Spitfire V – Pilot's notes

FLYING LIMITATIONS


Restrictions

a)When fitted with a 90 gallon drop tank the aircraft is restricted to “straight flying “ until the tank is jettisoned. This restriction does not apply when fitted with a 30 gallon drop tank.
b)Drop tanks should be jettisoned only in straight and level flight, and then only if absolutely necessary.
c)When carrying a bomb, spinning is not permitted and violent maneuvers must be avoided.The angle of dive must at no time exceed 40°

PRELIMINARIES
On entering the cockpit check the following:
Undercarriage lever - DOWN
( Check that indicator shows DOWN; switch on light indicator and check that green lights apper)
Flaps – UP
Landing Lamps - UP
Contents of lower fuel tank

STARTING THE ENGINE AND WARMING UP
Fuel cock lever(s) – ON
Trottle – ½ inch open
Mixture control – RICH
Propeller speed control – Fully back (D.H.20) or fully forward (Rotol 35 or D.H. Hydromatic)
Radiator Shutter – OPEN

(a) High volatility fuel should be used if possible for priming at air temperatures below freezing.
Work the priming pump until suction and delivery pipes are full;
This may be judged by a sudden increase is resistance.

(b) Switch on the ignition and starting magneto and press the starter and booster coil buttons.
Turning periods must not exceed 20 sec., with a 30 sec wait between each.
Work the priming pump as rapidly and as vigorously as possible while the engine is being turned, and it should start after the following number of strokes.





(c) At temperatures below freezing it will probably be necessary to continue priming after the engine has fired and until it picks up on the carburetor.

(d) When the engine is running satisfactorily release the booster coil button, or switch off the starting magneto , and screw down the priming pump.

(e) Run the engine as slowly as possible for half a minute, then warm up at a fast tick-over.

(f) If fitted with a D.H 20 C-S propeller, move the speed control slowly full forward when the engine has been running for a minute or more.

TESTING ENGINE AND INSTALLATIONS

While warming up
(a) Make the unsual checks of temperatures, pressures and controls.
Brake pressure should be at least 120 lb/sq. in

(b) See that the cockpit hood is locked open and the emergency exit door is set at the “half-cock” position.


After warming up
see that there are two men on the tail and with the propeller speed control fully forward, test as follows:

(a)Open up to maximum boost for WEAK mixture cruising;
exercise and check operation of constant speed propeller.
(b)Open the throttle fully and check take-off boost and r.p.m.
(c)At maximum boost for RICH mixture cruising test each magneto in turn.
The drop should not exceed 150 r.p.m.

Running of the engine must not be unduly prolonged because, lf the coolant temperature before taxing out exceed 100°C, it may become excessive before take-off is completed.
When engines are being kept warm in readiness for immediate take off, de Havilland 20 C.S. propeller should be left in fine pitch - control lever fully forward.

FINAL PREPARATION FOR TAKE-OFF

The Drill of Vital Actions is “T,M,P, Fuel, Flaps ant Radiator “
T - Trimming tabs – Elevator : about one division nose down from neutral.
Rudder: Fully to st’bd.

M –Mixture control - RICH

P - Pitch - Propeller speed control fully forward.

Fuel - Cock levers ON and check contents of lower tank

Flaps - UP

Radiator shutter – Fully open



TAKE-OFF

Open the throttle slowly to the gate (RATED BOOST position).
Any tendency to swing can be counter-acted by coarse use of the rudder.
If taking off from a small airfield with a full load, maximum boost may be obtained by opening the throttle through the gate to the TAKE-OFF BOOST position.

After raising the undercarriage, see that the red indicator light –UP - comes on (it may be necessary,
to hold the lever hard forward against the quadrant until the indicator light comes on).
Do not start to climb before a speed of 140 mph I.A.S. is attained.

CLIMBING



GENERAL FLYING

(1) Stability: the aircraft is stable about all axes.
(2) For normal cruising flight the radiator shutter should be in the minimum drag position.
(3) change of trim:
Undercarriage down – Nose down
Flaps - Nose down.
(4) for combat manoeuvres climbing r.p.m. should be used.
(5) for stretching a glide in the event of a forced landing, the propeller speed control should be pulled right back and the radiator flap set at the minimum drag position.

MAXIMUM RANGE

(1) Climbing:
Climb at +9 lb/sq.in. boost and 2850 rpm at the speed recommended for maximum rate of climb.
Mixture control at RICH.

(2) Cruising
Maximum range will be obtained at intermediate heights.
The recommended speed are as follows:



Fly in WEAK mixture (1f control fitted) at maximum obtainable boost not-exceeding +4 lb/sq.in.
(the mixture richens automatically at higher boost) and reduce speed by reducing rpm which way be as low as 1,800 in this will give the recommended speed, but check that generator is charging.
If at 1,800 rpm the speed is higher than the recommended, reduce boost.

