Originally posted by Saxman
DaddyAck, couple points on the F4Us:
That big radial engine helps give the Hog a lot of speed, but NOT a lot of acceleration. It's powerful but adds a lot to drag, which combined with the Hog's mass limits the acceleration. Unless you're nose-down, you're not gonna win the short drag.
If you're shedding wings in high-speed dives with the 1A you're doing something wrong. I've made full-power WEP-on dives in the 1A at airspeeds well exceeding 500mph with high-G blackout-inducing pullouts and not once lost parts.
Also, you don't want to use your gear for extended periods (some guys will say at all) in a furball. They help you slow down, that's all, and add nothing themselves to the F4U's turning ability. I rarely kick them out for more than half a second, the exception being my initial dive through to avoid overspeed.
I don't leave the gears out all the time, just when a little more stopping power is needed then back up they go, If it sounded like I meant otherwise I am sorry for the mix up
I swear to you, the F4u-1 (I like the F4U-1 alot as well) I can burn the wing tanks off and dive all I want to then pull out without any part loss, the f4u1a on the other hand as I said the wings rip in half and Im stuck limping back RTB with clipped wings.
As to the radial engine it has speed yes, but I never meant to imply its use as a sprint style acceleration plane. It is fast just not off the line so to speak. So if I sounded like I said it did accelerate quickly, that was not my intent.
