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I've always thought of the 109 as a high performance version of a family car, like a Pro-stocker whilst the Spit and several other purpose built models designed from scratch were more like Ferraris.
P-47 and Spit should go up against the Fw190. The Messerschmitt versus Hurricane, Dewoitine and early Soviet fighters like the Yak and LaGG is fair, as these employed pre-existing industrial conditions.
Just a thought.
1936.DB603 engine was not ready for production until 1942.
some other designers made equivalent or better airframes with the same DB engine a little later
The 109 was competitve to any allied conventional fighter to the end. Conversely many WWII fighters in service in 1940 were not competitive in 1943
The 109 was competitve to any allied conventional fighter to the end. Conversely many WWII fighters in service in 1940 were not competitive in 1943
1936.
RLM provides funding for development of the DB603 engine.
1937.
RLM cancels funding for development of the DB603 engine. Daimler-Benz continues development with their own money.
How much DB603 engine development time was lost by the RLM funding cancellation? If you can get the DB603 engine into production 1 year earlier than historical then it will be ready as soon as the BMW801 radial engine.
J would also say that D-520 or VG-33 fighters despite using weaker engines, were at less equivalent to the Bf-109E. With a more powerfull Klimov M 105, Hispano Y-51, or a Merlin engine the would have been a terrific match to the 109E in 1939-1940.
Regards
VG-33
But even then there is something telling about the quality of the Bf 109 in that post VG-33.
Yes, later. The Bf109 flew in 1935, the Spitfire the following year, and yet both were highly competetive with aircraft designed and built up to five years later. That in itself is remarkable.
No, there is no contradiction, as you say. It just points to the excellence of the original design. For while Supermarine could also do that with the Spitfire, for instance, Hawker could not with the Hurricane, and nor could a lot of aircraft of similar or later vintage.
I must confess my ignorance of French fighters of 1940 though and have not previously though any French type was in the Bf109/Spitfire Class. Better than the Hurricane, but not quite up there with the best. I always thought the French were rather better at the fast-twin light bomber than the single sea fighter, though I'm sure any expert could soon pick holes with my opinion on that
I would love a Putnam-esque reference to French combat aircraft 1930-40 (in English) if you, or anyone else, knows of a good one?
Not when you consider the critical issue of production cost. The Me-109 was easy to manufacture. Hence they were in service in large numbers when it mattered most. The D.520 was not. For the same reason, the Japanese Ki-61 and Italian MC.202 were not equal to the Me-109 series either.
Well, numbers are speaking for themselves. With a 880-910 hp engine the D-520 performed 535 km/h at height. The 109E3 550 km/h with 1045 hp. The most impressive was the VG-33, reaching 560 km/h with a simple 850-860 hp engine.
Of course, it is only makes sense with planes with equivalent parameters and manouvrability. And realistic technical possibility. That is the case. Since soviet M-103 and M-105 developped respectivly in 37-39 were already giving 960 and 1100 hp at rated altitude by this time, proves that is was posible to boost the Hispano-Suiza 12Y engine.
Unfortunately, i can't advice about books in english.
Regards
VG