durability and ruggedness

[Benny Moore]

Originally posted by Nilsen
In real life the jug was supposed to take a great deal of punishment but it seems fragile in here.

As someone who flies it frequently, I agree.  It can take a beating sometimes, but usually it just takes two or three rounds and a wing or stabilizer comes off.  It's one of the more durable fighters in the game but it's not nearly the flying brick it has always been hailed as.

How did it go again, the line about the Fairchild A-10?  "Even more durable than the Republic P-47"?

[B3YT]

in real life the Hurri. many occations pilots could still fly with a 1m diamiter hole in the wings.  i've seen pics from my grandas squadron with huge chunks on fuserlarge gone and still able to fight .

1 report was of a hurri being chaced by a Bf109  th epilot pulled uot from a dive. felt a jolt looked back to see the 109 folding with the G-force. when he landed he had a 2 1/2 m crack down the belly of the craft running nose to tail direction.

[SgtPappy]

Hurricanes were tough, but not in all parts. Much like the P-38. Mostly tough - had holes in its wings too, but of course, hit the right part, the plane comes apart.

I'd say the P-47. Bob Johnson's plane was hit so hard - cannon shells and all - a 190 emptied all its shells out on Johnson's Juggernaut and it still got home. Next, the IL-2's quite strong too.

[Benny Moore]

Originally posted by SgtPappy
Hurricanes were tough, but not in all parts. Much like the P-38. Mostly tough - had holes in its wings too, but of course, hit the right part, the plane comes apart.

Mmm, the idea that the P-38 had a weak tail comes from simulators.  In reality, the P-38 could have one boom completely severered and still fly (it sounds unbelievable but I've seen pictures).  There was no tendency to lose the tail in reality.

I'm sure you've all seen the pictures of Lightnings and Thunderbolts which hit telephone poles and flew back to base, and the P-38 which brought back an Me-109's wing in its own.

[Platano]

IL2's 47's ana f6f's

[Red Tail 444]

Have a good screenshot of an F4U-4, rudder, right flap, right elevator, 2 guns down. maybe not the most damage but the image is telling. As soon as I post the pic somewhere, I'll put the link here.

Gainsie

[KayBayRay]

IMO anything built by Grumman is a Winged Tank. As one of the earlier posts referred to the fact that Grumman was given the name of Iron Works due to the durability of the combat aircraft they produced.

I am not familiar with most of the ETO birds so there may be many there also.

Later,
KayBay

[Xasthur]

Il2s are incredibly weak in-game

Any cannon hits on the horrizontal stabilizers will turn it into an armoured arrow.

At least, that seems to happen to me when I'm flying against them or in them.

[Noir]

the IL2 can take some 37mm hits

The Yak is pretty rugged also, and its oil lasts forever

[Trikky]

Ooops wrong game Look Ma! One horizontal stab!!

[Ack-Ack]

Originally posted by gripen
There is couple cases in Finnish air force when an experienced pilot used all ammo of a three cannon Bf 109G against an Il-2 and the Il-2 just keep on flying despite big pieces were torn off. Very rugged bird; practically all vital areas were armored.

Just finished the Blonde Knight and Hartmann had some interesting tactics against the IL2.  He was able to determine the weak spots on the IL2 and that is what he aimed for.  His favored tactic was to come in from behind and slightly lower and when he got in close, aimed for the belly of the IL2.  Even though the belly was well protected, its oil system was vulnerable and one of the IL2's Achilles Heel.  He would target other weak spots like the tail area and wings.  According to Hartmann, aiming for these areas was the best way to take down an IL2.  Hits to the fuselage he said almost had no effect on the IL2.


ack-ack

[Ack-Ack]

Any plane that can survive a GuppyJr landing is one tough plane.




ack-ack

[Karnak]

Mossie in reality had a reputation for being very durable.  The wooden skin did not tear away when hit by cannon rounds like aluminium did.

In AH in my experience, in no particular order:

F6F-5
F4F-4/FM-2
Hurricanes
Il-2
B-17
La-5FN/La-7

What my reading about the real deal says:

A-26 series
SBD series
F4F series
F6F series
P-38 series
P-47 series
B-17E, F and G
Beaufighter series
Mosquito series
Wellington series
Hurricane series
Lancaster series
Fw190 uparmored versions
Ju88 series
Il-2 series
Il-10 series
H8K "Emily" series

[Ack-Ack]

Originally posted by Benny Moore
Mmm, the idea that the P-38 had a weak tail comes from simulators.  In reality, the P-38 could have one boom completely severered and still fly (it sounds unbelievable but I've seen pictures).  There was no tendency to lose the tail in reality.

I'm sure you've all seen the pictures of Lightnings and Thunderbolts which hit telephone poles and flew back to base, and the P-38 which brought back an Me-109's wing in its own.

Considering the vertical stabilizer was attached to the end of the booms, I really don't see a P-38 flying for very long missing one of the booms along with part of the vertical stabilizer.

Of course, if you have such a photo showing a P-38 flying while missing one of its booms, by all means post it.  "I have seen photos" just isn't sufficient enough evidence.


ack-ack

[Viking]

Originally posted by Ack-Ack
"I have seen photos" just isn't sufficient enough evidence.

Benny doesn’t concern himself with such trivialities.