STALLING
(1) At the stall one wing will usually drop with flaps either up or down and the aircraft may spin if the control column is held back.

(2) This aircraft has sensitive elevators, and if the control column is brought back too rapidly in
a manoeuvre such as a loop or a steep turn, stalling incidence may be reached and a high speed
stall induced.
When this occurs there is a violent shudder and clattering noise throughout the aircraft which tends to flick over laterally, and unless the control column is put forward instantly, a rapid roll and spin will result.

SPINNING
(1)Spinning is permitted by pilots who have written permission from the C.O. of their squadron. (C.F.I. of an O.T.U.).
The loss of height involved in recovery may be very great, and the following height limits are to be observed:
(a) Spins are not to be started below 10.000 feet
(b) Recovery must be started not lower 5,000 feet.
(c) A speed of over 150 mph. I.A.S. should be attained before starting to ease out of the resultant dive.

AEROBATTCS
The following speed are recommended
Looping
Speed should be about 300 mph I.A.S. but may be reduced to 220 – 250 mph when the pilot is fully proficient.
Rolling:
Speed should be anywhere between 180 and 300 mph.
The nose should be brought up about 30° above the horizon at the start, the roll being barreled just enough to keep the engine running throughout.

Half roll off loop : Speed should be 320 – 350 mph.

Upward roll : Speed should be about 350 – 400 mph I.A.S.

Flick manoeuvres : Flick manoeuvres are not permitted

DIVING
(1)The aircraft becomes very tail heavy at high speed and must be trimmed into the dive in order to avoid the dangers of excessive acceleration in recovery.
The forward trim should be wound back as speed is lost after pulling out.
(2) A tendency to yaw to the right should be corrected by use of the rudder trimming tab.


APPROACH AND LANDING
(1)During the preliminary approach see that the cockpit hood is locked open, and the emergency exit door is set at the half-cockposition .
Take care not to get the arm out into the airflow.
(2)Reduce speed to 140 mph I.A.S. and carry out the Dill of Vital Actions
“U,M,P, and Flaps”.-

U – undercarriage - DOWN (Watch indicators and check green lights).
M - Mixture control -RICH
P - Propeller control – FULLY FORWARD
Flaps – DOWN.

(4)When lowering the undercarriage hold the lever fully forward for about two seconds.
This will take the weight off the locking pins and allow them to turn freely when the lever is pulled back. The lever should then be pulled back smartly to the down position and left there.
It should NOT be pushed into the gate by hand.
As soon as the undercarriage is locked down the lever should automatically spring into the gate and the hydraulic valve indicator return to IDLE.
If it cannot be pulled fully back, hold it forward again for at least two seconds.
If it becomes jammed it may generally be released by a smart blow of the hand.
If this fails it is necessary to take the weight of the wheels off the locking pins, either by pushing the nose down sharply or by inverting the aircraft.
The lever can then be pulled straight back.

(5) If the green indicator light does not come on, hold the lever fully back for a few seconds.

(5) If the undercarriage is lowered too late on the approach, with insufficient engine speed to develop
fully hydraulic pressure the selector lever may not automatically spring from the fully back position
into the gate, so indicating that the operation is not complete.
This may cause the undercarriage to collapse on landing.
(As previously mentioned the lever must NOT be pushed into the gate by hand).
It is advisable, therefore, to lower the undercarriage early on the circuit prior to landing and not in the later
stages of the approach.

(6) Mislanding : Climb at about 120 mph I.A.S.


If this fails, raise the undercarriage and repeat the lowering.
If this fails also, use the emergency system (see Section 1, Para.12).

Note: Before the emergency system can be used the control lever must be in the down position.
It may be necessary to push the nose down or invert the aircraft in order to get the lever down.

AFTER LANDING

(1) raise the flaps before taxying.
(2) If fitted with a D.H.20 C.S. propeller, after taxying in set the speed control fully back and open up the engine sufficiently to change pitch to coarse.
(3)Run the engine at 800-900 rpm for two minutes, then pull the slow-running cut-out and hold it out
until the engine stops.
(4) Turn OFF the fuel cocks and switch OFF the ignition.


OIL DILUTION
The dilution period should be:
Atmospheric temperatures above -10 : 1 minute
Atmospheric temperatures below -10: 2 minutes.


FLYING AT REDUCED AIRSPEEDS
In conditions of bad visibility near the ground reduce speed to about 120 mph. and lower the flaps.
The radiator shutter must be opened to keep the temperature at about 100°C and the propeller speed control should be set to give cruising rpm.