Originally posted by Krusty
I think they said "no" to the P47M because it was only used for specific duties (mostly V2 interception). It was only one group, and not a wide-spread variant. It had large teething problems as well, and naturally those won't be modeled in AH.
I say leave it out, use the -N instead.
It wasn't used to intercept V2's. Nothing could intercept V2's but the ground. It was envisioned that with the higher speeds it could possibly intercept V1's, but was never used in this role, because by the time it was fielded, the V1 launch sites, for the most part, were behind allied lines. 56th FG used all of them, and when the engines worked as advertised, they were hot aircraft.
P-47N has a top speed about 10 MPH less than P-47M, although its the same engine, but in a D airframe. N model was much heavier, with a max t/o weight some 3000lbs greater than the M. Remember though, that the 470+ MPH top speed was achieved at something like 32,000 feet. Just like all the Jugs already in AH, that capability is, for the most part, wasted as the combat only exists in the "too impatient to climb zone".
Personally, I don't buy the "teething" argument as many of the AH MA hotrods had the same or worse. Mostly with the M, it was a matter of learning how to make the engine perform properly and maintain it. Introduced in early '45, the 56th FG mechanics, working with P&W contractors ironed out the engine problems over the course of a couple months. Some other AH MA hotrods left the factory with airframe, engine, weapons problems, or just plain shoddy workmanship. The only condition that I see as a factor is that only 130 were produced. On the other hand, I wouldn't think that it would be too hard to introduce, since all you'd have to do is model the -N engine in a P-47D40 airframe. I'm no programmer, so I have no idea how difficult this would be to do, but it seems like it would be easier than creating a new airplane from scratch, or even remodeling a current plane that is one of the older models like the F4F. I'll defer to HTC to make that determination.
What I really wish they'd let us do is model the M skins on the D-40, since they already let us use C, D-15 and D-23 skins on the D-11. And, the perfomance difference between a D-11 and a D-23 is equally or more (since a D-23 can carry ordnance and would climb like a D-25) than the performance difference between a D-40 and an M. Further, the appearance of the D-40 is practically identical to the M, whereas the difference between the D-15 and D-11 is noticeably different, with the D-15's and beyond having wing pylons, and the D-11 without. Personally, I wish they'd just add both to the planeset, and then I could find something else to post about.
