Was the brewster ever carrier based???

[palef]

Did the brewster ever see combat with the a6m? If it did what was its success at shooting down the zero?

The Singapore B339Es went up against Ki27s and Ki43s mostly. Did OK against the Nates, but struggled badly with the Oscars, particularly because there were so many of them. I think about 4 243 Sqn B339Es survived Singapore out of around 30. There were a few freshly minted aces amongst the B339E Singapore pilots but the lack of coordination between RAAF, RNZAF and RAF led to a miserable time for all of them. Couple that with poorly reconditioned second hand engines originally destined for airline service in DC3s which were supposed to be rebuilt by airline mechanics but went unmodified into the B339E airframe and you have an unreliable overloaded liability. Bear in mind that combat reports around the time tended to label all Japanese fighters as "Zeroes" and it's difficult to build a specific picture of capability vs. certain airframes. From talking to Geoff Fisken (Flew a P40 called the Wairarapa Wildcat a bit later on) a few years ago, I don't think any Commonwealth B339Es ever went up against A6M2s. He was convinced he wouldn't be here today if he had.

[phatzo]

the Wairarapa Wildcat

[Krusty]

So THAT'S why the P-40E in the game has War Emergency Power, eh? Because it's so historical.

You imply it should not have WEP, that it should be slower.

Whether or not it should have a WEP toggle, when USING this setting, it is fairly close to historical performances. It reaches a bit over 350mph with WEP, historically matches the F's top speed of 352mph. The Es historically did 362mph. If anything it's too slow, even using the in-game WEP.

So those saying it shouldn't have wep are really saying it should run at WEP full-time (like the P-40B and Yak-9 in-game do now), but still make the same performance. I don't know which is historically correct, but WEP in-game is close to historic top-speeds for P-40E models.

[Simba]

"The Singapore B339Es went up against Ki27s and Ki43s mostly. Did OK against the Nates, but struggled badly with the Oscars, particularly because there were so many of them."

I spent nearly four years in Singapore during two accompanied drafts with my father; 1959-61 and 1964-65. During the latter tour we lived at Sembawang, just up the road from the site of the old RAF airfield where the Buffaloes were based. There was nothing left to indicate they'd ever been there, but Dad was keen on history and he and I spent quite some time on the island and up-country in Malaya searching for wartime relics. I must've sat in at least half-a-dozen jungle aircraft wrecks (got a real blast of deja vu when I saw Spielberg's Empire of the Sun) but I can't remember which types they were other than they were all single-engined and at least two were Japanese. Wish I still had Dad's photos of them, but he died in Singapore in 1965 and Mother left them behind when we were quickly returned to the UK after the funeral. That started an interest in the war in SE Asia that I've maintained ever since.

For those interested in the story of the air fighting over Singapore, I thoroughly recommend two books: Buffaloes Over Singapore by Brian Cull, with Paul Sortehaug and Brian Haselden; 2003, Grub Street, London, ISBN 1 904010 32 6; and Hurricanes Over Singapore by Brian Cull with Paul Sortehaug; 2004, Grub Street, London, ISBN 1 904010 80 6. Both books also cover the fighting over the Netherlands East Indies.

     

[Nemisis]

You imply it should not have WEP, that it should be slower.

Whether or not it should have a WEP toggle, when USING this setting, it is fairly close to historical performances. It reaches a bit over 350mph with WEP, historically matches the F's top speed of 352mph. The Es historically did 362mph. If anything it's too slow, even using the in-game WEP.

So those saying it shouldn't have wep are really saying it should run at WEP full-time (like the P-40B and Yak-9 in-game do now), but still make the same performance. I don't know which is historically correct, but WEP in-game is close to historic top-speeds for P-40E models.

And to support krusty, as I said before: if you find an error in flight modeling, or weaponry, or preformance, then get info to prove that it really is an error, and not just you being poorly informed.

[Stiglr]

Well, just playing Devil's advocate...

What if you're familiar with a certain plane, enough to know that it doesn't have WEP, therefore in game you never try to use that command? Is it your fault the game can't get the modeling correct so that the aircraft performs properly not only on a max performance level, but on a systems level as well? Needing to  use WEP that a plane didn't have to get it to hit historical performance figures... I'd call that an error. In fact, being informed on type would be a disadvantage in this case, wouldn't it?

Taking this dodge a step further, are we to assume that an early Hurricane would have ability to use maneuver flap settings in game, when it only had full UP or DOWN flaps; even if the overall stall speeds for the plane turn out to be right on, doesn't the game plane get advantage from using maneuver flaps it didn't have?

Sounds to me like you're simply providing excuses for poor modeling and lack of attention to detail.

[Motherland]

Taking this dodge a step further, are we to assume that an early Hurricane would have ability to use maneuver flap settings in game, when it only had full UP or DOWN flaps; even if the overall stall speeds for the plane turn out to be right on, doesn't the game plane get advantage from using maneuver flaps it didn't have?

I'm not sure if you think it is like this or you're just using it as an example, however the Hurricane and Spitfire do have two position flaps in game.

[Ack-Ack]

Taking this dodge a step further, are we to assume that an early Hurricane would have ability to use maneuver flap settings in game, when it only had full UP or DOWN flaps; even if the overall stall speeds for the plane turn out to be right on, doesn't the game plane get advantage from using maneuver flaps it didn't have?

Sounds to me like you're simply providing excuses for poor modeling and lack of attention to detail.

If you had played this game at any time, you would know that the Hurricane is modeled with only 2 flap settings, up or down.  Honestly, you're just looking like an bellybutton commenting about a game you've never played.

ack-ack

[Nemisis]

look kid, just go back to playing your air warrior. Oh yeah, thats right... YOU CAN'T  !!!!! At least go back to your war birds, just leave us alone.

[phatzo]

now its getting real funny

[Stiglr]

If you had played this game at any time, you would know that the Hurricane is modeled with only 2 flap settings, up or down.  Honestly, you're just looking like an bellybutton commenting about a game you've never played.

ack-ack

Well, the question is still apropos, when you relate the earlier story of how P-40 WEP DOESN'T work as it ought to... yet somehow, the plane still hits its historical numbers. It was also rhetorical: I didn't ever say the hurri in AH had one or the other type of flaps; I wondered aloud how it was handled.

But, yes, you are right that I don't play the game. Had enough of it when it was new to know it wasn't for me.

[rabbidrabbit]

ack-ack is right.

[Stiglr]

Simba wrote:

For those interested in the story of the air fighting over Singapore, I thoroughly recommend two books: Buffaloes Over Singapore  by Brian Cull, with Paul Sortehaug and Brian Haselden; 2003, Grub Street, London, ISBN 1 904010 32 6; and Hurricanes Over Singapore by Brian Cull with Paul Sortehaug; 2004, Grub Street, London, ISBN 1 904010 80 6. Both books also cover the fighting over the Netherlands East Indies.

And let's not forget the 3-part Bloody Shambles series by Cristopher Shores, along with Brian Cull, et. al. Those provide a great education on the entire DEI, theatre, as well as the CBI.

[Ack-Ack]

look kid, just go back to playing your air warrior. Oh yeah, thats right... YOU CAN'T  !!!!! At least go back to your war birds, just leave us alone.

Don't be taking knocks on Air Warrior...it was the game that started it all and where a great deal of us first cut our teeth on playing online flight sims, including HiTech and Pyro.  If it wasn't for Air Warrior, there probably wouldn't have been Warbirds and Aces High let alone that piece of crap TW with the craptastic flight and damage model.


ack-ack

[5PointOh]

you forgot TW's 6 players...just saying.