Originally posted by bozon
#4
From what I see in the game, P51B handily out turns the D11 when the speeds gets slow. I'm pretty sure that they were not historically tested flying circles at 100 mph with flaps full out. If there is something wrong with P51's flaps you will not find it in such comparative reports.
Also, that figure of turning circles you keep posting is out of scale misleading. The spitfire does not turn at a third of a P47/Tempest radius, and P51 does not turn in half a P47 radius. I'm also pretty sure that the tempest could turn tighter than a P47. It most definitly does in the game. That figure is symbolic "this is smaller than that", but not by how much.
Several of us have tested both aircraft for minimum turn radius at full flaps w/WEP. The P-47D-11 turns a circle about 140 feet smaller (70 ft smaller radius) than the P-51B and maintains a faster rate of turn as well.
The P-51D does even worse.
Now, as to that chart that bothers you; it was never intended to show a precise measurement, but to provide a reference only. In every Brit test I've read, the P-51B/Mustang III out-turned every contemporary with the exception of the Mk.IX/XIV/XVI Spitfires. That chart shows this in a simplified manner. Here is the text that accompanies the chart in the document
(found here).
"In circumstances where the ability to turn quickly or tightly are infinitely variable, and where two aircraft are nearly the same, such as the Tempest V and Thunderbolt II, a great deal depends on the ability of the pilots. Speed must be taken into account if the results are going to be of any real value.
For example, if a Tempest dives on a Thunderbolt with an overtaking speed of only 50 mph, the Thunderbolt will easily be able to avoid the attack by turning, although at the same speed in the hands of equally competent pilots, the Tempest will outmanoeuvre the Thunderbolt. This advantage, however, is no by any means so apparent at high altitudes, due to the greater engine efficiency of the Thunderbolt above 25,000ft.
Similarly, where low-altitude and high-altitude fighters are compared any advantage shown by the former will be reduced as the high-altitude fighter gets nearer to its best operational altitude. After taking all these considerations into account, the position of the aircraft relative to each other will be seen from the diagram.
Once again, the Spitfire maintains top place, followed by the Mustang, Meteor, Tempest and Thunderbolt. Too much regard to this order should not be paid, particularly by the individual who will angrily recall the occasion when he out-turned a Meteor when flying his Tempest. This sort of thing is inevitable, but we can only repeat that where the circumstances are common to both aircraft, these positions are not far wrong."
Finally, if we go back to older versions of Aces High, including AH1, the P-51B turned a slightly smaller circle than the P-47D-11. I have 3 different versions installed.
My regards,
Widewing
