Hello chaps,
After some conflab with some of you who are testing this module I thought I'd provide a common point of reference for some hints, tips and advice for operating this particular module.
Lets just start with the obvious - it's hard.
DCS WW2 aircraft are all tricky in their own rights but the Spit has it's own foibles particularly in ground handling and takeoff and landing, which no amount of Il-2 or CloD can prepare you for.
Compound this with some very flexible control set-up options and our differing hardware can mean that everyone's control system is peculiar to them (particularly regards curves etc), with the result that one person's experience can differ from another and thusly their advice - whilst completely correct for their set-up - is not always helpful to others.
With this in mind the best place to start is with some genuine tail-dragger instruction and behaviour primers; the best I have found are on the following threads and will provide you with some excellent insight as to WHY the aircraft is behaving the way it does:
Essay, PART 1: Why taildraggers are tricky and how to overcome it!
Essay, PART 2: Getting the tail up...
ESSAY, PART 3: Landing and stopping.
Some are incredulous at the Spitfires behaviours but if you have read the above you can see it DOES exhibit characteristics familiar to all taildragger aircraft. Do bear in mind we are at Beta-release so some refinements are always in the workshop.
What I can tell you is that it IS manageable, almost (!) predictable and once you have figured out what you're doing wrong, can be consistently and safely taken off and landed. I had trouble myself on the first few takeoffs, and landings were a nightmare.
However, by thinking through the issues logically as to why the aircraft was behaving in such a wayward manner I managed to adjust my technique to narrow the error margins and make takeoffs and landings a much less fraught affair.
TAKEOFF
First and foremost:
ALWAYS ENSURE YOUR TAIL WHEEL IS STRAIGHT BEFORE COMMITTING TO TAKEOFF!
As you make your final turn on to the runway and come to a stop around the centreline, if possible, go to external and check the tailwheel. Chances are it's pointing the direction you just turned from! If you power up now, guess which way you're gonna be headed? That's right - into the grass!
As you get to the runway heading you should already be applying brake/rudder opposite to your turn in order to stop the a/c on the desired heading; the trick is not to stop dead once you've got her lined up but let the momentum carry you forward and roll a few yards/metres to ensure your tailwheel is pointing straight down the back of the tail.
Now for the power up and takeoff roll:
Your most fundamental mistake and the main cause of your woes will be over controlling, mainly on the rudder. Small and sharp inputs, of a high frequency are demanded. You'll practically be dancing on the rudder pedals.
Example: Philstyles excellent youtube vid detailing his mastering of the takeoff
Take good note of his rudder technique. Do bear in mind his rudder deadzone that he applies in this video is applicable to his pedals and set-up and is not a guaranteed cure to your issues unless you have a spiking input or some slack around the 0 point of your rudder pedals. As such I would not recommend that everyone mimics his curve profile.
These aircraft have significant inertia - as such you have to pre-empt the airplane and the inputs have to be ahead of what's happening. Hold an input too heavy and/or too long and by the time you realise that it's effect has taken hold you have too much acceleration and inertia in the direction of that first control input for any countering input to be of any use.
This is where Il-2 and CloD show their inaccuracy with small planes with big engines; as one who has soloed powered gliders I can confirm that the rudder inputs required in DCS on prop powered planes is significantly more realistic. Ergo what you are used to in Il-2 or CloD is significantly easier than real life.
Trust the visual cues and your judgement; if you even suspect or sense the nose is moving left a bit then get a quick stab of right rudder in; if it still seems to be going then get another in, then another; you might put one too many stabs in and you sense the nose coming right now - but because the input was small and you're acting quickly you should only require a stab of left to correct. Short and sharp. It will take some dings and a few attempts to get the knack of this and actually takeoff. It will take even more till that take-off becomes a clean, elegant affair but at least you will be airbourne!
I will strongly suggest everyone has their elevator trim set at at least 0 or -1 for take-off to avoid the sudden nose up tendency as the aircraft lifts out of ground effect.
As Phil suggest use a maximum of +8lb Boost (red ringed gauge to RH side of dash) - this gives the nicest balance of acceleration and manageable torque forces. By moving it up promptly it will give your rudder better bite thanks to the propwash being blown over it's surface.
That's it for now, the rest I leave to you. It will be frustrating, you will curse, you may even cry. However, as long as you can evaluate what is going wrong, why it's going wrong and what you're bringing to that equation, you can figure what you can do to correct it.
PRACTISE and CONCENTRATION are two absolute bywords when getting the Spit off or back on the ground.
Good luck chaps. Next time we'll discuss landing.