Which was the best fixed undercarriage fighter?

Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules

Thai Hawks and Vichy D.510s both fought over French Indo-China! So, you're covered on both ends.
 

According to Finnish tests:
Fokker D.XXI - 415 km/h
Gladiator Mk.II - 400 km/h, older planes typically 370-380 km/h
I would not judge any of these planes planes by Wikipedia.
 
Don't believe most of what you've read about Japanese fighters shot down in the Philippines. Virtually all were not confirmed, including Wagner's. At best, Most accounts have a G3M shot down by Villamor, but his DSC citation doesn't specifically mention an aircraft destroyed.
 
Sounds like an excellent way of getting rid of your surplus pilots.
Not vertical dives. With a 20mm firing downhill, you didn't have to shoot from point-blank. Pull-outs weren't a problem.

It did become a problem with the next generation. There are indications that the prototype Loire-Nieuport 161 crashed because the test pilot didn't realize how fast the airplane would get in a deep strafing dive and didn't leave enough time to pull out. The LN.161 lost to the M.S.406, and the crash probably didn't help. (I suspect that the test pilot knew intellectually how fast the airplane might go, but his "flying intuition" was calibrated to slower aircraft.)
 

Wow what a looker looks like someone sat on it
 
Not vertical dives. With a 20mm firing downhill, you didn't have to shoot from point-blank. Pull-outs weren't a problem.


Ok, 60 degree dive. What is the pull out height needed?
Armor is about 1.4 (?) times thicker than nominal dimension due to angle.

You are shooting at a target about the size of van, not even a bus. getting hits requires you to be how close?
 
Ok, 60 degree dive. What is the pull out height needed?
Armor is about 1.4 (?) times thicker than nominal dimension due to angle.

You are shooting at a target about the size of van, not even a bus. getting hits requires you to be how close?
At the time, anti-tank rifles were in service. Tanks of the 1930s weren't as well protected as those serving in 1942.
 

Users who are viewing this thread