Spitfire fans ... Turn this one up ...

[Franklin]

I know I should have posted this in another area but I do have a question regarding a segment in the video. The spitfire popping at the end is caused by what? BTW excellent job of making a youtube video, shut up, don't shake, proper use of zoom in and out and NO music just the sound of great engine noise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6c3v9ii ... grec_index

[PbyCat-Guy]

Good find. The sound of a merlin never gets old. 16 of 'em is great and would have been great to have been there to see them.

[DaveD112]

The 'popping' is caused by a lean mixture when the throttle is closed...The P-51 is more pronounced, but similar principle..

[Mudge]

OMG... I can only hope they'll be there in July. Took me a while to figure out where that was shot from. We've never been up to that end of the field.

Mudge the hopeful.

[Franklin]

The 'popping' is caused by a lean mixture when the throttle is closed...The P-51 is more pronounced, but similar principle..

Yep! I was thinking lean mixture. 16 Spits at Duxford

[goshikisen]

Funny, when they flew past the first time I thought the few Griffon powered Spits in the group overwhelmed the Merlins.

[JohnTerrell]

And just to ensure everything is clear, the popping you hear wasn't from the Spitfire performing at the end, but rather the various other Spitfires landing at the same time, cutting the throttle as they flared before touching down...the only time such a sound could be considered 'normal' while operating a V-12 powered warbird. You especially want to avoid making such sounds while inverted.

[The Inspector]

Same MERLIN in a MUSTANG gives a sharper one on top of the other style snapping sound-due to different configurations of the headers. Back in 86 @ Abottsford they flew a HURRICANE, a P-51, 2 SPITFIRES, and the CWH LANCASTER in formation, same basic engine, multiple different sounds