Hello, Ho Hun (boy that's a lot of H's)
Ho Hun said:
"Well, all that tells us is that the Do 335 pilots would avoid a co-energy merge. Given any pair of opposing fighters, virtually always one would have the edge in a co-energy merge, but that doesn't tell us much about which fighter is better in an air battle. "
Better in an air battle is saying better in any air battle, that is too broad a brush for me to use. Numbers and that day's mission plan add too many posibilities to count.
I see the following breakdown (given equal pilots):
If one sees the other first, combat can be avoided or a non plane based advantage can be set up, ie my P-40B drops down on your Ta152 from a 5,000 foot alt advantage before you see me. A stone axe from behind will kill.
Both are aware of each other, but one has a large advantage in E or placement. This is a bit like the above, but if one aircraft is much better at speed, climb, something important, the disadvantage can be overcome with time. This still gives a lot of advantage to the better placed aircraft.
Both aware, close to co-E, no position advantage. This is the fight that tells about the aircraft, not the set-up before the fight.
Ho Hun said:
"By that criterium, I could throw the Fw 190 prototypes into a Battle of Britain context, where they would make a rather extraterristian impression."
I did not make my self clear when I said "I look at design and production dates to see what matches to what matches to what..." We are closer than you might think. A prototype is not "in production" to me, it is a prototype.
No production line was ever built for the P-51F (darn it). It flew in late '43 so I will compare it to other one off's or very small production (say under 20 or so airframes) aircraft of that time frame.
In this game setting, Battle of Britain would only apply during a specific scenario context, not in the broader (more used) play areas. Are you sugesting use of a rotating aircraft introduction for the game with limits in % of aircraft type that can be used at any given time to match historic numbers?
I do on the other hand think that the P-51 H is a valid aircraft for the game, in full mass production with 555 total built and (I can't find the darn pre Aug '45 number) flying during the time span of the game. Perk it, don't let it into a historic scenario, but it does fit in with the ahistoric game combat nature that most fly in.
Were more P-51H's, P82's, or P-80's (not YP-80's) production line built and flown pre-Aug '45 or were more Do 335 's?
On the XP-72 prop thing, you could very well be right, I thought that the engine was "underpropped" for the speed the airframe was built for, but my math skills and training would not support my being an expert:)
I like non flame discussions on things like this. I learn things
