Originally posted by Bronk
WW
Wasn't the P-39D-2 utilizing the V-1710-63 pulling 1590 hp at 61 map?
Strange that an earlier model had a more potent engine.
I've seen this too, but the rating was for 2,500 feet. The V-1710-63 was installed in the P-39K and the P-39L too. If I recall correctly, the P-39L was rated at 367 mph at 2,500 feet, 386 mph at 9,000 feet and 373 mph at 12,000 feet. Again, this is quite competitive with the late war beasties at common AH2 altitudes.
The primary drawback of the P-39 was poor performance at altitude. That's not much of a factor in Aces High. Down low, it should be very competitive. 386 mph at 9k is faster than the Yak-9U. The gap is even wider at 2.5k. Indeed, at 2.5k it's about 20 mph faster than the Spit16 and has a similar wing loading.
I read a combat report submitted by Lt. Hugh Dow of the 346th Fighter Squadron. Dow obtained his first Luftwaffe kill flying a P-39L in 1943. He was also able to log 8 hours of flight time in a captured 109. Being familiar with the 109, the next time he encountered one, he didn't hesitate to take it on in a classic one on one duel.
Spotting each other, Down turned his P-39Q-15 into the 109 and they merged on opposite headings. Both pilot reefed their fighters around in punishing left turns. Dow saw vapor streamers coming from the 109's wing tips. Dow knew the the P-39 would out-turn the Messerschmitt. Within two turns he gained nearly 180 degrees. Having used up his cannon ammo, and most of his .50 rounds strafing, Dow opened fire at close range in a hard turn. He fired the remaining .50 cal ammo, scoring hits which caused a fuel leak. He then continued shooting with his four .30 cal MG, igniting the fuel. The 109 pulled into vertical climb with Dow's P-39 right on its tail. At the top of the climb, the 109 pilot pitched off his canopy and jumped out. Dow climbed past the burning 109 and rolled off to the right. He watched the 109 crash onto a road at the entrance to a bridge Dow had just recently strafed. The German pilot landed in some brush near the road and Dow flew past him wagging his wings. The German was seen to wave his hand in return.
In the MTO, the P-40 flew more than twice as many combat sorties as the did the P-39. However, four times as many P-40s were lost. Loss rates per sortie for the P-39, in the MTO, SWPA and Aleutians were typically half that of the P-40.
Loss rates to ground fire in the MTO were, in order of losses per sortie:
P-47 (.2 per sortie)
P-38 (.3)
P-39 (.4)
P-40 (.8)
A-36/P-51 (.8)
The Soviets concur that the P-39 was more resistant to damage than the P-40 and that pilots shot down in air combat were more than twice as likely to survive if flying the P-39 as opposed to the P-40. 1,200 lb of Allison armor behind the pilot must have been beneficial.
My regards,
Widewing
