Originally posted by Adogg
Anyone else have a story like this - doggin it up in a plane that perhaps shouldn't but just stunned the NME into silence at the sheer audacity?
Well, the A-20 is a decent low-level fighter. It out-turns more than a few fighters, holds E fairly well, zoom climb is excellent, and nothing accelerates in a dive faster (right up until you rip off wings or control surfaces). Its six 50 cal. MGs (not 5) are tightly concentrated and very effective. Keep above 200 mph and below 350 mph, and it can hold its own very well. It will outrun Spits, F4Fs, Zeros, P-40s and Hurricanes on the deck. Able to reach just over 330 mph near sea level, even P-47s and F6Fs are hard pressed to gain on it. Moreso than fighters, the A-20 requires energy discipline to avoid over-speeding or wasting precious energy. This is not the aircraft for guys who rely on BnZ methods. You will break more A-20s than the enemy will shoot down if you don't limit your speed. With that in mind, it is my opinion that no other aircraft is better for developing energy management skills.
Level acceleration is unimpressive, so if get it slow you will find yourself wallowing around totally defensive. It's a very big target, making it easy to hit. On the other hand, it's very durable and can survive hits that would obliterate any fighter.
Finally, it's greatest attribute is the ability to fly from the F3 view. This provides unobstructed vision in all directions. Just jump back to the cockpit to shoot. In fact, with a little practice you can become very proficient shooting from the F3 view.
I've done very well with the A-20G this tour. Here's some simple rules for flying the Havoc as a fighter: Avoid gangbangs and prolonged turning fights with Spits and Nikis. Diving away is not a solution to trouble. Yes, you will open a gap initially, but if you exceed 425 mph you will rip off control surfaces and even a wing. So, meet every approaching enemy head-on if possible, face shoot them if they give you the opportunity. Otherwise, you can often beat them right off the merge as the A-20 can reverse a hellava lot faster than most could imagine.
Unless you have a gunner onboard, forget you have a dorsal turret, it's largely useless for clearing your six because the enemy can stay below the line of fire and the huge rudder blanks much of the field of fire. However, if you can get a gunner, do so. It's doubly frustrating for opponents trying to out-maneuver an A-20 while the gunner is firing away at them at every opportunity to boot. Because the A-20 zoom climbs very well, attacking the enemy from below is often successful. More often than not, they do not realize that you can zoom up as much as 3,000 feet for a shot and are usually caught flatfooted. Never take more than 50% fuel, with 25% being enough to fight as far out as a sector from your field. The lighter, the better. Since you must load bombs, dump them on the runway prior to takeoff. WEP is critical to performance, so do not waste it.
Finally, practice in the TA and DA until you feel comfortable and confident. Then go play in the MA. After flying the A-20 for a few days, switch to the Mosquito and it feels like jumping from a P-40 to a Spitfire.
For similar challange, try flying the SBD as a fighter for a few sorties. Initial turn is better than all but the Zero. However, it loses E in a hurry and is far too underpowered to regain it quickly. Guns are marginal, but at least as effective as the eight .303s in a Hurricane Mk.I, unless you get very, very close with the Hurri. I've killed B-17s with those two .50 cal. guns, but it's not enough power for effective snap-shooting. You can't run away from anything, so once in a fight, you will either win or lose, but escaping is not going to happen. Take the time to climb out to 8-10k. This will provide you with enough E to engage a lower aircraft with either greater or at least equal speed. Don't blow any opportunities, because once you get slow, you are an easy target for fast movers. Sure the SBD can turn tight, but at low speed the aspect barely changes, leaving you extremely vulnerable to snap shots.
My regards
Widewing
