First time in the Mk IIa

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Paughco
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First time in the Mk IIa

Post by Paughco »

The Mk I is a blast. Gotta try the Mk II to see if it's an improvement over the Mk I. Decided on a late afternoon flight from Santa Rosa (KSTS) to my favorite airport in California, Half Moon Bay (KHAF). Preflight was the same as the Mk I mostly, but didn't need that battery cart. Figured four pumps of prime would do it, based on ambient temperature. BOOM! She fired right up! Oh yeah! I've got one source telling me it's OK to taxi when the oil is at 15 degC, and another source saying I should wait until it's 40 degC. I split the difference and started toward the runway at 32 degC or so. Had clearance from the tower and everything, all nice and legal. Maybe I'm imagining things, but the takeoff seemed a bit quicker, yet more "gentlemanly." Hmm. Constant speed prop worked great in climb out. Got up to about 8,500 feet and got a screenshot. You can see the birthing place of many Great Whites, Point Reyes, in the background:

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Started dropping down due to fog ahead. Note how the camo blends in to the small lakes and marijuana farms below:
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Yeah - had to do it. That was me, flying under the Golden Gate Bridge:
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Visibility pretty much sucked:
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Hey, if my buddy can do this IRL in a Cessna 182 (no names here, and I'll swear that I made this up) I can do it too. I kept low, following the coast, low enough to see the water and land on one side and water on the other side. Moving at 300 mph helped, until I got past Pacifica, whereupon I pulled power and started getting ready. The viz actually improved as KHAF came into view. Downwind. Prop fine. 160. Gear. Short base, onto final. Flaps. Squeak! Had to get on the brakes a bit to make the taxiway. Parked out in front of the hangar, with the coffee shop in the background.
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Note the "Frank Sylvestri Terminal Building" sign in the background. That's "Mr. Sylvestri," or "Sir" to me and you. He flew P-47s in WW II. He ran West Coast Aviation and Half Moon Bay Airport back in the day, like a fighter base. He's gone now, but he was a good guy.

The Mk II was great! If any of you guys are BMW K-bike riders, you'll know exactly what I mean when I say that the Mk I is like a K1200S and the Mk II is like a K1300S.

Seeya
ATB
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Dogsbody55
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Re: First time in the Mk IIa

Post by Dogsbody55 »

Nice screenshots. :D I think the MkIIa is my favourite of the A2A series. I've flown it many times around San Francisco and onto Half Moon Bay as it's just such great scenery around there. Plus, I've been there and driven PCH southwards which is a must.

For a bit of extra fun, try doing a loop around the Golden Gate bridge :lol: :lol: :lol:


Cheers,
Mike
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Alan_A
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Re: First time in the Mk IIa

Post by Alan_A »

I turn most often to the Mk IIa, and will even admit to modifying my most-used paints (mostly photo recon aircraft) to Mk IIa specification. This is strictly personal, and mostly for ease of use. But you could make the case that the Mk IIa is more representative than the A2A Mk I's of the Mk I's actually in service from mid-1940 on. By that point, most of the Mk I's had been modified with constant-speed props and engine-driven hydraulics (no more hand-pump for the undercarriage). It's not 100 percent accurate - the IIa also gives you the Merlin XII with more horsepower, different power settings and the Coffman cartridge starter. So there's some license involved. But in terms of its systems, the Mk II comes closer to the experience of operating a mid- to late-BoB Spitfire than the A2A Mk I does. Or so I tell myself in order to let myself off the hook... 8)
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Dreamsofwings
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Re: First time in the Mk IIa

Post by Dreamsofwings »

Yes have to say the MkIIa is my current preference. Great screenshots.
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Killratio
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Re: First time in the Mk IIa

Post by Killratio »

Philistines! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Love the last shot by the way ;)
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Dreamsofwings
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Re: First time in the Mk IIa

Post by Dreamsofwings »

Killratio wrote:Philistines! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Love the last shot by the way ;)
:lol: :lol: :lol:
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paddler
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Re: First time in the Mk IIa

Post by paddler »

Great post, good story and wonderful shots. Well done.

