Best naval fighter II

[plan_D]

China wasn't lost, therefore RAF wasn't given a beating. Do you want me to start naming all the places, dates and times America got a beating?

 

[Lightning Guy]

Easy Plan_D. There wasn't any ill-will intended in that comment. But compare the records of the RAF in China with that of the AVG. The RAF took worse that they gave there.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

the word henderson comes to mind here.......................

 

[Thorlifter]

I think we know how the F4F and P40 compared. How did the Hurricane compare head to head? Without looking it up, the Hurricane was probably faster and better gunned. Did it have armor and self sealing tanks? How about manuverability?

Thorlifter

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

How did the Hurricane compare head to head

with what??

 

[Thorlifter]

oops, sorry. Head to head with the Zero.

BTW Lanc. I don't know if you get it over in GB, but our History Channel did an computer animated recreation of the Damn Busters this weekend! Pretty cool stuff.

Thorlifter

 

[plan_D]

The Hurricane was an inferior fighter to the Zero, in my opinion. Then again in a lot of peoples opinions the Hurricane (Technically) was inferior to the 109, it still did good up against it.

 

[Lightning Guy]

The Zero could outrun, outclimb, and easily out turn the Hurricane. The Hurricane was probably a little more rugged which was good since the Zero also out-gunned it.

 

[plan_D]

Am I right in saying the Hurricane could out-dive the Zero. And I don't believe 'easily out-turn' it could out-turn it but the Hurricane had a pretty tight turning circle.

 

[Lightning Guy]

I imagine the Hurricane could out-dive the Zero but I haven't seen any direct comparisons on the two. The skin on the initial versions of the Zero was pretty then and the result was a low diving speed.

When I said the Zero could easily out turn the Hurricane I was quoting a book from the Imperial War Museum. "Zeroes easily out-turned opposing RAF Hawker Hurricanes."

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

but in a dogfight i think the lack of armour/ability to take hits would mean the hurricane would win it, but it depends on pilot ability, a good hurricane pilot would know to avoid a turning dogfight, a good zero pilot would know how to use his manouverability to beat the hurricane.................

 

[MP-Willow]

Lanc- with that argumane you made the case for the P-40s that did a good job Yes, it still had its problums but the pilots got all they could out of it. It did create a jod amout of Aces.

 

[Lightning Guy]

Well the P-40s used over China had a slight firepower edge over the Hurricane. But I believe the Zero actually out-gunned both fighters.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

but the zero carried very little armourment for it's cannon, and once that had run out, it's two MGs weren't gonna do anything, and the zero engine was, well, weak to be honest, only about 940-960hp, the hurricane could use his extra power to his advantage....................

 

[GermansRGeniuses]

oops, sorry. Head to head with the Zero.

BTW Lanc. I don't know if you get it over in GB, but our History Channel did an computer animated recreation of the Damn Busters this weekend! Pretty cool stuff.

Thorlifter

Talkin' 'bout that "Greatest Raids-The Damnbusters" special? I saw a bit of that, but I was watching the 1am re-run and was tired, so I didn't finish it...

 

[Lightning Guy]

The Hurricane didn't have that much more power than a Zero. The Mk.I was only rated at 1,030hp. The low ammo count for the Zero's cannon was a problem (60rpg) but it's not as if the Hurricane had an excessive amount of ammo (350rpg won't last long when you are firing 1150rpm). But the ultimate factor would have been the pilot and I believe that the IJN pilots in 1941 were the best in the world.

 

[MP-Willow]

LG -I think that in 1941 the IJN was the best. Only after some of the USN and Marine pilots were able to return to help train the new crop did we start to see returns. Also after 1942 the top IJN pilots with the experiance were being lost at a greater rate then to be replaced. Also by '43 the USN had the planes to deal with the situation. Also oe on one the A6M and F6F could fly all day with two good pilots who understood the other plane, I think they were a god mach.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

I think they were a god mach.

are you talking about the A6M and the F6F of the A6M and hurricane??

 

[Lightning Guy]

A6M and F6F. The A6M5 and the F6F were pretty equal in performance except for diving speed. But by the time it arrived on the scene, the average American pilot was far superior to the average Japanese pilot.

 

[plan_D]

If the RAF could afford to send Spitfires out to the Pacific in 1941 it could be a heated discussion as who was better. I won't mention that RAF pilots managed to hold off 3,700 Luftwaffe planes...