Spitfire Controls

In article ,
Ken Duffey writes:
N329DF wrote:
It is very easy to fly, for me even more comfortable than a stick. I can't say
about in combat, but I have flown in Tiger Moth, Harvard Mk.II and Spitfire TR
IX, and all had circle control sticks.
Matt Gunsch,
A&P,IA,Private Pilot
Riding member of the
2003 world champion drill team
Arizona Precision Motorcycle Drill Team
GWRRA,NRA,GOA


As an addendum to N-6's original question..............

Did the stick move from side-to-side - or was it just the spade grip
that moved for aileron control ??

The stick had a pivot at about half its height - the top part of teh
stick, with the spade grip would pivot. It's a neat solution -
British cockpits tended to be on the small side, and doing the stick
that way gave you more throw without your legs getting in the way.

ISTR seeing pics of the stick in the central position with just the
spade displaced to one side.

Well, the spade grip & the upper portion.

I also assume the the whole spade/stick moved for-and-aft for elevator
control ??

Yep.

SOmebody mentioned the Brake Lever, I think. That's an important
point. Unlike the toe brakes on aircraft produced by others, brakes
on Brit airplanes were activated by a single lever. It's a lot easier
to deal with with the spade grip.

--
Pete Stickney
A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many
bad measures. -- Daniel Webster

Unlike the toe brakes on aircraft produced by others, brakes
on Brit airplanes were activated by a single lever.

The Piper Colt had a single brake handle, but at least it was a trike.
It must have been a bear, handling a taildragger on the ground without
differential brakes, especially on asphalt.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! weblog www.vivabush.org

Unlike the toe brakes on aircraft produced by others, brakes
on Brit airplanes were activated by a single lever.

The Piper Colt had a single brake handle, but at least it was a trike.
It must have been a bear, handling a taildragger on the ground without
differential brakes, especially on asphalt.

They had differential brakes. with the pedals center, when the lever is pulled,
you got pressure to both brakes, if you have the left pedal in, you get left
brake, if you got right pedal in, you get right brake. The system is very easy
to operate, just I don't like air systems, it can be a bitch finding a leak.
Matt Gunsch,
A&P,IA,Private Pilot
Riding member of the
2003 world champion drill team
Arizona Precision Motorcycle Drill Team
GWRRA,NRA,GOA