F4U's protective head plate?

[curry1]

there are f9fs (freaking jets!) on the boat of coarse its after 1950

[SgtPappy]

The red stripe mentioned earlier was introduced in 1947 once the USAAF became the USAF. Easy way to tell post-war birds. In addition, WWII US planes did not have 'Army', 'Air Force' or 'Navy' slapped on the fuselages in WWII.

[Slade]

>> so it really SHOULD be removed from the F4U-4 mesh.

Dump it.  I'd fly the version of the F4U-4 without it if it was available.

Arguably there were more F4U-4's in WWII without them than F4U1-Cs.

[whiteman]

maybe because i fly the Hog all the time it really doesn't bother me at all, just a little SA and changing flight direction every once in awhile all should be great. I could see it being different if you fly in planes with bubble canopies all day, but not a huge problem. F6F on the other hand is a tough one, all ways help to have a good wingman or at least one thats paying attention while in a furball.

[texastc316]

Doesn't bother me much either, I fly the hogs a lot so I'm used to it. Like someone else mentioned, compare it to the Hellcat. You can't see near as well in hellcat

[Gooss]

It doesn't matter to me how well I can see to the rear.  By the time they're there, I'm in so much trouble it doesn't matter.

HONK!
Gooss

[mtnman]

maybe because i fly the Hog all the time it really doesn't bother me at all, just a little SA and changing flight direction every once in awhile all should be great. I could see it being different if you fly in planes with bubble canopies all day, but not a huge problem. F6F on the other hand is a tough one, all ways help to have a good wingman or at least one thats paying attention while in a furball.

I'd have to agree...

I fly the hog a bit here and there too, and the only time the rear-view canopy thing even comes to mind is when I read about it here on the boards.  It doesn't bother me in the least while in flight.  If I logged in right now, I'd have to make an effort to even think about it or remember this thread.  It just isn't a factor once you get used to it.

In order to check six effectively in any fighter you need to roll a bit.  Same applies to the hogs.

Actually, from a visual standpoint, I think hogs look kind of goofy without the plate.

[mtnman]

It doesn't matter to me how well I can see to the rear.  By the time they're there, I'm in so much trouble it doesn't matter.

HONK!
Gooss

You've got to cause enough trouble right off the bat that the other guy doesn't get a chance to cause you trouble.   

[Kazaa]

What about players who have TrackIR? Do these guys have to work a lot to see around the obstruction?

Thanks for all the information btw.

[Saxman]

You need to adjust your default head position, but I don't have much trouble.

[Simba]

An examination of photos of the F4Us that had it fitted shows that the 'hood' frame extension, armour or not, shouldn't intrude into the directly-up view to the extent it does in the AH Hawg-Nose. Rather banjaxes the view above and behind though.

 

[AWwrgwy]

An examination of photos of the F4Us that had it fitted shows that the 'hood' frame extension, armour or not, shouldn't intrude into the directly-up view to the extent it does in the AH Hawg-Nose. Rather banjaxes the view above and behind though.

 

You need to adjust your default head position, but I don't have much trouble.

And then it doesn't.


wrongway

[jollyFE]

(Image removed from quote.)

that helo looks like an R-5

[ImADot]

What about players who have TrackIR? Do these guys have to work a lot to see around the obstruction?

Nope

[Vinkman]

What about players who have TrackIR? Do these guys have to work a lot to see around the obstruction?

Thanks for all the information btw.

I have a track IR and it is a pain in the bellybutton to look around that plate. It forces you to set the gains for forward and up that are much higher than I would normally use in order to see around it without moving your head out of range of the IR tracker. This gain set up is not comfortable for most other planes so I have to monkey with it a lot when flying with the F4U. When you realise how far you have to move your head to see behind you in an F4U, it makes you wonder if many pilots would have flown with that plate in place. A good research topic indeed.