Screens from my favorite aircraft

[CrazyGleek]

I still can't get through a flight from startup to shutdown without boiling it over.

[Piper_EEWL]

Nice screenshots!

As for boiling over. Just some general tips and tricks that helped me get the temperature management right:

1. Make sure the radiator is fully open on ground operations and takeoff
2. Try to prevent prolonged taxiing (I usually start her up, then try to get to the runway asap, do my runup and then be ready to go)
3. Don't takeoff with coolant temps higher than 100C
4. After takeoff retract gear immediatly and accelerate to 180mph. Do a shallow climbout at a minimum airspeed of 180mph. (With the MkII's constant speed prop I usually pull the prop back to 2600rpm and the boost to about 4psi. But that's just my way)
5. Don't do long shallow approaches with the flaps and the gear down. Leave the flaps and the gear up as long as possible and try to do a nice gliding approach into the airport (don't let the engine idle to low because you might get spark plug fouling though!)
6. Taxi in as quickly as possible and shut down.

I hope this helps a bit.

[CrazyGleek]

Thanks Piper_EEWL

You can add to that list:
Don't fly on hot summer days in Crete

What got me on my last flight was the long shallow approach with the gear down. I thought I had a visual fix on the airport - I was wrong. Stayed flat and slow too long looking for my place to land. I hate landing with steam coming from my plane - its embarrassing.

I really wonder how much trouble Spit pilots had operating out of Egypt in summer combat conditions with the cooling issues.

[Piper_EEWL]

Yes true. Flying the Spitfire in hot weather doesn't make it easier to manage the temperatures. But it is doable. Just try to keep the speed up as long as possible. Speed = a lot more cooling. And stay in a clean configuration. Bringing the gear down really disrupts the airflow into the cooler. Especially with the MkII I keep the gear up quite long since it doesn't involve pumping.

I don't know how difficult it was for those guys to keep the engine happy in norther Africa but I guess that wasn't their biggest problem. Also I think once the plane is flying and you're up to speed it is not that big of a problem to keep the temps in the green. Groundhandling takeoff and landing are the phases where one has to be careful.

[Killratio]

The aircraft sent to NA were Mk V which had a slightly improved radiator system which was at parity on the "suitability rating". The OAT doesn't make a huge difference but it IS significant.

The single most common mistake I see in videos of people flying the A2A Spitfire is to faff about for two miles on approach with gear and U/C down. A tight racetrack approach with gear down mid downwind and flaps withheld until on short final is the way to land a Spit. The flaps in particular are completely counter productive until short final..they do NOT provide much(if any) extra lift and add a huge amount of drag PLUS block flow through the radiator.

Using these methods I have successfully done 5 - 6 circuits around Jandakot in 40C before needing to give the engine a break.

The Spit was designed for a very specific task, off very specific types of aerodromes and only really contemplating English weather.

I saw many comments over the years about people who "can't even taxi to my hold point at JFK without it boiling". Well, guess what, it should..it wasn't designed to do that. It was designed to take straight off from a grass strip right next to the hangars and perform at 15,000 - 20,000ft.

I wonder if those same people would complain that they can't takeoff from a PNG mountain airstrip in their 737.. or can't land their Extra 300 on water?

And yes, I'm just back from the bloody dentist..so maybe I'm feeling a bit abrasive!

[Lewis - A2A]

Period RAF standard curved approach in should see you in no issues as the final is short and curved, no messing around with long circuits and finals. Wham, bam thank you mam

[Piper_EEWL]

I wonder if those same people would complain that they can't takeoff from a PNG mountain airstrip in their 737.. or can't land their Extra 300 on water?

Hehe very true.

[CrazyGleek]

It's a learning experience. That is why A2A products are so much fun.

CrazyGleek

[Killratio]

Glad you're enjoying her!

Keep the aircraft clean and fast for as long as possible and don't stress about boiling on landing. I still do occasionally, as do most of the display pilots of the real thing!