FS2004/FSX Spitfire Mk XIV
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Type info:
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The Mk XIV was the most important of the Griffon powered Spitfires, and the only one to see significant wartime service. It used the two-speed two-stage supercharged Griffon 61 or 65, giving 2,050 hp and a significantly improved performance at higher altitudes when compared to the earlier Griffon powered Mk XII. The Mk XIV was based on the Mk VIII fuselage, already strengthened to cope with the Merlin 61 engine. Early models used the “c” type universal wing (four 20mm cannon or two 20mm cannon and four .303in machine guns), while later production used the “e” wing (two .50in machine guns instead of the .303s).
The Griffon engine improved the performance of the Spitfire at all heights. Tests in early 1944 found it to be faster than the Mk IX at every altitude, with the best rate of climb yet seen. The only area not to see any improvement was manoeuvrability, which did not rely on the engine but on the airframe. It had a similar advantage over the Fw 190A, which had a similar performance to the Mk IX. The only problem posed by the Griffon was that it span in the opposite direction to the Merlin. Merlin powered Spitfires had tended to veer left on takeoff. The Mk XIV veered to the right instead.
The superior performance of the Mk XIV made it the ideal aircraft to deal with the menace of the V-1. No.91 Squadron, based at West Malling, ended up with the best record against the flying bomb, shooting down 184 with its Mk XIVs. The "Universal" wing allowed to install the four cannons, or two 20-mm cannon and two 12.7-mm Browning machine guns.
In total more than 900 fighters"Spitfire " Mk XIV were built. After WW2, Mk XIV were flown by many countries into the early fifties.

Effects
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-On startup there is automatic engine smoke.
-Then follow the exhaust flames with smoke.
-Wing vortex effect appears by default at 2.5g or quick roll rate.
-Continuous blue flames with smoke if engine is running .
-War Emergency Power is controlled by the WEP.gau (Tick 1 or 0)
-Wing cannon with flash, smoke and falling cartridges can be triggered with the standard Strobe key (O).
It is much nicer however if you put the FS2004/FSX standard Strobe key (O) to the trigger from your joystick. You can change this in the Key menu.
It is a good idea if you replace the standard (L) key for lights by the L+CTRL, (normaly activating the landing lights only). This avoids you having to have all lights on when pulling the trigger.

Installation:
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-Unzip " Spit14CL" into a temporary file and move the "Spit14CL" folder into the main Aircraft directory.
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-Read instructions carefully when installing the gauges , say YES...when asked if the gauges sources should be trusted. If you say no....most of the gauges are not going to work !
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-Leave the fighters.cab in your panel folder.
-Paste the WEP.gau into your flightsim\gauges folder.
-Copy the effects into the Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator X\effects folder.
-Add the 20can.wav in your Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator X\sound folder.
ATTENTION :
-For FS2004, change the FS9_Wing_Guns.fx into FX_Wing_Guns.fx
-For FSX change the FSX_Wing_Guns.fx into FX_Wing_Guns.fx

NOTE : If you want to upgrade my original Spit21.mdl to Vista, replace the old mdl file by the new one included.

-Interesting...: Here is a tip to make FS2004 work better with Vista, you can also apply this tip to other legacy software. Right click the icon for FS2004 and click 'properties'go to the 'compatibility' tab check the box
'Run this program in compatibility mode for'then select 'Windows XP (SP2)'
under settings check the follow boxes
'disable visual themes'
'disable desktop composition'
and
'run this program as an administrator'
Also make sure when you run the fsnav database creator that you run it as an administrator or your fsnav will not see the created database. I have used this method to get all of my legace software to run.
FS2004 has run without a hitch. I typically leave FS2004 running for a week at a time, and its does so without any crashes or issues.
If you do not do the above steps, Vista will attempt to use some of the advanced windows features for your desktop and FS2004 will stop rendering graphics.
Also Vista gives FS2004 quite an improvement advantage. My frame rates are higher and more consistent than FS2004 was with XP. Everything else is the same of same pc.
Hope this helps.
Fix by "G"

Tips for flying the Spitfire
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The 1% airfile provided by Jerry Beckwith is a very credible attempt to create true to life handling, so far as a sim can. That means torque - and lots of it.

Real late model Spitfires (post Mk IX) were hugely powerful and known to be difficult to fly, especially on takeoff and landing. Further, the Griffon engine rotates counter clockwise; the opposite direction to the Merlin. So the torque pull on this aircraft is to the right, requiring left rudder to compensate. Why would anyone deliberately design an engine that works backwards? Well, it's British :-).

Takeoff:
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Taxi slowly to avoid a groundloop. Start slightly left of centreline.
Apply only 50% power - _no_ more. Use left rudder and left brake if needed to maintain a track along the centreline. If you still cant track straight, back off the throttle. At about 100mph, the tail will rise. At 110mph, pull back gently. Once airborne, retract gear & flaps & ease power on for climb out. Adjust mixture as necessary during climb.

Level Flight:
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An economical cruising speed is about 300mph near sea level, just off boost.
Wind the pitch control back 3-4 notches to bring rpm down and set mixture. Elevator trim is speed dependent. So if you change your speed, re-trim.
With that much torque you'll find the need to fly hands on to maintain straight & level flight. Trimmed properly, only minor adjustment is required, but you cant let the stick go & wander off like in the Cessna. There's no autopilot. At Full WEP, hold on!

Landing:
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Enter circuit at 1200' at 125mph, lower gear, then as speed drops, select full flaps.
Maintain 115mph min, 120 max in turns. Forward visibility is an issue, so approach in an arc from downwind to final, all the time watching the runway. (Activecamera's great for this)
Use rudder to check your alignment (a light crosswind is helpful).
On final, maintain exactly 100mph on descent.
This is where you reverse what you usually do.
Use pitch to control speed (too fast pull back/too slow, nose down) and throttle to control descent rate (Dropping short, more power/too high, less power). This takes practice!
You should aim for a point about 20' behind the runway edge and aim to reach that point at 100mph, about 25' agl.
Now (throttles should be closed) pull back to LEVEL FLIGHT about a foot off the runway. Maintain level flight by continuing to pull back (you're now flaring the aircraft) and use rudder to correct any crosswind deviation. CRITICAL: KEEP THE WINGS LEVEL.
The aircraft will settle onto the ground at about 65mph (it stalls at 63), all three points simultaneously. Use brakes gently although she shouldnt groundloop. Avoid big swings on the ground as the track is narrow & the Spitfire is easy to tip over.

CREDITS
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Special thanks to :
-GMAX for the drawing program and Microsoft for their makmdls.mdk.
-Paul Rebuffat whose textures served as a base for these ones.
-Jerry Beckwith for the 1% airfile provided and updated.

LEGAL:
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The project is released as freeware. You may modify it and repaint it. You may upload this file to another website as long as it is not for profit.
You need the written permission of the original authors to use any of these files for commercial purposes, otherwise a simple credit would be nice. Non commercial repaints-remakes are welcome but I would appreciate very much receiving a copy of your model.
This file should not cause any problems with your computer, but I accept no responsibility if you think it does


Happy Landings!

A.F.Scrub
April 2009
Email: af_scrubbypc@hotmail.com