S P I T F I R E

Started by RogMason, November 16, 2018, 03:52:01 PM

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RogMason

Guys,
Here's the 'just released', definitive movie on the Spitfire.
It is beautifully photographed.  The whole film is extremely well done but the opening and ending sequences, are especially spectacular.

Enjoy...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wb18q1qsf8pcral/Spitfire.2018.1080p.BluRay.x264.AAC.MVGroup.org.mp4?dl=0
'Roger That...'

Frank v B

watched the first 26 minutes... will have to continue later tonight after we return from dinner.  Great aerial shots.  Amazing how an airplane started with a two bladed prop on about a 1000 hp before the war and end up with a 5 bladed prop and 2400 hp by the time the war was over.

Thanks for posting.

Frank
"Never trade luck for skill"

Frank v B

Ok, saw the rest of it.  Great documentary.  3 Notes:
- notice how much the rudder waggles on take-off  (at 30 minutes)
- interesting rudder counter-balances (35:18)
- The clipped wing Mark 14 sure does not look as elegant, yet the pilot interviewed called it a terrific advancement with the new Gryphon engine. (117:08)

Well worth viewing.  Thanks again Roger.


Frank
"Never trade luck for skill"

RogMason

#3
and a fourth note:
- Intetesting suggestion that the elliptical wing may have originated at Heinkel and was observed and brought back to Supermarine by a young Canadian?

That's new to me.
'Roger That...'

RogMason

Also of interest, is an article by Maxi Gainza, the Argentinian Spitfire owner and pilot, who owns the Spitfire that the ATA flier, Mary Ellis 'signed' at the end of the movie. 

In this article, Maxi describes his first ever flight in this Spit.  It is so complex.  It indicates just how mindful and clever the ATA ladies were - jumping in and flying a Spitfire for the first time and of course, the young, inexperienced pilots who did the same thing but also had the additional pressure of flying this machine into combat!

Quite a good read...

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/pilot/20171101/281479276607146
'Roger That...'

Frank v B

#5
Interesting reading.  It is funny how there are three levels of airplane knowledge and information

general public- it's a Spitfire
an avid modeler, it is a Spitfire Mark IX
an avid full size pilot- It's down to the current call sign of that particular plane and the name of the current owner.  A quote from the article on this Spitfire "MV 154 (now painted as MT 928)"

The level of detail knowledge is always relative. :)


Frank
"Never trade luck for skill"

piker

Just started watching the film.  I'm not very far in and I'll have to take a break to go out with Tara, but I'm very happy that they refer back to the Schneider Trophy races and the impact they had on the development of the fast planes. 

Also note my beloved Sandringham in the background at the museum.   ;D

Robert

electroflyer

  Roger,
I have not watched the video yet, but I read of Beverly Shenstone last year and was very interested in his contribution to this magnificent aircraft.

Glenn
 

RogMason

#8
Quote from: piker on November 17, 2018, 07:44:14 PM
the Schneider Trophy races and the impact they had on the development of the fast planes. 

Robert

Robert, I noted with interest that the Schneider Trophy speeds started at 40mph and ended at 400mph!  Can you imagine 400 mph with two huge floats hanging in the breeze?  I wonder what the speed would have been clean?
'Roger That...'

RogMason

Also, I wondered about the elliptical wing design being German and why they didn't adopt the design themselves - especially when they realized how successful it was on the Spitfire?. I concluded the following:
-  In the beginning, it was an interesting but untested theory and would take much time to develop vs the simple straight wing.
- Germans were (are) great engineers. Ease of manufacture and servicing, were prime on their design requirement at all times - e.g. fast turn around of combat damaged aircraft.
- And last but not least, thank goodness it was the brain child of  Heinkel (mostly bombers and transports) and not Messerschmitt (mostly fighters)?
'Roger That...'

piker

I just finished watching the film.  Very nice.  I'll watch it again.

About the elliptical wing concept.  I know this is sacrilege, but I wonder if it was all that it's been made out to be.  As you say, it was never really adopted for any other aircraft.  I think the reason the spitfire was successful was because of the power to weight ratio.  After all, they had to keep upping the power as the enemy aircraft improved.  That is what kept the Spitfire relevant for so long... the awesome Merlin engine.

I'm interested in everyone else's thoughts on this.

Robert     

Frank v B

#11
Roger,

Interesting you should outline in point 2 - "Germans were (are) great engineers. Ease of manufacture and servicing, were prime on their design requirement at all times - e.g. fast turn around of combat damaged aircraft."

One of my instructors at Bramalea, Eric Knight (+) was from England and serviced Spits during the war.  He said they were horrible to repair because each wing panel was individual, unduplicated port, starboard, top and bottom.  He said that if they were rectangular as in the Mustang they would have been easier to make and duplicate.  Imagine the reduced inventories required for field repairs.

I love Mitchell's comment that he did not care about the shape of the wing as long as it was thin and could hold guns.  Simple objectives. :D

For what it is worth.


Frank
"Never trade luck for skill"

BJROB

Thanks Roger, I just finished watching this documentary.
What a great job done on this video.
It had me glued to the screen, I had to watch it in three parts, but could not wait to see the rest.
After just reading information on these planes, then to see, made it so full for me.
Great video well worth watching again.... ok I think I will....😀
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