DCS Spitfire Mk IXc LF Impressions

First flights (and first 'landing') impressions!

First, on the fact that it's a beta. Definitely not complete, but I'd say 90% of the way there. The canopy scratches texture is always present even if you have the canopy open, the fuel primer lock doesn't animate when you turn it open, stuff like that.

Second, a note on DCS. It's a DCS warbird, so just like the Mustang, it's going to mean practice practice practice.

Okay, now down to business.

Startup is pretty simple. Pretty much the same procedure we're all used to already. A few new things such as the need to do the priming, wobble pump (or pressure switch), and the carb control. Nice though that the rad controls are auto so no need to worry there.

Taxiing is fun. You need to really work the pedals and hand brake to taxi properly. No tail wheel lock so you really have to stay on it or you can easily run off the taxi way or loop it. That said, it's not that hard as long as you're on it, as I say.

Take-off has loads of torque. Be good at dancing on the rudder or tweak your curves to make it easier. My first take-off had me in the grass with my Mustang presets for curves. It definitely wants to be in the air more than the Mustang though, so as long as you can get the tail up, give it power and up you'll go.

Once in the air, this thing has loads of power down low. I only took it up to about 10,000ft on my first two flights, but the response is great. Climb rates near 4,000ft per min at 180. Watch the temps though. Seems we can push it a little harder than Cliffs but be ready to bring the power down. As always, keep the speed up and the temps will be okay.

Flight controls very very very responsive. If you've got speed and you yank on the elevators, you WILL blackout almost instantly. This thing has excellent elevator authority. It's honestly the first Spitfire in a game I've played that gives the impression of that 'think where you want to go and you'll go there' experience that actual Spitfire pilots talk about all the time. Rudder has a lot of authority too. Only rudder and elevator trim in this one just like always.

Guns are great. Did some test firing, but no combat yet. Can't wait to see those cannons hit a 109 in front of me. Gun safe button is nice to have now too.

My landing got me on the ground, but I forgot my flaps in my excitement. I actually had one of the best line ups I've ever done in DCS with the Spitfire, but without the flaps I was too fast and couldn't keep it on the deck. Busted it up a bit (gear, wingtips, etc.) but was safe on the ground and got out okay. The landing sequence seems much more enjoyable with the Spitfire than with the Mustang, so I'll put in more practice.

Only the one paint job so far, but it looks damn good with the YO on it. Many more will come, I'm sure.

Sound is better than the Mustang, but not by that much. They're improving. There's an option for sound like with headset on and off, so you can tweak how that works. I used headset off and the engine is quite loud and pretty much all you hear. You do hear the controls and things you're operating, but it's kept very low. I understand the need to have SOME kind of audio response when activating controls since we lack the physical response from the switches and things (or those of us without Simpits do anyway), but probably some more work could be done here for the simulation aspect of sound.

Visibility is good, but glass could be clearer. Almost like someone took an SOS pad to it... . Modders will make new cockpits for sure.

All in all good first impression, but hoping they're going to take the 'beta' aspect seriously and make some adjustments. It's definitely in a state that we can start training in earnest now though.

One last note: the Spitfire is only available right now in DCS 1.5 so you'll need to have that installed to download and play with it. Fortunately, 1.5 is free to download. DCS World 2 should get it soon enough at which point we will definitely want to switch over. 2 runs better for sure.

For now, download and get cracking!

I'll post another when I check out armament options currently available etc.

No real armament options yet, but the controls for bombs and drop tanks are all there.

Note: It's very easy to run out of fuel! I took 80% into the air and burned it up VERY quickly. Ran out of fuel on my way back to the airfield. Did a decent wheels up dead stick into a field next to a road, but wow. Make sure to bind a key to the fuel check button since it won't read anything unless it's depressed.

Power! Still had about 1500 ft per min climb at 30,000 ft! Probably why I was burning the fuel so fast. Doesn't take much from the rpm or boost to keep 300mph near the deck. So, keep combat settings for combat. Cruise settings are the order of the day here.

May need to adjust the curve on the stick and rudder even more for this one.

Very much have enjoyed my flying in it today, though. Definitely some adjustments to flying discipline to be made from CloD.

I have a practice mission ready with 8 aircraft available to take from a single strip airfield with wind in the right direction. We can practice tomorrow!

Here are some keys to bind:

Main fuel cock (toggle)
Carburetor Operation (toggle)
Primer lock toggle
Primer Pump
Fuel Wobble Pump Activate
Fuel volume check button
Fuel Pump (toggle)
Mags 1 and 2 (toggle)
Starter switch cover toggle
Booster Coil switch cover toggle
Start switch
Booster Coil switch
Mixture toggle
Canopy open close toggle
Side door open close toggle
gun sight toggle on/off
gun sight width increase
gun sight width decrease
Gun safety button
MGs
Cannon
MGs and Cannon

Put your hand brake on an axis if you can. Either toe brake, or the slider on your stick (what I use). Pressing 'b' ain't going to cut it here.

We'll deal with all the nav lights and IFF stuff in due time

Sounds great.

Unfortunately for me, I uninstalled 1.5 in order to get version 2 to work so I'll have to sit on the sidelines until the Spit migrates to the newer platform. I'll keep an eye on the DCS site and will purchase both when they come out.

In the meantime, I'll keep plugging away with the P51D.

As an aside, I've flown about twenty-five sorties against a single 109 with pilot setting at average skill level (e.g. lowest setting). I shot it down once at point-blank range from astern, while the remaining twenty plus times the 109 shot me down or forced me into a stall. One particular fight lasted 24 minutes during which I had 11 opportunities to fire resulting in three, maybe four hits. In comparison, the 109 fired only three times, killing my engine and forcing me to bail on the third when he managed to slip onto my six and out-climb me after a power dive and pullout.

update. Life is weird. Took two weeks off from flying, then flew tonight and bagged the 109 in my first attempt. Thanks Santa!!

Merry Christmas to all the 401/450 family. See you in 2017.

I've already had much more success with the Spitfire than I ever had with the P51. Hold up hope!

After seeing a comment by Nick Grey on a DCS video (who has 350+ hours in Spits) I've used his recommendation of going to ONLY 8lbs boost on take off and it is a LOT easier to handle. I've just done 3 successful take off AND landings.

Landing is a TON easier with the brakes on an analog setup. Even easier if you can put it on a slider that you can set and forget. When I come in for a landing now, I circle around to the threshold with 100mph, then I keep the aircraft center of the runway and gently let the airspeed fall until I touch down. Then, I cut the throttle, and use the rudder to keep it straight, gradually adding more brakes as I lose rudder authority. Then I keep the brakes at around 30% and just dance from left to right on the pedals. Once the aircraft is getting closer to a stop, I pull the brakes back to about 10% to avoid nosing over and come to a stop.

Hope that helps. I'm using 0 take-off/land assistance in the settings.

Thanks for the tip on analogue brakes Wolverine.  The full ON/OFF button brake makes taxying and landing so hard compared to the gradual braking of a slide lever.

Try it guys, taxying has become fun again.

Oh, and I found that your setting of 30% curvature on the rudder and other controls makes take-off and flying a whole lot smoother and easier.

Now back to practice landing the beast.

Squiz

Good to hear you're having some success. I recorded a few take offs and landings (some good some bad):

Wolverine wrote:I recorded a few take offs and landings (some good some bad):

Those are really impressive. Your worst landing is still far better than my best landing. I just can't keep it on the runway after touchdown.

I've got a new video with a view of the pedals on take-off and landing that might do a better job of showing you how I manage it. I'll post link when it's uploaded.

EDIT: Here it is:

Went online to Burning Skies server for the first time and bagged a 109 before promptly making a fool of myself. Managed to get it on camera too. Uploading now!

6666666666666 Oops

Sound mod released by diveplane!

http://www.lockonfiles.com/files/file/3349-dcs-spitfire-l-f-mk-ix-audio-production-10-mod/

Wolverine wrote:Sound mod released by diveplane!

Thanks for that. I like the growl.

Also thanks for the landing tips. I can now keep the Spit on the Runway, but just barely and I'm usually facing away from the center line.

StiC wrote:

Wolverine wrote:Sound mod released by diveplane!

Thanks for that. I like the growl.

Also thanks for the landing tips. I can now keep the Spit on the Runway, but just barely and I'm usually facing away from the center line.

It's gonna take a lot of practice. And we're not even dealing with tricky wind...