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Wasnt the latest version of the sidewinder decisive in the Falklands?Yep, I was thinking the exact same thing whilst reading the first part - great anecdote indeed Greyman. That's pilot factor.
One example that springs to mind is when the RN went to war with Sea Harriers against the Argentine Mirages, before the war, few thought the Sea Harrier could do the job, but in the right hands with the right training and tactics, it could. Although the Sea Harrier was a terrific mount and ideal for what the Brits needed, I'm also certain that had the British had Mirages and the Argies had Sea Harriers, the result would have been the same.
Swap aircraft but not ships or soldiers....game overI REALLY don't think the situation would have been the same had the aircraft been reversed at all. The Sea Harrier could not GET from Argentina to the Falklands and back, and the Mirages could not have operated from the ships the Sea Harroers operated from.
Had the two countires swapped equipment, personnel and geographic locations, then the results might have been the same. I KNOW what you meant but, technically speaking, neither side could have engaged in combat at all had they just swapped aircraft.
I REALLY don't think the situation would have been the same had the aircraft been reversed at all.
YOU are missing the point.
The conflict was NOT a given, and wasn't lost by all that much.
It should have been a lot closer run thing but the men were as always the main thing not the tactics or weapons.
Now here we have two mock combats with everything remaining constant except for the pilot of one of the aircraft - and we get completely opposite results.
Something to keep in mind.
The Argentinians are pretty good ... or they would not have scored what they did score.
The conflict was NOT a given, and wasn't lost by all that much. A couple more successful Exocets and the tide might have swung the other way ... .
I haven't seen anything about Saburo Sakai flying a KI-84, although it's possible.
Are you perhaps mixing the KI-84 with the A7M that he flew and had nothing but praise for?
They had capable support (i.e.: fuel, oil, spare parts, etc.)
I'd like to know the specific source for that!I've heard of planes almost falling apart due to either faulty manufacture, poorly made parts or lack of parts.