How do you calk an A6M2 with a P-39?

[Nerrawg]

Ok, just joined this here forum - Hi everybody! - and I have a question:

Been playing Pacific Fighters for a while now because Il-2 isn't working in bootcamp on my MacBook Pro for some reason, and started a new pilot career in 1942 as a USMC pilot at Guadalcanal.

Well dang - They stick me in this here P-39 and tell me to go up against A6M2's, and I'm thinking to myself this here is suicide! Now I now historically that I am supposed to be made mincemeat pretty much unless I make it till we get issued some F4U's. Bell P-39 Airacobra in American Service

But I was thinking after reading some stuff about how the russians used it at low-levels, is there any advantage I can use against the A6M2 (apart from surprise of course)? The A6M2 is a better climber and has better turning characteristics, but can I out dive it. So far I have failed to find any good energy charts to compare with so I was wondering if you guys have any advice regarding this?


Cheers!

P.S.
For one I sure have found out that the 'cobra likes a real gentle touch and with the difficulty settings up it is really easy to induce stalls that are definitely a lot harder to get out of. This makes it hard as well, because it takes a lot of practice to feel the edge of the envelope, especially when pulling the stick back at angle. A lot of times I either probably under-turn for fear of spin, or loss precious energy by over turning it slightly, wish this the game came with seat of the pants feel - hehe - just glad its isn't for real because I would be dead 50 times over by now, it's a lot harder than the wildcat (except landing, which is paradoxically easy thanks to that tricycle).

 

[davebender]

This might help. However the P-39 doesn't sound very promising as an air superiority fighter.
Bell Model-14A/P-39D-1

 

[BombTaxi]

The P-39 was not a success in USAAF and RAF hands because of poor altitude performance. However, on the Eastern front it was highly successful, being the mount of a number of Soviet aces. The lower altitude fighting on that front suited the type well and it gave the Germans a challenge which it could not offer at the higher altitudes prevalent in Western front operations.

 

[drgondog]

Ok, just joined this here forum - Hi everybody! - and I have a question:

Been playing Pacific Fighters for a while now because Il-2 isn't working in bootcamp on my MacBook Pro for some reason, and started a new pilot career in 1942 as a USMC pilot at Guadalcanal.

Well dang - They stick me in this here P-39 and tell me to go up against A6M2's, and I'm thinking to myself this here is suicide! Now I now historically that I am supposed to be made mincemeat pretty much unless I make it till we get issued some F4U's. Bell P-39 Airacobra in American Service

But I was thinking after reading some stuff about how the russians used it at low-levels, is there any advantage I can use against the A6M2 (apart from surprise of course)? The A6M2 is a better climber and has better turning characteristics, but can I out dive it. So far I have failed to find any good energy charts to compare with so I was wondering if you guys have any advice regarding this?

Unfortunately the iron dog was at a complete disadvantage to the Zero except for firepower.

the P-39 performed better in USSR but the 109 and 190 did not have better manueverability in the horizontal at the altitudes the USSR liked to fly so it wasn't at quite the disadvantage given up to the Zero.

As to flying the a/c - it had a small static margin and prone to aft cg issues leading to snapping into a violent spin from which few recovered.

 

[davebender]

A rather bad characteristic for a CAS aircraft flying at 1,000 feet. You've got no chance to recover.

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

In the game, the P-39 flies well, and has actually a pretty stable firing platform. With all six guns blazing it can smoke a fighter pretty fast. Once the nose guns run out and you are left with just the 4 wing guns though it isn't as easy.

It's stalling characteristics are pretty trying at times. I usually have to bail out once it goes into a dead spin. Sometimes once my parachute opens, my P-39 spins down on top of it and it explodes the parachute!

I haven't tried flying it agains't the Zero so I don't know how well it would do. I imagine it's just a little faster, so that might help a little.