Early Spitfire's Engine cut out under negative G's (without the special fix)

[novicebutdeadly]

Good afternoon fellow il2 pilots

I know that this no doubt has been done to death on various threads, but my reason for asking the question is to confirm what I've heard (but can't find any sources for)

Which is that:

When the early Spitfires without the special fix flew in neg G's did the engine regularly cut out (actually stop), either from fuel starvation and/or flooding (when the aircraft went positive G after a neg G maneuver),

or did they just give a little cough and then start running normally?

And also that if the engine did actually stop while in flight, that the propeller would automatically go to feather/ close to a feather angle (I believe that this was due to the hydraulic prop system loosing pressure), which made it near impossible to restart as you couldn't change the prop pitch (or was that a problem only with the 2 speed propeller units, that were replaced by circa August 1940).

I look forward to learning if what I heard is right or wrong.

~S~








 

Edited May 1, 2020 by novicebutdeadly

[41Sqn_Skipper]

 

 

Pilot's Notes General (2nd Edition), AP2095. Air Ministry, April 1943

 

Forgot to add para. 3 and 4 regarding propeller pitch.

 

Edited May 1, 2020 by 41Sqn_Banks

[ZachariasX]

49 minutes ago, novicebutdeadly said:

(I believe that this was due to the hydraulic prop system loosing pressure)

You don't lose pressure as long as the system is not leaking and the prop is turning or you are using the hydraulic system while the prop is stopped.

 

You cannot feather the prop on a Spitfire.

[41Sqn_Skipper]

 

Instructors' Handbook of Advanced Flying Training (1st Edition), AP 1732b. Air Ministry, May 1943.

[novicebutdeadly]

Thank you to everyone who responded