Question about Spitfire variants

[VAG_Sevy]

Is there a project to materialize the spitfire Mk IX version taken from the Mk V floatplanes and equipped with the Merlin 61-63.
The most produced version of the war and probably the most used until the end of 1944?

[ZachariasX]

That has been tried and the attempt was marginally more successful than what would have resulted form an attempted submarine conversion of the aircraft.

 

This aircraft would have as little purpose in this sim as it had in real life back then. Then again, there was the Henriot HD2 in RoF. And that is fun. Boats on Berloga.

[Avimimus]

The problem is that, by the end of the 1920s, airspeed has increased to the point where the requirement of having a low volume (to float) and a low surface area (to fly fast) become increasingly incompatible. A 1930s float-plane fighter simply can't compete with a land based (or carrier based) aircraft - which makes their use limited to rare situations such as island hoping campaigns.

 

Perhaps an example of a relatively good design (in contexts other than the Japanese Island hoping situation) is the Arado Ar-196. It is small enough to be launched from warships. Carries a second crew-member who can help with observation and spotting. Has a rear turret to help mitigate its disadvantage... and has enough forward firepower and just enough speed to stand a chance of catching (or at least driving off) larger fleet shadowing multi-engined aircraft. They were used by some German allies in the Black Sea and saw use for coastal patrols in Northern Europe - so they'd actually have a role on our maps.

 

As for WWI - the differences in speed aren't as large - so we see a variety of floatplane and seaplane fighters have some success. This is most notable in the Adriatic where some very high performance Italian designs clashed with over a half-dozen Austrio-Hungarian designs... with both sides mass-producing float-plane and seaplane fighters.

 

 

 

 

[VAG_Sevy]

Avimimus and ZachariasX, are you responding to another topic that I initiated earlier on this one, which has no relation? I admit that I am lost!

[Alexmarine]

I think Assi was not talking about floatplanes but about a possible early version of the Spitfire MkIX (Merlin 61/63 engine, .303 in the wings, smaller earlier tail etc.etc.) as the IX we have at the moment is more a winter '44/45 model

[ZachariasX]

1 hour ago, Alexmarine said:

I think Assi was not talking about floatplanes but about a possible early version of the Spitfire MkIX (Merlin 61/63 engine, .303 in the wings, smaller earlier tail etc.etc.) as the IX we have at the moment is more a winter '44/45 model

That would be a nice addon. What we have is from 1944 on, certain mods later in the year. A Merlin 61 would be 1942 and I hope this will be included at some point. We need a "Battle of Jubilee"

[VAG_Sevy]

1 hour ago, Alexmarine said:

I think Assi was not talking about floatplanes but about a possible early version of the Spitfire MkIX (Merlin 61/63 engine, .303 in the wings, smaller earlier tail etc.etc.) as the IX we have at the moment is more a winter '44/45 model

That's right, that's what I was talking about...
I did some research and I noticed that the version of the spit Mk IXe as proposed in Great Battles was only used by one or two squadrons at fall on Bodenplatte, for example! At that time the majority of squadrons were equipped with small fin spitfires, wings B or C with the Merlin 63 or 66 for the LF version.

Another example of incomprehension among designers, Of all squadrons present in Belgium from September 44 to January 45, only one is equipped with Mk XIV. It would have been more opportune to materialize the version I'm talking about.
No complaints about the fine work done, but historically it doesn't make sense!

Edited June 2, 2021 by TVH46_Assi

[Sandmarken]

I cant help but notice that the p51 that comes with normandy wil feature the packard version of a merlin 63. C-wing mod for the spit cant be that hard to implement as the xiv have it. Im allowed to dream atleast. 

A battle of normandy scenario without a propper historical spit 9 has something missing for me. That said, the one we have now probably is close enough if the devs dont have a spare moment to adress this.. 

Edited June 2, 2021 by Sandmarken

[HBPencil]

To answer the original question in the first post: no, the devs have not indicated that they have any plans to introduce a MkIX with the C wing and small rudder.
If I recall correctly they have said that they will not rework older aircraft to include more options in the mods list, so if we ever see an earlier version of the MkIX it will be a stand alone aircraft.

[VAG_Sevy]

That's a bit what I think too, almost all elements are there to materialize a version that will please many and compatible with history. I'm thinking of Polish, New Zealand, Norwegian and other squadrons, not only British, mainly equipped with Mk IXc in F and LF versions.

[Sandmarken]

11 minutes ago, HBPencil said:

To answer the original question in the first post: no, the devs have not indicated that they have any plans to introduce a MkIX with the C wing and small rudder.
If I recall correctly they have said that they will not rework older aircraft to include more options in the mods list, so if we ever see an earlier version of the MkIX it will be a stand alone aircraft.

I know they said, but they still gave us 150octane for both spit and p47 after release when we cried for it. I guess if we just ask long enough they eventually have to do it. 

