Chugalug (#9872),
Thank you for the kind words, Sir ! I would hesitate to describe myself as any kind of mentor to this, or any other Thread, but am in no doubt that you were (and are) my first and most revered mentor, who, five long years ago guided my early, faltering steps in this minefield which is the internet .
Now the Spitfire could not have had the u/c and flap controls more widely apart. High on the LH panel, there was a smart, chrome plated, key-shaped lever, hinged at the top. Normally it was in the up position (and may even have had the word "Up" engraved on it).
When you needed it for landing, you swung this little lever over to 'down', there was a sharp hiss of compressed air (which we said came from the "flap gremlin" who lived behind the panel) - and the flaps came down with a rush, and you had your full 60° in a second or so.
If reasonably level, there would be a sharp nose-up change of trim, but if you were doing a "Spitfire Approach", you would be half-way round the corner with your Spit "on its left ear", and the result was most gratifying, your aircraft spun round on its left wingtip like an old black cab in a narrow street and stopped in an easy position to make a curving round out and a nice at three-pointer TM fashion !
There was no intermediate flap position, but if part-flap were essential for take off (eg for a carrier take-off to land in Malta), the flaps were first lowered, then a suitable block of wood held against the wing space, then the flaps raised again, but this time with the block trapped in the middle. So you now had 20° (say) for take off, over the sea you lowered, the block fell out, and you lifted the flaps again.
The undercarriage (hydraulic) handle was low down on the RH side, it was conventional, the nice little white porcelain grip familiar from the 'smallest room' in most homes.
The flight instruments were the standard "Sperry panel" and the arrangement of engine and auxiliary dials on the RH side no worse than most other service aircraft.
What made the Spitfire so nice to fly was that the positioning of the throttle quadrant, the (articulated) stick with its spade grip, the two-level rudder foot "stirrups" and the seat, were such that everything came easily to hand, and you felt "at one" with the thing at once. It was said that you got in or onto most aircraft, but you 'put a Spitfire on like an old glove'.
Many other types (the Master, for one), used hydraulics for both wheels and flaps, the controls were side by side, and raising the u/c in mistake for the flaps a constant danger.
Enough to be going on with - Season's Greetings to all of Good Will,
Danny.
Last edited by Danny42C; 22nd Dec 2016 at 13:20.
Reason: Spacing.