P-39
A-26
me-410
He-111
B-25
Yak3
Okay.
P-39 Airacobra.
Early War American made fighter. No turbocharger, so primarily a low level fighter that the Soviets put to great use during WWII. A total of 9,584 were produced, with over half being sent to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program. About 14 different versions to fight over. Some with 37mm. Some with 20mm Hispano. Some with .50's and .30's. More or less armor. 1,150 to 1,325 HP engines.
Would be a great addition to EW and MW for two dozen folks you could find in those arenas. Added senerios for Eastern Front of the War. May hold its own in low altitude furballs in LW arenas.
If the winner, I'd make the argument for addition to Russian plane set in Russian skin: Soviets used it far more than anyone else to great effect. Recognize Lend Lease. Recognize that second highest scoring Allied Ace was a Russian flying P-39's.
Being an American plane helps in popular vote. Unsure if Airacobra well enough known by voters to make the cut to final vote.
Me-410.
I've leave for other to make the case for, as I'm not familiar enough with it's abilities. The high designation number (410) may help it in the vote.... 410 is better than 262, 190, 234, etc....right?
Three versions that saw wide use?
Would help fill out German plane set. Would add to Eastern Front senerio play. Not sure how it would fair in War Arenas, Mid-War and Late-War IIRC. Not being a well known or American plane hurts it's popular vote chances.
He-111.
Superior bomber during the Spanish Civil War. Outdated by time of the Battle of Britain, though still saw a lot of use there. 5,500 maxium bomb load, if external ord carried (slowing it down even more from
250 mph (400 km/h) top speed. (435 km/h without the bomb load and at 50% fuel load); 20 minutes to 5,185 m (17,000 ft); 8,390 m (27,500 ft) service ceiling.
Would be addition to some early war senerios, the EW arena, and Battle of Britain. Totally out classed for use in LW arena.
Expect He-111 to carry many votes because of name recognition, appearance in movies, Battle of Britain, and slight resemblance to cockpit of Millenium Falcon.
Yak-3
Russian air superiority fighter. Better in some aspects to other Yaks in game already. Possibly very short legs, as Yak-3 had lighter fuel load for reducing weight for its dogfighting role. Addition to Russian plane set. Additional furballer to the game.
Short legs, not being an American plane, and designated as Yak-3 (3 being lower than 9, has to be bad, right?) all will hurt the Yak in popular vote. Being a fighter will help it in popular vote.
B-25
American twin-engined medium bomber.
Nine versions of the B-25 to argue over. Early war, mid-war, late war additions to argue over. Less capable than B-26 and B-24 as a bomber.
Maximum speed: 275 mph__(B-26 = 287 mph__(B-24 = 290 mph) (Krusty could catch it! j/king!)
Combat radius: 1,350 mi___(B-26 = 999 nm)___(B-24 = 2,100 mi)
Service ceiling: 25,000 ft___(B-26 = 21,000 ft)__(B-24 =28,000 ft)
Ordnance Load: 3,000 lb___(B-26 = 4,000 lb)___(B-24 = 8,000 lb) ** Wiki Wrong again, sorry **
** Correction B-25B 2,000lbs, B-25C 3,000lbs **
Rate of climb: 790 ft/min___(B-26 = 1,300 at best?__(B-24 = 1,025 ft/min)
Doolittle Raid recognition, hope for mid/late war 75mm spud gun and massed .50's by some, or would the early war Doolittle plane be the one made? Being an American plane will help in voting. Widespread use among many nations during entire war. Unsure if lower speeds and medium ord load would allow it to compete in the LW arenas. Willing to bet a number of B-25 voters think it will come with CV-launch ability.
A-26 Invader
Late war medium level bomber/ ground attack fighter/ CAS platform. Intended to replace A-20's, B-26's, and B-25's late during WWII. 2 versions, B-model solid nose gun package with 6 extra .50's, C-model glass nosed pathfinder with norden bombsite. Only difference in versions found in the nose.
Up to 14 forward firing .50's in most B model Invaders. Up to 8 or 10 forward firing .50's in C models (internal wing or ext gun pods). Up to 14 X 5 inch rockets could be carried. Could carry 2 torpedos. Early versions had 8 ext gun pods for wings and only 6 nose cannon in B model, so HTC has some flexibility in finally load outs.
Maximum speed: 355 mph (308 knots, 570 km/h) (Krusty can't catch it....lol!)
Combat radius: 2,100 mi (1,800 nm, 3,400 km) (Drop Tanks could extend this range)
Service ceiling: 22,000 ft (6,700 m)
Ordnance Load: 4,000 lbs internally; 2,000 lbs on wing mounts.
Rate of climb: 1,250 ft/min (6.4 m/s)
Adds a perk ride to the bomber pilots in the game. Multi-use plane that can be used as a level bomber, attack plane, and bomber destroyer. Pure fun uber-strafer-ride that may be able to hold it's own against LaLas, Ponies, Nikis, and Spixteens hunting it (game...remember?) in LW. Limited senerio use, outside of LW ETO.
Being an American plane, high performance, AW history, and potentially very gun heavy addition to the game in it's favor. Lack of name recognition will hurt the Invader in popular vote. Confusion over A-26 possibly being a gun heavy B-25 may help in votes as well.
That's how I see the remaining planes standing now against each other, as far as the forum goes.
