What do YOU consider the best fighter?

[StokesAk]

Oh I got a good one:


The one that just killed you.

[Ack-Ack]

I cant imagine taking off the wing tips are going to make THAT huge of a different in roll rate to the point of only being seceond in roll to the Fw190x, and a very close second at that.  But... HTC seems to be able to shrug off anyone challenging them on specifics.

Just because you can't imagine it doesn't mean that it wasn't like that in real life, which by the way was how it really was with the Mk XVI's roll rate.  Of course, if you can find any information to the contrary, you are more than welcome to post the information to support your claim.


ack-ack

[Nemisis]

I know I said P47 a while a go, but now, for me , it is a tie between the La7, and the P47. The P47 is a good solid bird when I fly it, it can take a hit and still dish it out.  While the La7 is fast and those cannons are actually quite good despite low ammo capacity, but can't take as much damage and still fly. But still I think you guys are going in the wrong direction, if you get someone on your six for the first 5 secs of a fight but can out turn them, then it dosen't matter if they can kill you in 3 secs. I think both planes offer a good combination of all the required aspects.

[Ruah]

As far as stats go, the F4 Corsair series has teh most potential in terms of guns, power/weight, durability, flaps and jsut about everything. . .but in the end, its really the pilot that makes a plane good or bad. 

[Pannono]

F4U-4 hands down
Very high speed, great maneuverability if flown right, 6x .50cals, reasonably durable, nice ord carrying capability, and its carrier capable.

[FYB]

I can't remember, but I'm sure i chose the Spitfire. Its not the plane, its the guy who flies it. I was in MA and decided that i had gone on bomb runs to much and needed some reminding of how to fly a fighter.

I don't know what happened that day, but i was dogfighting at 13k in my Spit16 against an F4F, and you'd imagine this would be easy sense the plane wasn't exactly a high speed machine. Yeah, no. We kept fighting until for some reason, we both ran out of ammo, fuel and were both missing a bunch of parts, in the end, we decided it be best to go and crash land at our bases. We were dogfighting for 28 straight minutes going up, left, down, right, center, back, shoot, hit, and miss.

That guy was one hell of a dogfighter, or i just suck nuts at flying fighters, not doubting that.

-FYB

[Saxman]

I can't remember, but I'm sure i chose the Spitfire. Its not the plane, its the guy who flies it. I was in MA and decided that i had gone on bomb runs to much and needed some reminding of how to fly a fighter.

I don't know what happened that day, but i was dogfighting at 13k in my Spit16 against an F4F, and you'd imagine this would be easy sense the plane wasn't exactly a high speed machine. Yeah, no. We kept fighting until for some reason, we both ran out of ammo, fuel and were both missing a bunch of parts, in the end, we decided it be best to go and crash land at our bases. We were dogfighting for 28 straight minutes going up, left, down, right, center, back, shoot, hit, and miss.

That guy was one hell of a dogfighter, or i just suck nuts at flying fighters, not doubting that.

-FYB

Never underestimate the F4F. She's a much better ship than a lot of people give her credit for.

[FYB]

Never underestimate the F4F. She's a much better ship than a lot of people give her credit for.

Now i try to keep as far as possible from that thing, it almost ripped me into Swiss cheese.

-FYB

[Karnak]

Now i try to keep as far as possible from that thing, it almost ripped me into Swiss cheese.

-FYB

They are almost helpless if you don't play to their strengths.

[Gixer]

Easily the F4U-4 by a good margin. Plane that has everything plus like all F4s more gamey tricks then any other ride with it's uber flaps. Plus carrier ops to boot, doesn't get any better/easier. 



<S>...-Gixer

[Saxman]

They are almost helpless if you don't play to their strengths.

Basically, don't try to turn with it. Unfortunately, the F4F and FM-2 are also REALLY easy to get sucked in by: They're small, have a pretty quick (and very tight) initial turn, and are damn hard to hit (and even if you DO it takes some really concentrated firepower to put one down) so it's really easy to get frustrated and over-commit. The only REAL weaknesses are the low top speed so she can't catch or run on anything and only poor (F4F) to average (FM-2) sustained performance in the vertical.

That said, even pinned down the Wildcat can be tough to finish off. In the Tunisia FSO my squadron fought some very good 109G-2 sticks to a draw despite our F4Fs being at a starting disadvantage in altitude (~5000-6000ft altitude) and numbers (2-3 aircraft).

[Widewing]

Basically, don't try to turn with it. Unfortunately, the F4F and FM-2 are also REALLY easy to get sucked in by: They're small, have a pretty quick (and very tight) initial turn, and are damn hard to hit (and even if you DO it takes some really concentrated firepower to put one down) so it's really easy to get frustrated and over-commit. The only REAL weaknesses are the low top speed so she can't catch or run on anything and only poor (F4F) to average (FM-2) sustained performance in the vertical.

That said, even pinned down the Wildcat can be tough to finish off. In the Tunisia FSO my squadron fought some very good 109G-2 sticks to a draw despite our F4Fs being at a starting disadvantage in altitude (~5000-6000ft altitude) and numbers (2-3 aircraft).

You don't have to flying a fighter with a smaller turning circle to out-maneuver the F4F-4 and FM-2. You merely need to have a better turn rate and use the vertical. The F4F-4 is especially vulnerable as it lacks the power to sustain its turn rate once it runs out of altitude. At that point, it tends to wallow, with its turn rate being unimpressive.

Wildcats do best when they have enough altitude to be aggressive, and you must be aggressive.


My regards,

Widewing

[Bosco123]

U4 hands down. Superior at every alt., and great guns.

[Saxman]

You don't have to flying a fighter with a smaller turning circle to out-maneuver the F4F-4 and FM-2. You merely need to have a better turn rate and use the vertical. The F4F-4 is especially vulnerable as it lacks the power to sustain its turn rate once it runs out of altitude. At that point, it tends to wallow, with its turn rate being unimpressive.

Wildcats do best when they have enough altitude to be aggressive, and you must be aggressive.


My regards,

Widewing

Pretty sure I mentioned the vertical performance... 

[Nemisis]

<S> Saxman, I agree with your last 3 posts, F4F's are very good birds when flowen properly and can absorb a good bit of damage. I was fighting one once in a P47 using slashig attacks and it seemed like I couldn't nock them down with my zone convergence, so I landed durring a lul and set my guns to point convergance and had much better luck, and when flying off a carrier the F4F if my best fighter.