Yes, it does contain some nice info and astute observations does it not? Typical German thoroughness!
Some quick comments on some German observations:
Page1:
"Flugzeugfuhrer....bemängeln die etwas geringe Längdstabilitet". So the Germans think it's too sensitive in pitch. Intersting to compare with the British complaints about the heavy elevator control on the 109. It's all about what you are used to I suppose
A nice touch is also where they say "Die Leistungen der Spitfire wurden.....stark ubertriben" and go on to mention the discrepancy beween British numbers and what they have measured themselves on captured aircraft. Kinda reminicient of British evaluations of the Me109...
Page 2:
Notice they know of the original plans for only 4 MG's and their observation that the late addition of the other 4 leads to a rather (in their view) poor arrangement of the guns!
Page 3: "Bemerkungen der Aerodynamik": They chalk one up for the Spit on aerodynamics as "recht gut" and "gefähige Formen"
OTOH they seem unimpressed by the choise of airfoil: "Ein Schnellflugprofil stellt es nicht dar"
Page 4: They complain about the air intake (I think?) and that this is made out of an Elektron (Magnesium) cast with 12 mm thick walls weighing a in their view hefty 5 kg?
Page 7: Interesting point on the balancing of the ailerons: "12 kleine 25 g-Bleigewichte" that could be inserted in a tube?. That was new info for me....
Further, they observe that a lot of control surfaces use brass bearings as oppsed to ball bearings. I think the Germans used mostly ball bearings for control surfaces?
It would be good if someone with a good grasp of German could translate it completely though.....
Holtzauge
Linear Mode