I work with kids and this is usually their strategy aswell. it most often work very vell??

[Diggun]

15 minutes ago, HBPencil said:

stand alone aircraft.

Fine by me. My credit card stands ready to be abused for an early IX!

[Sandmarken]

Just now, Diggun said:

Fine by me. My credit card stands ready to be abused for an early IX!

Me too. ??

[Avimimus]

3 hours ago, Alexmarine said:

I think Assi was not talking about floatplanes but about a possible early version of the Spitfire MkIX (Merlin 61/63 engine, .303 in the wings, smaller earlier tail etc.etc.) as the IX we have at the moment is more a winter '44/45 model

 

2 hours ago, ZachariasX said:

That would be a nice addon. What we have is from 1944 on, certain mods later in the year. A Merlin 61 would be 1942 and I hope this will be included at some point. We need a "Battle of Jubilee"

 

Aha! Yes, it all makes sens now. I guess the original message was too short... and we got side-tracked by the mention of float planes.

 

I rather like the idea of Operation Jubilee (and not just because I'm Canadian)... it represents a huge air-battle and also a landing in France that was successfully repelled.

 

The vast majority of fighters in the operation Hurricane II and Spit Vb... so that would save time. There were also a few Bf-109F and Ju-88... and torpedoes.

 

There are a number of other small changes on the earlier Mk. IXc so it would need to be a new model. The same goes for the early Typhoons that were deployed, the Mustang Mk.1, The Havoc Mk.III (British A-20), Fw-190A4... they'd all benefit from flight model and systems model research, but would probably have to be made from scratch in terms of art. Finally one would want a Do-217E (AI).

 

So 5 new variants (with new 3d models), 4 existing aircraft, 1 AI aircraft, and the addition of torpedoes.

[ShamrockOneFive]

3 hours ago, TVH46_Assi said:

Avimimus and ZachariasX, are you responding to another topic that I initiated earlier on this one, which has no relation? I admit that I am lost!

 

I was as confused as they were when you mentioned a float plane version in your original post.

 

1 hour ago, TVH46_Assi said:

That's right, that's what I was talking about...
I did some research and I noticed that the version of the spit Mk IXe as proposed in Great Battles was only used by one or two squadrons at fall on Bodenplatte, for example! At that time the majority of squadrons were equipped with small fin spitfires, wings B or C with the Merlin 63 or 66 for the LF version.

Another example of incomprehension among designers, Of all squadrons present in Belgium from September 44 to January 45, only one is equipped with Mk XIV. It would have been more opportune to materialize the version I'm talking about.
No complaints about the fine work done, but historically it doesn't make sense!

 

And now I'm clearer. Yeah, a 1943 standard Spitfire IX would be interesting to have and potentially justifiable as a Collector Plane with the various airframe modifications including the different filter types used throughout the period and the potential to have two or three engine modifications (Merlin 61, 63 and 66). It wouldn't offer a dramatically different experience from the IXe but it would be interesting to plug a small gap.

 

As it is, the IXe isn't going to be an issue from a competitive point of view but it is interesting.

 

As for why the developers went this way? I think it makes a lot of sense actually. The Spitfire IXe was a key type in the last few months of the war representing a large chunk of the 2nd TAF's Spitfire force. This variant comes with the greatest variety of armament (including the late war usage of RP-3 rockets). The Spitfire XIV entered service in early 1944 and was used during the early 1944 channel defense missions before switching to the V-1 intercept role for some months before finally deploying to the continent in the fall as you've noted. A further several squadrons would deploy later.

 

Doing it this way gives us the greatest variety of Spitfire while still being historically oriented. It's better value as well and the history is not ill serviced by doing it this way.

Edited June 2, 2021 by ShamrockOneFive

[VAG_Sevy]

I understand the work policy, choices that must be made in relation to the growing demand and the workload. I repeat, overall there is no reason to be unhappy with the investment for this simulation. But I'm happy to know that I'm not the only one hoping for this version of the spit!
Rheinland (map) is a bit like home to me and therefore the most interesting period is that which goes from September 44 to February 45?

[LukeFF]

5 hours ago, Sandmarken said:

I cant help but notice that the p51 that comes with normandy wil feature the packard version of a merlin 63. C-wing mod for the spit cant be that hard to implement as the xiv have it. Im allowed to dream atleast. 

 

It's not just the wing but also any changes to the cockpit that differentiate a Mk IXe from a Mk IXc. 

[sevenless]

Did someone say Spitfire IXc? YES please!

 

[41Sqn_Skipper]

13 hours ago, sevenless said:

Did someone say Spitfire IXc? YES please!

 

 

Actually it's an "e" in the picture, not a "c" 

[RedKestrel]

2 hours ago, 41Sqn_Skipper said:

 

Actually it's an "e" in the picture, not a "c" 

No they named the dog Spitfire IXc, it was very confusing.