinking of maybe changing in the future. Something along the lines "if the plane landed at a friendly base, no points are awarded"

[Dutch]

This is something I'm thinking of maybe changing in the future. Something along the lines "if the plane landed at a friendly base, no points are awarded"

Killjoy! :D

I wouldn't object to that in one sense as the pilot got back, but in another sense, the a/c was a write off, so how about working it for half a kill or a proportion according to number of hits or something. Don't know if that's possible but just a thought......

[ATAG_Colander]

Well, is a topic for a different thread but I thought that if the plane made it back, we could check for the amount of damage to call it a write off or not.

[Dutch]

Well, is a topic for a different thread but I thought that if the plane made it back, we could check for the amount of damage to call it a write off or not.

Even better! :thumbsup: