1. #1
    mortoma's Avatar Senior Member
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    I hardly ever fly Spitfires. And it shows!! I never realized that only the Spit 5s allow you to change prop pitch! The 8 and 9 models disallow it.

    And I can't figure out why, because the cockpit shows a prop control lever just like the Spit 5s have! I'm no Spitfire expert ( like we have many of here in the forums ) but I'd find it hard to believe that Spit 8s and 9s didn't have a constant speed prop that allowed for RPM changes!! A mistake on Oleg's part? You experts please tell me.

    Also noticed the Spit 8 has a retractable tail wheel but the 9s revert back to the fixed! At least in the game. Why did the British do that? Seems a retractable is well worth the extra weight penalty as it offers a more streamlined aircraft.
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  2. #2
    JtD's Avatar Senior Member
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    You can change prop pitch on all models, but you need to switch off auto-pitch first.

    The Spit VIII is a later model than the IX, which is just a V with a new engine. So naturally it is more refined, for instance it has a retractable tail wheel.
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  3. #3
    SlickStick's Avatar Banned
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    Originally posted by mortoma:
    I hardly ever fly Spitfires. And it shows!! I never realized that only the Spit 5s allow you to change prop pitch! The 8 and 9 models disallow it.

    And I can't figure out why, because the cockpit shows a prop control lever just like the Spit 5s have! I'm no Spitfire expert ( like we have many of here in the forums ) but I'd find it hard to believe that Spit 8s and 9s didn't have a constant speed prop that allowed for RPM changes!! A mistake on Oleg's part? You experts please tell me.

    Also noticed the Spit 8 has a retractable tail wheel but the 9s revert back to the fixed! At least in the game. Why did the British do that? Seems a retractable is well worth the extra weight penalty as it offers a more streamlined aircraft.
    1. You can change prop pitch in the Mk. VIIIs and Mk. IXs, too. You just have to toggle the Auto prop pitch setting.

    2. The Mk. VIII came after the Mk. IX. Original Mk. IXs were converted Mk. Vs. The Mk. VIII was the first model to have the retractable tail wheel.

    The Mk. IX we have in game is a later version, not a converted Mk. V airframe, as it has the pointed rudder and other updated features.
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  4. #4
    Shift+0 or (is it Ctrl+0?) will switch off auto-prop pitch and give you manual. I barely use it, but it`s useful sometimes.
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  5. #5
    I forgot about the retracable tail wheel on the late model spits.

    It does retract with the other gear correct?

    No need to assign a new key?
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  6. #6
    M_Gunz's Avatar Banned
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    Are you talking about blade pitch or just the ability to command prop rpm?

    It's easy enough to tell. If you set a fixed pitch and then speed up, your engine revs increase.
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  7. #7
    SlickStick's Avatar Banned
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    Originally posted by gdfo:
    It does retract with the other gear correct?
    Yes.
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  8. #8
    mortoma's Avatar Senior Member
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    Ok, I see....The later Spits are like the auto system on the 109 I guess. I tried using the auto prop toggle and it works like a Bf-109. So it's not a true constant speed prop like most allied planes have, including the Spit V. Strange I have been with this game from the demo days and never noticed that. Of course the Spits came in mid-way to late, starting with Ace Expansion Pack, IIRC.
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  9. #9
    mortoma's Avatar Senior Member
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    Originally posted by JtD:
    You can change prop pitch on all models, but you need to switch off auto-pitch first.

    The Spit VIII is a later model than the IX, which is just a V with a new engine. So naturally it is more refined, for instance it has a retractable tail wheel.
    You don't have to do the auto pitch thing with the Vs.
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  10. #10
    SlickStick's Avatar Banned
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    Gotta love those Mk. VIIIs.

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