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The key in air to air combat is to actually avoid the dogfight
A good fighter pilot avoids a dogfight, but in your context let's see a Zero "dogfight" at 300 knots. The P-39 will (or would have) make (made) a cherry bomb out of it.Agreed. Most aerial victories more resembled drive by shootings rather than duels.
However, I distinctly used the term "dogfight" meaning a dogfight. You seem to be saying that a P-39 can win a dogfight by avoiding a dogfight...
I'm not disparaging the P-39 as it is a sentimental favorite of mine, and was a more pragmatic favorite of some Russian aces. However, I am going to stick to my original analogy.
but in your context let's see a Zero "dogfight" at 300 knots. The P-39 will (or would have) make (made) a cherry bomb out of it.
Tactics and the altitudes the P-39s were deployed at in the Pacific. If you look into the history of such units as the 35th and the 36th FS over New Guinea they had about a 1:1 kill ratio against the Japanese while flying outnumbered at lower altitudes. (Let's see if JoeB chimes in) It was recognized that the P-39 was inferior to the Zero and Oscar in terms of acceleration, climb and maneuverability. If researched one would find the P-39 actually held its own in direct air to air combat but was not suited for the island hopping campaign planned by the US and its allies. Buzz Wagner, one of the first US aces in the Pacific gave a good assessment of the P-39 as he scored kills in both P-39 and P-40s. It's when the P-39 (and P-400s) were used at high altitude interceptors over Guadalcanal is where they suffered heavy losses. Tactics and not recognizing the aircraft's limitation played into this.I wonder why it didn't happen more often then...
I guess we'll leave it at that.
over New Guinea they had about a 1:1 kill ratio against the Japanese
Actually I believe most of the P-39s victories over New Guinea were against fighter aircraft. Zeros, Ki-27s and 43s.1:1 would show that the P-39 could hold its own if that ratio was 1:1 against fighter aircraft exclusively. I don't think that was the case, though. If the P-39 had a favorable ratio against Vals and Bettys, then it must have meant that it lost more than won against some other type of Japanese aircraft...
He flew them in training but maintained his opinions about the aircraft long after the war. The P-39 could be inherently unstable and if one knew the limitations of the aircraft, they could really fling it around the sky.As for Yeager's opinion on his favorite aircraft, I don't know how many combat sorties he flew in a P-39 and what his successes were while flying those missions. I don't even know what P-39 combat squadron with which he fought.
I absolutley agree! I think the dogfight or turnfight was antiquated at the beginning of WWII with the very fast fighters.
The japanese didin't get it and stick much to long with there fixation to turning- and dogfights and this type of fighter.
That is why to my opinion the A6M is the most overrated aicraft. In the ETO it would be outclassed from the begining of it's service.
FLYBOYJ "Actually a P-39 could beat a Zero at 20K easily if the right tactics were employed "
Would you expound on this.
Based on reading "Angels Twenty" by Ted Park the biggest problem with fighting a Zero at 20K was getting there. He didn't claim to be a superstar pilot and as a conscript pilot had a very bad opinion of the P39 as a weapon for combat at altitude. The key probem seemed to be that the higher you went the less the P39 advantages existed and all the time the limited fuel was being used.
A quote from another pilot John G " If the sector tells us to go to Angels 20 we try like hell to get to 20,000ft. In these planes it ain't easy"
In any case the P39 could be the most overrated plane of the war if you compare its US service with the early hype or the most underrated if the Russian experience with them is considered but 20K doesn't seem an altitude to bring out the best in the plane.
I'm just stunned to see the Spitfire voted for so much.
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Gix, Jealously of our Spitfire is a terrible thing....
John
May I venture to suggest that the B29 was a little over rated?
Its weak spot being engine fires.
It had many good advanced features but...
John