i think i heard some thread about the TA152 being porked because it was missing some thing? or maybe a other version of it?
It's about the WEP effectiveness at high-altitudes, which brought people to question if the GM-1 system isn't working as intended.
The Ta152H-1 had two WEP systems installed, that was recommended to be operated at different altitudes.
At altitudes under approximately 20k, the MW-50 system was to be used. The MW-50 was an anti-detonant system that allowed the engine to run longer at high boost without problems of overheating/damaging the engine.
At higher altitudes, the GM-1 system was used. The GM-1, unlike the MW-50, was a liquid nitrous-oxide charge which boosted the power of the engine itself by providing more rigorous, powerful combustion. That's why it was limited to high altitudes, as the air temperature of lower altitudes would not be able to keep up in cooling efficiency to keep the engine safe.
The empirical problem was, despite the Ta152H was expected to be a very good high-alt fighter(a specialized boost system for high altitudes.. large, long, sail-like wings to cope with lower airpressure... ), in AH1 the Ta152H sucked as much at higher altitudes, as it sucked at lower altitudes.
It couldn't gain any kind of edge against any kind of plane. Even the 1942 Spit9 would kick it around at 25~35k altitudes. The AH1 Ta152 indeed, could reach very high speeds, but that was all it had. It takes gross amount of time to reach that speed.
Despite at an altitude where other engines would produce only about 30~50% of their original power, the AH Ta152 was still outaccelerated by those planes.
Despite the large, sail like wings it maneuvered like crap at high-alts, with any kind of stick pull resulting in a high E loss. So, typically, at 30k the Ta152 would be gasping for speed with only about 300mph TAS all the time, with high AoA just to keep the plane level. The speed increased only with a dive, or a very long level acceleration, and any kind of maneuvering would destabilize it and bring the speed down.
However, an AH P-51D or a P-47D would also be effected by crappy maneuverability, but developed speed much easier, and the AH Spit9 was slower, also doing 300mph TAS or so, but would decisively outmaneuver the Ta in almost every situation.
So basically, what it could not fight against at 5k, it still could not fight against at 35k... unless extending 10 miles for every pass made, and then coming for another HO pass, was anyone's idea of 'fighting'.
...
That's why people were considering that it was porked.
A very distinctive comparison to the AH Ta152H, is the IL2/FB Ta152H, which I believe may be a little too optimistic, but much closer to the reality of the 'uber plane', a pilot's 'life insurance during the war', that were outturning RAF Tempests at deck.
In IL2/FB it accelerates much faster. It is much more stable and easier to handle, and definately maneuvers better than the 190D..(in AH, the Ta152 only marginally maneuvers better than the 190D, while lacking in almost every other trait, as mentioned in former posts).