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Alan_A
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Re: First time in the Mk IIa

Post by Alan_A »

Killratio wrote:Philistines! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Ha! Guilty as charged!

Got a question for you - to what extent, if at all, did the Mk I photo recon Spitfires get the in-service modifications (constant-speed prop and/or engine-driven hydraulic pump)? I'm guessing N3071 was gone too soon, but wondering about K9817 and any other contemporaries. Your cockpit project (based on K9817, correct?) makes me think they must have stayed as early-war Mk I's with the two-position prop and the hand pump. Is that right?
"Ah, Paula, they are firing at me!" -- Saint-Exupery

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Killratio
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Re: First time in the Mk IIa

Post by Killratio »

Alan_A wrote:
Killratio wrote:Philistines! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Ha! Guilty as charged!

Got a question for you - to what extent, if at all, did the Mk I photo recon Spitfires get the in-service modifications (constant-speed prop and/or engine-driven hydraulic pump)? I'm guessing N3071 was gone too soon, but wondering about K9817 and any other contemporaries. Your cockpit project (based on K9817, correct?) makes me think they must have stayed as early-war Mk I's with the two-position prop and the hand pump. Is that right?

Actually quite a big question Alan,

I'll do a detailed answer up tonight. K9817 still had its manual gear pump and DH two speed airscrew until well after her time with the PRU, yes. At the other extreme, a few Spitfire I aircraft went to PRU as, from a fighter perspective, MK V's straight off the lot.


regards

Darryl
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Alan_A
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Re: First time in the Mk IIa

Post by Alan_A »

Killratio wrote: I'll do a detailed answer up tonight.
Looking forward to it - but of course, no rush!

I spend nearly all my Spitfire time in PR variants - it's one of the few mission profiles that makes sense when you're flying alone in a civilian simulator. Plus your influence, of course.

Got back to the Mk IIa last night and I have to admit I found it was lacking a bit in character... plus there's that unruly amount of torque. I think that may be your influence, too... 8)
"Ah, Paula, they are firing at me!" -- Saint-Exupery

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Killratio
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Re: First time in the Mk IIa

Post by Killratio »

Sorry for the delay Alan, I've been crook for a couple of days.

The early PR aircraft display a bewildering variation and difficulty in nailing down exact details shared by most Spitfire I's. This is not helped by the fact that several were ex test aircraft and could be fitted with "anything".

K9787 was manufactured with a Merlin II, went to testing and eventually went to PRU wih a Merlin III and a Rotol CS, Jablo (wooden) airscrew. She was almost certainly PRU Blue.

K9791 was manufactured with a Merlin II and wooden airscrew, went to testing of the DH 2 pos, then was tested with a DH CS, had had cannon mock ups fitted in the wings and finally, had a Merlin XII and Rotol with metal blades fitted before loss in August 1940!!..and don't even start me on what colour she may have been :)

N3117 Started life with a Merlin III and DH 2 position Aiscrew, ended up with a Merlin 45 and a DH CS but at least one picture I have seen of it appears to have a Rotol fitted. In at least one photo I have seen of it at the PRU, there appears to be the tell-tale hydraulic fluid tank behind the pilot...a possible sign that at that time it still had the manual pump.


Plenty of photos and descriptions of DH 2 speed airscrews on PRU aircraft and probably THEY would have been converted around the same time as the fighter squadrons to CS...but probably last, as front line fighters were priority. I doubt the undercarriage units were changed on any aircraft built with the manual pump...it was a big job to change it and would not have given great benefit. The exception may be N3117 as a whole new engine was put in and major work done.


