Interesting turn of events. The focus has fallen from the Yak and Hurricane to the P-40.
Shortround6 has a great point about the what Bf 109G to compare to what P-40. My library
of WW2 fighter aircraft official document copies and research material fills six file drawers
and I have acquired a few books here and there, but there are many gaps in the information.
I do not have elaborate performance material for the P-40K so lets take the top performer.
The P-40N-1 March 1943, Bf 109G-6/R-6 summer 1943? and Bf 109G-2 April 1942.
The reason for using the G-6/R-6 and the 3 gun version of the G-2 is to show the drastic
difference in performance of the Messerschmitts involved. It should be added that starting
with the P-40N-5 when heavily laden with bombs and external fuel tanks there was an even
more drastic difference in performance. The P-40 could barely reach 330 mph. under those
conditions.
Altitude / Speed
Meters / mph
P-40N-1 / Bf 109G-6/R-6 / Bf 109G-2
S.L.......332 / 304 / 324
1,000..346 / 319 / 339
2,000..360 / 334 / 355
3,000..374 / 342 / 363
4,000..376 / 346 / 366
5,000..373 / 356 / 373
6,000..367 / 371 / 389
7,000..363 / 377 / 381
8,000..354 / 371 / 381
9,000..350 / 359 / 379
10,000..332 / 339 / 343
11,000..299 / 299 / NG.
Altitude / Climb
Meters / fpm
P-40N-1 / Bf 109G-6/R-6 / Bf 109G-2
S.L........3520 / 3150 / 4250
1,000..3600 / 3075 / 4625
2,000..3680 / 3035 / 3936
3,000..3465 / 2780 / 3739
4,000..2965 / 2580 / 3562
5,000..2480 / 2450 / 3267
6,000..2025 / 2265 / 2853
7,000..1635 / 1920 / 2342
8,000..1265 / 1535 / 1830
9,000....940 / 1100 / 1318
10,000....615 / 610 / 413
11,000....290 / 70 / NG.
Full throttle heights: 378 mph/3,215 m / 379 mph/6,420 m / 395 mph/6300 m.
( Bf 109G-1: 403.3 mph/6,400 m.)
Critical Altitude Climb: 3,720 fpm/2,438 m / 3,011 fpm/2,350 m / 4,861 fpm/1,630 m.
Combat Ceiling (ft.): 28,920 / 30,190 / 33,200
Turn times (360 degrees/sec.): 17.5 estimated / 24 estimated / 22.6-22.8
Combat Weight (lb.): 7,413 / 7,187 / 7,133
Armament: 4 x 0.5 in. / 3 x 20 mm + 2 x 13 mm / 1 x 20 mm + 2 x 7.9 mm.
Max. Engine Power (hp.): 1,480 / 1,380 roughly / 1,455
Wing Loading (lb./sq. ft.): 41.42 / 41.47 / 41.16
Power Loading (lb./hp.): 5.009 / ~5.208 / 4.902
Note: The P-40N-1 and Bf 109G-6 were set up to handle tropical conditions, the Bf 109G-2
was not and its performance would have been somewhat less in the sandy dessert of
Africa.