Buzz is right re: most D-9s that had already been built by late in '44 being retrofitted with MW 50 whilst those on the production line received it from the start.As far as JG 26's Doras getting their butts spanked by Tempests, at that stage in the war, Dora units were lucky to put up formations of 12 a/c at a time (and that's a whole Geschwader!), often fielding =<8 a/c at a time, whilst large formations of Tempests & Spit XIV's roamed Germany in Wing-size or greater (40+ a/c)at will.Even the ME 262 was often thoroughly spanked in those conditions!I'm not commenting on what a/c was better overall, though I think the Tempest was patently superior <20k (the alt at which most AH MA combat takes place in), but comparing the battles of the last few months of the war in Europe is VERY problematic.
I have a couple of books devoted solely on the Dora, which have great photos as well colour views of the Doras in question.All the Doras in question were examples fielded during 1945.One of the books is Jerry Crandall's excellent work on the Doras of the "Galland Circus".That book looks at the Doras that flew top cover protection for JV 44's 'turbos' .
Of the 4 Doras depicted in that book, 1 is an early production Dora-9 using an A-8 canopy & central fuselage with the rear fuselage filler.The other 3 Doras are 2 later-model Dora-9s (standard bubble canopy & D-9 fuselage etc), and the 3rd is a D-11.
Of the 4 a/c involved, 3 use MW 50 (it's easy to tell - there is a triangle with MW 50 written within it next to the rear fuse tank filler hole) including the D-11, whilst the 4th example (a later-model D-9) strangely had no MW 50 marking, but had a small yellow circle on the port side of the upper cowl.On closer inspection, it turns out this D-9 did not in fact use MW 50, but was fitted with a 'Laderdrucksteigerungs-Rüstsatz' fiel-modification which was, in Crandall's words, a " 'Supercharger pressure' boosted engine for increased horsepower from the Jumo 213A1 ".
My other Dora stuff shows almost all the D-9's depicted as using MW-50 (some are only port views so I can't tell what fuel they are using).
The point is, if we are going to be historically accurate, we should be flying a boosted D-9.Just because it'll be very fast doesn't mean it should be perked.My God, the late model G-10 modelled in AH can clock at over 450mph TAS, but it's not perked! The boosted D-9 will have excellent performance, but it doesn't have the turn rate of a P-51 (or even a 190A-5).It will be similar to a G-10 in performance, with better roll, but poorer turn.
All this talk about putting restraints on the D-9 so that it can exist happily in AH is ridiculous IMHO.It will fit in nicely with a/c like the P-51 and G-10.Don't forget that whilst the D-9 will have excellent roll at low-med speeds, at hi-speed (>400 IAS) the pony will probably roll much better than the D-9, as well as being *easily* able to out-turn it.The D-9 will be a great match for the P-51, but that's all - a match.
There are issues in having a/c like the D-9, P-51, G-10 etc in AH unperked, but the only way to fix that is to either i9ntroduce an RPS, or make the late-war fighters that are currently unperked as "low perk" a/c.Why should the Dora-9 be treated differently than the P-51 & get its legs chooped off? We should be using the same rules of inclusion for all fighters, either that, or use different rules.
If a boosted D-9 deserves to be perked, I expect the P-51, G-10 as well as that 4 cannoned wank-machine, the Chog to be perked too.Some ppl would like to throw in the N1K2-J as well- leave the Dora-9 alone plz...
PS:-Btw, all the machines in Crandall's book are using 96-octane fuel...
[This message has been edited by C_R_Caldwell (edited 03-05-2001).]
