F4U-4

[Saxman]

Wait until you can corner a Pony solo. The -4 will carve the 51 up in close.

[Karnak]

I'll be right back to reply more in depth... gotta go call Obama again...      **flushes toilet**

I don't give a damn which side you are insulting.  It is crap that doesn't belong here.  I reported you for it.

[SgtPappy]

Frankly, in real-world terms I think speed defeated turn radius not so much because it is easy to win something like a 190 vs. Hurri dogfight, but because most kills were the product of seeing first and approaching unseen, and the typical "energy fighter" tactic in use was that very same "one pass, haul ass" we've been prevaricating against. You can't shoot what you can't catch, and you can't keep a perfect lookout against large numbers of faster fighters which might be able to go from barely visible to firing range very quickly.

I think such tactics were also much more productive in the war because of numbers. Flying alone was a rare thing (though it did happen) and we can see that 99% of fights between groups of planes happen with each group having differing altitudes. Once you have the altitude, you don't want to lose it for the world. Therefore, pilots would often keep up high instead of turning... and even IF they could easily outturn the enemy fighter, chances are they'd have another a/c on their tails.

[Tom5572]

I am by no means an expert but I have been around for a while now.  The -4 gives you the option of choosing your fight, it can out vert a 38, turn inside a niki, it accelerates like a bat and though the 50s are not hispano's, they will carve a bird up and serve it for you nice and hot.  It is truly an amazing aircraft IMHO.