Dave Hadfield wrote:
It IS a PVC elbow-joint. (Later I took it off for judging!) The air vent in a Spitfire blows across the cockpit. That's no good on a 95F day. You want it to blow on your chest. So I went down to the local Ace Hardware store, and bought that elbow off the "Discount Spitfire Parts" rack. In use, I pop it on or off as required.
The prop blades are long, and the gear legs are short. So, on takeoff we allow the tail to rise just a few inches, then let it fly off on its own.
And landing, we 3-point it. You could wheel-land it, but if you handle it poorly it would be easy to touch the prop tips to the concrete.
The Spitfire is one of those aircraft that 3-points nicely. Visibility straight ahead is poor, but the engine is narrow so vis is good in the front quarters. And after touchdown it tracks straight -- not the least bit twitchy.
A gentle curving approach is best.
Thanks for the info Dave!
I love hearing first hand stories like yours about your flying experiences, keep it up!