New plane election

[715]

Originally posted by Puck
Yak-3 is pretty much a variant.  More metal than the -9, some minor shape changes, but you could argue the same about an F4U-1/1A/1C/4...just minor tweaks and good skinning.  I'm translating the pilot's manual and cockpit diagram for the -3 now, just because it's cool (slow going...adding new words to my vocabulary).

I always thought the Yak-3 (a late model that came after the Yak-9) was significantly different: lighter and more manouverable.  Indeed it is called a "light" fighter as oppossed to the longer indurance "heavy" fighter Yak-9.  Squadron pub 1078 gives the following specs:

Yak-3: Empty weight 4642 lbs, 1244hp, top speed 404 mph
Yak-9D: Empty weight 6107 lbs, 1360hp, top speed 374 mph

Armament is nearly the same (Yak-3 has two 12.7 mm vs 1 for the Yak-9D- both have one 20mm ShVAK).

You are right, however, they look very similar and visually it is just a variant.  Performance wise, however, the Yak-3 would be a significant improvement.

[straffo]

My vote : Yak 3

Originally posted by Puck
Yak-3 is pretty much a variant.  More metal than the -9, some minor shape changes, but you could argue the same about an F4U-1/1A/1C/4...just minor tweaks and good skinning.  I'm translating the pilot's manual and cockpit diagram for the -3 now, just because it's cool (slow going...adding new words to my vocabulary).

Are you sure of that ?
I think you need to document you better.

[Airscrew]

A-26

[Soulyss]

P-38H!... I mean P-39!

[Puck]

Originally posted by 715
I always thought the Yak-3 (a late model that came after the Yak-9) was significantly different: lighter and more manouverable.  Indeed it is called a "light" fighter as oppossed to the longer indurance "heavy" fighter Yak-9.  Squadron pub 1078 gives the following specs:

Yak-3: Empty weight 4642 lbs, 1244hp, top speed 404 mph
Yak-9D: Empty weight 6107 lbs, 1360hp, top speed 374 mph

Armament is nearly the same (Yak-3 has two 12.7 mm vs 1 for the Yak-9D- both have one 20mm ShVAK).

You are right, however, they look very similar and visually it is just a variant.  Performance wise, however, the Yak-3 would be a significant improvement.

I absolutely want the Yak-3 (hence the deciphering of all those funny letters), but I would not consider it a new airframe.  Update the Yak-9T/U and making a Yak-1/3 is just a matter of tweaking the existing shape, changing the flight model, and skinning it for the material and construction variations.

Pyro was asking about a new airframe; I thought the Yak-3 did not belong on the list.  If he's asking about updating models, that's different  

I can't wait to make the White Rose of Stalingrad, even if there is no documented evidence there was ever a white rose (or lilly) on the sides.  Does make you wonder a bit about some other parts of the legend.

[Puck]

Originally posted by straffo
My vote : Yak 3

 

Are you sure of that ?
I think you need to document you better.

Yup.  Pretty sure.  The -3 had the same cut down fuselage as the -9, though I believe it flew with four blades rather than three on the screw.  Same wing-root intakes, same belly coolers, same gun package.  Making the -1 would require a different fuselage profile, but otherwise it's also pretty close.  

They didn't change the DESIGN, they changed the construction.  Photos to arrive by post.

[straffo]

Puck there is more differences between the yak 3 and 9 than between the P51B and D

[ridley1]

but, how to vote?  give a week for everybody to submit a top 5.......remove lowest vote getters, and round robin eliminate until the we get our chosen aircraft? Like delegates at a convention.

There are (to me anyway) valid reasons to bring 5 of the aircraft on that list into the game.  Probably not the same 5 that someone else is thinking, but what the hey.

[Vad]

P-39.

It deserves it, the fighter with unique fortune.
In the most difficult years of the war on Eastern front it was P-39 which helped to get air superiority, La-5FN and Yak-3 came later.
Pokryshkin, the second best Russian pilot (59 kills) flew P-39 till the end of the war despite huge pressure from Soviet leaders.

[Ball]

Originally posted by Pyro
I mentioned in another thread that we would be taking a vote for the next new plane to add.  It will probably be a series of votes(using in-game polling system) to cull it down to 2 entries for a final vote.  Here's a list of commonly requested planes off the top of my head.  This is for new planes only, not variants of existing planes.  I've excluded heavy bombers for now because we don't want that big of a project for the next plane.  Half of this list doesn't have a chance anyway so I can't imagine anything else not on this list having a shot at winning but feel free to state your case anyway.  I still have to figure out how to structure the runoff.

Here's the preliminary list of the candidates.

P-39  

Brewster Buffalo

Me 410

He 111

B-25

Pe-2 or Tu-2

Yak 3

G.55

Japanese fighter - Ki 44, J2M, Ki 45, or Ki 43

A-26

FAIREY FIREFLY!

[Bingolong]

P-39

[llama]

As anyone who can remember my 37mm "Trick Shooting Exhibition" for Bob Shaw's benefit at the 2000 Palm Springs Con would know, my vote goes like this:

P-39!
P-39!!
P-39!!!
P-39!!!!
P-39!!!!!
P-39!!!!!!
P-39!!!!!!!
and the G.55

That's right. I'd get 4 other guys drunk and steal their votes.

And then for fun, 6 months later, take 80% of the resources spent on making the P-39 and make the P-63. That's almost two for the price of one.

-Llama

[hubsonfire]

No on the Firefly. We don't need a 2 seat CV tempest.

[Warspawn]

I'd have to say P-63 before the P-39; the Kingcobra would see much more use; I'd hate to see another hangar queen (which I really feel the P-39 would become).  The Russians had huge numbers of the Kingcobra.  The US failed to use them because of their similar performance to the Mustang.

G-55 would see the most use...

My favorite would be the ME-410...

But I have to vote Brewster, just because of the desire for that particular plane over the past few years.  It's well overdue!

[Ball]

Originally posted by hubsonfire
No. It would be like a 2 seat tempest, and would utterly ruin the game.

You utterly ruin the game.  

Can we vote to take Hub aka Furboll out of the game?