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German documentation on the 190A3 has it at 2100-2200 ft/min at 20,000 ft - depending on the aircraft tested - while the RAE's test of the Faber 190A3 has it at 2800 ft/min at 20000 ft. German 109A5 testing has that aircraft at 2100-2300 ft/min at 20,000 ft.
German documentation has the Me 109G-2 at 2540-2800 ft/min at 20000 ft, while the 109G-6 (DB 605 AS) is at 2350-2450 ft/min.
Spitfire F Mk IX was tested at 2540 ft/min at 20,000 ft. LF Mk IX was tested as at 3450-3720 ft/min at 20,000 ft. HF Mk IX was tested as at 3200-3500 ft/min
When assessing climb performance, I'd say that the F Mk IX was slightly superior to the early 190As above 20,000 ft and slightly inferior to the 109G-2 until about 25,000 ft. The late LF and HK Mk IXs were definitively superior to both 190A3/A5 and the 190G2 and early G6 aircraft.
The problem for the Spit V, somewhat improved by the IX and improved by the XIV was that the ailerons were only 30% effective at 400 Mph and the aircraft would tend to reverse ~540+mph. In contrast the P-47C's aileron effectiveness was ~60% at 400.
and tried to reduce elevator load
The point is that the advanced spitifres such as the Mk XII and XIV were produced in small numbers only and in the case of the Mk xiv quite late in the war and this must be appreciated when comparing the introduction of German aircraft in the same year.
So????? Apart from the occasional escort duty, the XII was never used in Europe, and post D-day remained with ADGB, dealing with the revolting V1s.
High enough to replace all those lost, during Bodenplatte, within 24 hours.
Supermarine produced 957 Spitfire XIVs, hardly few.is out of dubt that XIV were few within the RAF fighters; the XII was used also for fighter bomber mission over europe
the XII was used also for fighter bomber mission over europe, if RAF can not replace the lost of a single attack was a very bad shape and this is not the case at time, is out of dubt that XIV were few within the RAF fighters
Supermarine produced 957 Spitfire XIVs, hardly few.
The XII was never converted to carry bombs under the wings, and always had to carry a slipper tank under the fuselage, so fighter-bomber sorties were out.
Fighters did not make good ground attack aircraft ,they were used in that role however because the RAF and the USAAF would rather lose the war than subordinate themselves to the army.Regarding Ardennes i have ''Hitler's last gamble'' by Dupuy ,Bongard and Anderson.It's the most complete study and air attacks are mentioned as a nuisance not decisive.Artillery was decisive in that battle.By the way noone said that airpower had no effect.
They are probably correct, but not comparable....a spit probably did have a ferry range of 1300 miles....perhaps with armour and armament removed, stripped dwn and lightened as much as possible, with so much additional fuel as to be barely flyable. The P-51B however is probably much closer to an honest capability.
Me109e 80 miles
Me 109g 150miles
FW190 140 miles
Spit I/II 110 Miles
Zero A6M2 450 miles
Hellcat 250 Miles
Seafire III 190 Miles
Spit V+ 160 Miles
Mustang 500 miles (from memory)
From memory, these were based on the longest ranged missions we could find for those and other types, without any penalty. Some could greatly exceed that, but paid some sort of downgraded performance as a result of that increase in range
I use 6 lbs per US gallon for avgas. America's Hundred Thousand show P-51D at fighter weight with 1080 lbs of fuel.