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Introduction
Engine Performance
Firepower
Maneuverability
Flying the Spitfire Mk XVI
Fighting the Spitfire Mk XVI
Summary
Engine/Range Info
Fuel Tankage: 26 gallons
1/4
51 gallons 1/2
77 gallons 3/4
102 gallons full
138 gallons DT
Engine Settings:
WEP: 3000rpm/18mp
330 gall/hr
Military: 2850rpm/12mp
260 gall/hr
Normal:
2650rpm/7mp 203gall/hr
Max Cruise: 2400rpm/4mp 161 gall/hr
Calculated Durations (Internal Fuel
Only, 2x burn):
Military: 24 mins
Normal: 30
mins
Max Cruise: 38 mins
-Soda
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Introduction:
Spitfires have always been popular in AH as the lineup has
evolved and changed over time.
They typically were liked for their versatility but traded off
some speed and roll performance that didn’t make them elite at the most
common altitudes. The
Spitfire Mk XVI changes much of that overnight by bringing the speed up
to average and making the roll above average. Possessing great fighting attributes up to about
20K, the Spitfire Mk XVI really gave a ride that could at minimum
compete and in many cases dominate a fight.
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Engine Performance:
The Spitfire Mk XVI really provides a ride for the low to medium
altitude ranges up to slightly over 20K. Most fights in AH are under
20K (really under 15K) which is perfect and hence why the Spitfire Mk
XVI is such an effective aircraft. Speed is not outstanding but is a bit better than
average with WEP. Cruise
at sea-level is only 315mph, not even average, but with WEP that kicks
up to 342mph which is just above average. The numbers improve with altitude, climbing to
336mph/363mph at 5K, 357mph/384mph at 10K, 368mph/386mph at 15K and
383mph/405mph at 20K. Above 20K there are better Spitfires, and other
aircraft, suited to this high altitude work. Climb is very good through the same range, easily
enough to match almost all aircraft though the decrease in wing-area on
the Spitfire Mk XVI leaves it behind some of it’s Spitfire peers
(Spitfire Mk XIV and Mk VIII are slightly superior at high
altitudes). Climb-rate
flattens out around 15K and drops quickly over 22K. Acceleration, linked to
climb-rate, follows the same pattern and is very good at low
altitudes. Fuel range has
never been a strong-point with Spitfires though the situation has
improved with later models that could also accept a droptank. In the
case of the Spit XVI, you have 102 gallons of internal fuel which is
only 38 minutes or so, even when you are at very low power
settings. At military
power, you are talking more like 19 minutes. I’d suggest the drop tank is almost mandatory, it
adds almost 40% to your duration at full fuel and the drag penalty
after dropping the tank is minimal. The Spitifire has also gotten an update to divide
the internal fuel into two tanks, a Top and Bottom, with 58 and 44
gallons respectively. This
is actually a pretty important change for the Spitfires, it means if
you manage your fuel better if you keep track of it manually. With about 68 gallons
remaining, manually switch to the top tank (the bottom burns first) and
that will leave you 10 gallons as a reserve in your bottom tank. That can be useful if you tend
to forget about your fuel and run out and can help if one tank takes a
puncture, something that used to be fatal.
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Firepower:
Fairly good, the Spitfire comes with only one option of a pair of
wing-mounted .50 caliber machineguns (250rpg) and a pair of 20mm
Hispano Mk II cannons (120rpg).
The .50’s are credible when the target is at convergence and
also tend to create damage with some well placed hits. They do not tend to give really
quick results but they have to be respected as they tend to hole
fuel-tanks, radiators and oil-coolers. The 20mm Hispano cannons are very good, they offer
superior ballistics to any other 20mm cannon in the game and hit
amongst the hardest of the 20mm class of weapons. Hispanos have been respected in
the game for a long time and any aircraft carrying a pair of them
should be effective against fighter sized aircraft with even quick
snapshots. Firing time is a bit light, 18 seconds for the .50’s and 11
seconds for the 20mm, enough for a few kills at least.
External options are better than earlier Spitfires with wing
mounts for 250lb bombs or a pair of 3.5inch rockets. While basically a token attack
ability, it is none-the-less something and gives some flexibility over
the target to knock out light structures or go after lightly armored
ground vehicles. On the
centerline is also a mount which can carry a 500lb bomb or 30 gallon
drop tank. Typically the
drop tank is taken to provide some reasonable range but the bomb can be
useful in close.
Performance suffers at high aircraft weights and high drags so
flying around with a bunch of ordnance is not great if you are
fighting.
