Hi F4UDOA,
>But I am pretty sure that the later models G6 and up would have a pretty hard time doing that even without the F4U using it's combat flaps.
Don't get fixated on wing loading, power loading plays an important role, too, and is considerably improved in the late-war Messerschmitts with MW50-injection. The Me 109 has camber changing flaps and flaperons, so it would benefit from "combat flaps", too.
>The small design with high wingloading left no room for growth and limited the capability of the aircraft before if ever left the drawing board.
It was not a Mustang, but to translate that defect into "outdated in 1934" is rather silly, especially as the Luftwaffe didn't need a Mustang.
>The point of my original post was simply that the war was really over by mid 1944 anyway.
The USAAF heavy bomber attrition levels remained high right to the end of 1944, but dropped after that, indicating the ineffectiveness of Luftwaffe after that. The Luftwaffe was mostly limited to the defense of the Reich, but they lasted longer than mid-1944 in that role.
>All of the newer German designs were on hand for combat because
>1. They were already at the front.
>2. The aircraft the allies had were doing a fine job.
You're understimating the difficulties of technological development, and overestimating the difficulties of shipping aircraft. That the air war was fought over Germany meant the German factories were bombed, so the introduction of new German types was delayed, not speeded up.
On the other hand, aircraft that didn't make it to the front, whether Axis or Allies, were invariably late for a reason. The P-80 for example was sent to Europe, where one example crashed and burned, leading to the type being grounded. It was not even fit for demonstration flights at that point, and the type wasn't cleared for operational use until long after VE day (maybe even after VJ day).
>There are several less than optimal features on the F4U that could be changes or added but you don't see those threads popping up every day.
The F4U lobby is doing a poor job, that's all ;-)
Regards,
Henning (HoHun)
