Spitfire joystick

[Ayahuasca]

Most aircraft joysticks are hinged at cockpit floor level with a sort of ball joint / universal joint that permits all round movement.

In contrast the Spitfire’s joystick appears to be hinged at cockpit floor level for back/front movement (elevators) and separately just below the hand grip for left/right (ailerons).

What was the reason for this set up, did it offer any special advantage or disadvantage and did any other aircraft use it?

[Getragdogleg]

Allows for a narrower cockpit ?

[Krikkit]

I assume it's a combination of wanting to simplify the attachment and keep the under-floor mechanism as small as possible.

The fore/aft direction is tightly controlled, so you only need a simple hinge in that plane. The aileron controls look to twist a gear mechanism that then comes out at the bottom of the stick to attach to the ailerons.

[Eric Mc]

Space saving.

A similar system was used on other British aircraft -

Hawker Typhoon



Hawker Hurricane



Hawker Tempest



Blackburn Skua

[RobM77]

Not sure if this is relevant, but I sat in a Spitfire a few weeks ago and was surprised at how much movement there was on the control stick. With the stick hard over left or right, squashed up against my left or right knee respectively, the ailerons were not moved as far as they would go.

[dr_gn]

I'm guessing it's to bring the side-to-side movement above the pilot's legs, so you get full aileron movement without the column hitting the pilot. Elevator control isn't as restricted, so uses a conventional low pivot.

[lufbramatt]

Lancaster, Blenheim and other bombers were similar just with a yoke at the top (centre pivot more like a steering wheel) but the whole column moved fore and aft for elevator control.