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Maneuverability:
The Spitfire Mk XVI weighs in at only 6329lbs when totally unloaded
(no fuel or ammo), loaded with fuel/ammunition 7,241lbs. The Spitfire doesn’t handle the
weight too poorly although if you add on external ordnance you can
quickly find yourself over 8,300lbs which is a problem. Turn rate is
good though the clipped wingtips do give a noticeable reduction in
turn-rate and an increase in radius. That effect becomes especially evident at high
altitudes. Still, the Spitfire Mk XVI is at least average and at speed
can tend to pull enough lead for a shot without too much trouble. Low speed handling is a bit
less stable and seems to be a bit oversensitive in pitch in my
experience. Don’t use
flaps, they are really only for landing and the drag they produce is a
real disadvantage. General
performance and stability are very good over the whole speed range and
roll rate is very crisp and direct, something different from all the
other Spitfires which tend to feel laggy in roll. With WEP power, the Spitfire Mk
XVI can maintain a turn or replace lost energy.
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Flying the Spitfire Mk XVI
Easily one of the best aircraft in the game, the popularity of
Spitfires in general was always high due to their good balance of
abilities. The Spitfire Mk
XVI addressed the two largest issues that Spitfires suffered from, some
lack of roll rate and a low speed at low-medium altitudes. The Spitfire
Mk XVI may not be the “best” aircraft in any one aspect of the game but
it certainly is better than average at most.
Use the excellent power and responsiveness when fighting and try
to keep the fights at medium or lower altitudes. A quick climb for some altitude
is never a bad idea and the Spitfire Mk XVI is no different (though it
climbs like a rocket so it doesn’t take long). Other full-span winged
Spitfires will have slightly better turn rates, especially as altitude
increases, so slow turn-fights are not a specific strength. Sustained turn-rates are good
given the engine power and the instantaneous turn-rate is also very
good. Try and use the
excellent vertical performance, quick aileron response, and solid
turn-rate to win angles for a shot. You should be able to match the energy potential of
most opponents and probably build an energy advantage over time due to
a generally low energy bleed of most Spitfires. Don’t hang around in turn-fights
if they start to slow down, the likes of the Ki84, N1K2 and P-38’s can
give you trouble as they tend to gain advantage as the speeds
slow. Also try and avoid
high-weight fights with external stores, most of the time people will
carry a drop tank but potentially forget to drop it, it will create
extra drag and decrease performance. Also save your WEP for use in the fight, the
Spitfire Mk XVI is a different beast if you don’t have the extra power
of WEP. Be careful not to
overshoot your target, the Spitfire Mk XVI generates energy so quickly
that it is a frequent mistake to blow right by an opponent if you make
a mistake.
Defensively you probably have a lot of options but consider the
initial situation to determine your goals. The Spitfire Mk XVI is not a fantastic extender if
you decide to run though it is quick off the line for short sprints of
speed. Recovering energy
to even out a fight is not too difficult if you are smart and that can
get you back into a fight on even terms. Quick roll is also a big asset, it tends to keep the
enemy out of phase with your lift vector and cause you to be a very
hard target. Maneuvers in
the vertical are good, be they defensive like a split-S and if given
even a little time to recover some energy/position, the Spitfire Mk XVI
can turn back on the offensive.
If presented the opportunity, quick snapshots can be dangerous
to discourage enemies who hang around to get sloppy near you.
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Fighting the Spitfire Mk XVI
Be careful, it doesn’t take a fantastic pilot to make a Spitfire
Mk XVI dangerous. It has
such quick hitting power and can adjust so quickly to defensive
maneuvers that it can be a real handful.
Always assume Spitfires you see are Mk XVI’s unless you know
better. If you get over-aggressive and in close with a Mk XVI you can
quickly run into real trouble and not be able to escape. Pick your spot carefully and
make your attacks count.
Given the balance in the Spitfire Mk XVI several other aircraft
will have either a speed or turn-rate/radius advantage if the speeds
get slow. Spitfires are
typically don’t take damage very well, they tend to get holed fuel
tanks and lose radiators to even quick snapshots so don’t be afraid to
spray a little to try and inflict damage. A damaged Spitfire tends to have very little time
before the fuel runs out or the engine overheats which will force the
Mk XVI pilot to be very aggressive knowing his time is running
out. Give yourself some
extra leeway to escape if things turn against you.
Getting jumped by a Spitfire Mk XVI is a bad situation so try
and avoid the initial attacks with some hard maneuvers. If you have an opportunity to
get in a snapshot, do so, as Spitfires tend to overshoot if they are
not carefully being managed well (the huge energy building potential
and tendency to attack with lots of alt/speed causes this). Many aircraft in the late war
arena are still going to have an overall speed advantage if they can
build a little time to extend from the Spitfire Mk XVI although the
margin might be a bit slim.
In general I try and point out on most aircraft a specific
weakness that can be exploited but in the case of the Spitfire Mk XVI
there isn’t any one thing specific. It’ll come down to pilot skill and appropriate
selection/execution of maneuvers that suit your aircraft. The margins
are likely to be small and it’ll be a tough fight
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Summary
The Spitfire Mk XVI is a tough plane to fight but an excellent
one to be in. At the low-medium
altitudes of most of the fights it is one of the most dominant and well
suited aircraft. It may
not be the outright best at any one thing but it’s very flexible in
almost any type of fight which is why it’s so well suited. Certainly it can make any
average pilot very dangerous and thus is always a difficult opponent.
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