It is my educated guess that all Spitfires produced under the first contract (all K's L1000 to L1096, N3023-N3295 and P's up to P9567 actually completed and delivered) had the manual undercarriage pump. Many of the later P numbers were supposed to go to Turkey, so it was unlikely that they would have been built as anything other than was originally planned. This is by no means certain but comments in Morgan an Shacklady that Merlin III and hydraulic undercarriage came in very early as a result of 19 Squadron test flying are not correct. Even Wrongipedia implies that DH2 airscrews and powered undercarriage came in about the same time...a fact proven patently wrong by the obvious inclusion of manual pump on P9374 and N3200!

So, in summary, no changes other than airscrew, rear tank, rip out the guns and put in cameras(some fits requiring control runs to be re-routed too) and CS modifications were probably done on most Spitfires I's sent to PRU after squadron service. Ones sent ex factory would have had the current factory specs plus PRU mods to that time and ones ex testing could have "anything". If an engine was upgraded to Melrin 45 after factory who knows what went in or got changed.

regards

Darryl
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bladerunner900
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Re: First time in the Mk IIa

Post by bladerunner900 »

I also fly the Mk IIa a lot and am also occasionally guilty, of modding the .cfg for an easier life in the Mk I.

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Paughco
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Re: First time in the Mk IIa

Post by Paughco »

Doggone, A2A has done it again. I know I'm preachin' to the choir here, but I gotta say, the Spitfire is a total blast! She's fast, climbs like the proverbial homesick angel, and she lands way easier than the T-6 or even the P-40.

Took her out for a nice little evening flight out of Arlington. The wind was blowing from the south, so takeoff was on Rwy 16. Climbed up to 12,000, nice and easy, no overheating, even with the radiator flap set at the red triangle. Cleaned her up for a nice cruise and headed over toward Mt. Baker. WAIT! Bogey at 2 o'clock low! Fangs out! It was a biz jet heading for Paine Field. Moving pretty fast. Almost caught it, but decided to break off and return to base. Here we are on the downwind to Rwy 16.

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She even parks easy! No towing or slew needed:

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Thank you, A2A

Seeya
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Jacques
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Re: First time in the Mk IIa

Post by Jacques »

Nice screenshots! I’ve had AI aircraft disabled for so long I forgot how much fun it could be giving chase to them!


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Alan_A
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Re: First time in the Mk IIa

Post by Alan_A »

@Darryl - thanks for the (customarily) great writeup and sorry for my own late response - it's been one of those weeks.

It sounds as though it was sort of anything goes when it came to the PRU Spits... but that, in all, the A2A Mk 1a with the two-speed prop is probably the best overall representation of what you would have found in the PRU early on - maybe with some finessing of the prop handle to get some more range in it.

Am I right that the combat units did get the undercarriage modification in greater numbers? I seem to recall references in Wellum to his flipping the gear switch down, without mentioning pumping (this is later on, not his initial Spitfire flight), and I had the impression that that was a modded Mk I, not a Mk II, but I could have been wrong.

@Bladerunner900 - I'll confess to having done the occasional field modification myself...

@Paughco - I've spent a lot of time in all the A2A single-seaters but always come back to the Spitfire. There's a way that it falls into your hand so naturally - not too much torque, decently stable, easy to land. The P-40 was always a handful and a half for me, and the Mustang is way too unruly...

Back to mods and upgrades, and a general question - do we know how the pilots felt about the move to constant speed and an engine-driven hydraulic pump for the gear? I'm guessing the changes would have been popular given how much else they had to think about. I remember Wellum (on that Spitfire familiarization flight) being puzzled that he had to pump the gear down when his Harvard didn't require that - seemed to think it was a step back. I'm also remembering a reference in Daniel Ford's book about the Flying Tigers about how happy the pilots were with the P-40Es, thought the cockpit arrangements were much better. Was there anyone who preferred the old tech? Just wondering idly, as I ping-pong back and forth among the different Spitfires...
"Ah, Paula, they are firing at me!" -- Saint-Exupery

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