http://www.rdrop.com/users/hoofj/Every now and then when I'm searching for something about our aircraft I come across this gem. The performance data is from Warbirds when the flight models were still done by Hitech. There were lots of arguments about which ones were inaccurate, with the P-38L being the target of a lot of complaints. Naturally, the complainers were called whiners and told that they must be complaining because they were being shot down. Here are some of the interesting changes:
Aircraft that have become faster at low altitude:109G-6: ~11mph
109K-4: ~20mph
190A-8: ~10mph
190D-9: ~12mph
P-51D: ~ 5mph
F4U-1D: ~10mph
Aircraft that have become slower at low altitude:Ki-84: ~7mph
---------------
Aircraft that turn better in AH (sustained full circle in seconds):109G-6: ~2 seconds less
109K-4: ~1.5 seconds
190A-8: ~2 seconds
190D-9: ~3 seconds
Spit IX: ~.5 seconds
P-51D: ~.5 seconds
P-47D: ~2 seconds
F4U-1D: ~1 second (smallest turn radius is 19% smaller in AH than in WB)
Aircraft that turn worse in AH (sustained full circle in seconds):P-38L: 3 seconds longer (also takes 50% longer to complete a 360 degree roll at all speeds)
FM-2: .5 seconds
--------------------
Some aircraft writeups you might not recognize:
P-38L:
The P38L has been called in Warbirds, and rightfully so, the Super Plane. The P38L is Jack of all trades, and master of most. The P38L does practically everything well, it dives with the best of them, is fast, has excellent high altitude performance, rolls with the best of them, until beyond 275mph, where it leaves all other planes in the dust, outturns all but the Zero and Ki43, has an excellent climb rate, has one of the best and most accurate gunnery packages in the game (with the exception of Otto), and has plenty of ammunition to burn. It's only major weakness is it's huge planform, making it an easy target in some situations. Fortunately, it's exceptional roll eliminates it's predecessor's big problem of being unable to roll away when that huge planform is exposed.
Ki-84:
The Ki84 is one of the fastest planes around, about 10mph faster than an F4U, and able to keep up with a P51 on the deck. It isn't the fastest plane, that honor goes to the infamous Dora, but she is one of the few that can extend reliably from most planes, and once away, can reverse and deal with that pesky Dora on her own grounds. This plane also dives quite well, with full elevator use clear up to 550mph. Unfortunately the ailerons tend to lock up at about 350mph, so be sure you are trimmed using auto-angle trim to ensure you don't die due to ailerons-trim-induced roll. This is important to remember when chasing/being chased by a good high speed roller (P38L, FW, F4U, P40E, P47), as it's often best to pull up and force the target/opponent to retreat/overshoot/burn E.
Over all I would assume that we have more accurate flight models now, but it is interesting to see how things have changed. The German fighters seem to have gained the most in the transition between the old Warbirds and Aces High, both in speed and maneuverability (kind of hard to believe the 190D-9 turns better, eh?). The F4U-1D is also a much more agile plane in AH than it was in Warbirds, it is also more stable in a stall. The plane hit hardest is the P-38 series. It was about as common as the XVI/P-51D back then (maybe even more popular), and, of course, everyone said they flew it because of its history.
Aircraft that seem to have changed very little are the SpitV and IX, P-51D, P-47, FM-2, and F6F.
Ultimately, we have to remember that how these aircraft are modeled has never been perfect, and never will be. There will always be room for adjustment, tweaking, and sometimes even a major overhaul. It would be interesting if someone could compare changes between AH I and AH II along the same lines. Hope you enjoyed the read.
