- The F4U-1C has 15229 kills and has been killed 11224 times
- The F6F-5 has 6258 kills and has been killed 7128 times
- The PT-Boat has 5353 kills and has been killed 7117 times
- The N1K2 has 5827 kills and has been killed 4735 times.
- The F4U-1D has 4823 kills and has been killed 4846 times
- The Spitfire Mk IX has 3145 kills and has been killed 3224 times
- The Seafire Mk II has 3090 kills and has been killed 3989 times
- The Bf 109G-10 has 1872 kills and has been killed 1652 times
- The TBM-3 has 1397 kills and has been killed 7319 times
- The Field Gunner has 5375 kills and has been killed 36 times
The F4u-1C did not used to be the problem it is today. People whined about it, but basically it was any other aircraft with better guns. The N1K actually out-flies it and has guns that are nearly as good. This was realized in the pre-navy tours as the N1K usage began to aproach Spit9 and C-Hog usage.
With the introduction of the Navy, the N1k usage wasn't really affected much. It is on par to do the near 10k kills it has been doing the last two tours. The spitfire has seen a dramatic drop in use as it was probably the most flown (tho not necessarily most killed) aircraft in AH. The LW planes are barely worth mentioning as they have seen greater than a 50% drop in use.
Basically, those people that were flying a more diverse group of aircraft have seemingly thrown it all in the can once the navy arrived. With the simple "whatever aircraft is best" mentality, the F4u-1C is being used by everyone. Of course, there is no shortage of people willing to join the zero risk "Field Gunner" position either. Of course, nobody claiming that the F4u-1C is uber has ever done that.
One irony is that one of the planes used almost as much as the F4u-1C is the TBM-3. Of course, one can kill while the other is pretty much defenseless.
Another sad thing is that alot of decent pilots are feeling they need to rely on the F4u-1C to maintain their score. I'm not talking the dedicated bunch that have been flying it since it came out... but those that had to give up their land-based rides and make a choice. You can't argue with the hispano's destructive power... but I have to wonder where the sense of accomplishment is. Seems fewer and fewer people are concerned with that.
One thing that might keep the 1C in check is to remove it from carrier service. This has effectively controlled the N1K and could do the same for the F4u-1C. Still make it landable on an aircraft carrier, but not spawnable from one. It could re-arm, re-fuel there but no more than that. That makes it carrier capable, but not carrier launchable. What is more accurate... F4u-1Cs being barely used from carriers, or more used than all other aircraft combined?
I'm not a big fan of perking the F4u-1C for the simple reason they are too easy to shoot down. Only two members of my squad do not have a better than 1:1 ratio against F4u-1Cs. As a result, who is going to want to waste perk points on an aircraft that really doesn't offer anything the Tiffie or the F4u-1D don't already offer?
And, for you whiners, those "turbo-lasers" are still out there. You didn't get rid of them, you just moved the clientele to a different ride. Be ready with a can of spray paint, so you can x out the "Ban the F4u-1C" on your signs and be ready for "Ban the next plane that kills me". Of course, you are now going to have to argue that another ride has the uber handling characteristics you know you saw... and that you mistook it for an F4u-1C last tour.. really it was this plane.
Aaa... why bother? There is so much more wrong with this MA than planeset/strat it is phenomenal.

AKDejaVu
[This message has been edited by AKDejaVu (edited 01-07-2001).]