Aces High Roll Rates Compared

[F4UDOA]

Heya's,

My latest venture in testing. I tested 10 of the top birds in the MA roll rates.

First the test criteria.

Combat trim on
25% fuel
Climb to 6,500FT.
Dive to approx 5,500FT. to gain 300MPH.
Complete three individual timed 360 degree rolls.
Dive to reach 400MPH.
Repeat timed rolls.
Reduce speed to 200MPH.
Repeat timed rolls.
All results are average of three test times.
All test performed in IAS.
All rolls to left except LA-7 to the right.

Results


P-47D-30
200MPH= 5.69
300MPH= 3.90
400MPH= 4.52

P-51D
200MPH= 5.67
300MPH= 3.93
400MPH= 4.62

P-38L
200MPH= 6.97
300MPH= 4.27
400MPH= 3.52

F6F-5
200MPH= 5.47
300MPH= 3.95
400MPH= 4.92

F4U-1D
200MPH= 4.63
300MPH= 3.34
400MPH= 4.01

Spit IX
200MPH= 4.59
300MPH= 4.23
400MPH= 5.78

LA-7
200MPH= 5.01
300MPH= 3.72
400MPH= 4.37

NIK2-J
200MPH= 5.56
300MPH= 4.67
400MPH= 5.93

ME109G-10
200MPH= 5.91
300MPH= 5.24
400MPH= 7.86

FW190D-9
200MPH= 3.6
300MPH= 2.85
400MPH= 4.05


Any comments?

[F4UDOA]

Punt!!


Surely this is news to somebody??

[Karnak]

Looks about like my tests, but I always go to 450, 500 and sometimes even 550mph because those are the speeds I reach in BnZ combat and the roll rates continue to change up there.

[Wmaker]

Great info F4UDOA!!! <S>

That 5.24 sec (300 mph) figure on the G-10 looks very close to what it should be AFAIK. I was wondering could you test G-2 and G-6 too, pretty please  . The reason for this is that finns achieved 4-5 sec roll rate with G-2 at speed of 400-450 km/h on a test flight flown by Pekka Kokko. I don't have a stop watch but I'm pretty sure that AH G-2 is on the money but G-6 is somewhat slower. Would be interesting to see how well they match.  

Thanks again for the testing!

----------------

1Wmaker1
 

[Widewing]

Originally posted by F4UDOA:
Punt!!


Surely this is news to somebody??

Examining NACA, Lockheed and USAAF data, I feel that HTC has done a pretty good job of modeling sustained roll rates. Some of your numbers are slightly better than those that appear in test reports, but I didn't notice any significant deviations.

What may surprise some is the P-38L. With its boosted ailerons, roll rate at high speed was not dependent upon the muscle of the pilot to obtain large deflection of the ailerons. Hence, its excellent high-speed roll numbers. Of course, early models were vastly slower in roll throughout the speed range. See the chart below:

 

My regards,

Widewing

[xHaMmeRx]

F4UDOA,

Excellent stuff... mind if I put it in a chart on my site?

www.netAces.org

HaMmeR

[Tac]

odd, when I dive with a spit on me 6 that damn thing is near 500mph and the spit is closing on me...and they always manage to stay with me rolling evasives.

Aaaugh.  

[F4UDOA]

xHammerRx,

Please use what ever you want. I am always on your site comparing your data to mine. I also did some scramble time testing after I saw your site test. Mine are post 1.08 so they include the F4U-1/4 and the updated -1D.

You can search under my profile for recent post. It should be listed as Scramble time testing.

Thanks
F4UDOA

Tac,

You know I noticed the same thing about Spits and 109's. I usually try to dive almost virticaly with a faster bogie on my tail and then roll 180 degrees past virtical in the other direction at the last second. Hoping that if the faster slower rolling Spit/109 will auger trying to follow.

But rolling maneuvers like barrel rolling almost always fail in high speed defence. Usually the last second spit-s seems to work best for me.

[HoHun]

Hi Widewing,

thanks for posting that roll rate chart! Do you know if there's any information about the altitude of these roll rate tests?

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)