Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa ("Oscar")

[Tank-Ace]

No, but I've shot down multiple aircraft with the stuka in a single sortie  .

Granted the P-51 was being a handsomehunk, and the spit was being overly timid, I was still facing a well-flown Typhoon, and in a vastly inferior plane. Mostly came down to pilot skill.

The Ib would be a moderate threat, but still not of much concern if the Ki-43's diving characterisitcs are ANYTHING like the A6M's.

And is the Ki-43-1c an EW aircraft? If not, then its having 2 12.7mm's is irrelevent, as the MW role would be better filled by a Ki-43-II.

[Karnak]

All Ki-43-Is were early war.  The debate was if any two 12.7mm armed Ki-43-Is actually saw combat. The Ki-43-II is a mid-war aircraft, yes.

I believe the Ki-43 in a dive is a mixed bag.  I don't think it gets stiff like the A6M, but I do think it is significantly more prone to structural failures than the A6M.  It was much too lightly built.

[Tank-Ace]

So dive is probably about equaly poor, but for different reasons. It all adds up to one more kill-mark painted on my 109.

And if its possible the -Ic never saw combat, the 2 12.7mm version shouldn't be mentioned untill you find evidence that it saw combat. Simple as that.

[Krusty]

Several IJA experts say the main armament was mixed, always. It was changed at a basic staging/depot level even if constructed in the factory with both 7mms or both 12mms. Thus a Ki-43-I in Aces High should have that loadout.

For the -I, that is. For the -II it is quite possible flaws with the 12.7mm were worked out and it carried 2 of them together... That I can't say either way.

[ink]

So dive is probably about equaly poor, but for different reasons. It all adds up to one more kill-mark painted on my 109.

And if its possible the -Ic never saw combat, the 2 12.7mm version shouldn't be mentioned untill you find evidence that it saw combat. Simple as that.

the plane is not what you should be thinking about, the pilot is who you fight, to think that they will be an "easy kill" is not good.

tell ya what ill take a 84 you take ANY ride you think will make it an "easy kill" for you,  and we will fight.....we will call it an experiment...is it the plane or the stick......what ya say? up for the challenge?

[Krusty]

It's not just the plane. It's not just the pilot. It's equal parts both and they both will dictate the end results. (IMO the Ki-84 is one of the best fighters in the game, so against most planes it's going to have a definite advantage).

While I don't necessarily agree with Tank's assessment of "another kill mark" I wanted to add my 2c on the above comment.

[B4Buster]

I voted for it. Don't tell Dan 

[ink]

It's not just the plane. It's not just the pilot. It's equal parts both and they both will dictate the end results. (IMO the Ki-84 is one of the best fighters in the game, so against most planes it's going to have a definite advantage).

While I don't necessarily agree with Tank's assessment of "another kill mark" I wanted to add my 2c on the above comment.

I don't think its equal parts at all....more like 70-30   pilot/plane.  I only said ki84 because that's my ride of choice and I don't care what plane he takes, he will die.

hell ok lets drop the 84...ill take a hurri-2C.....he can take ANY plane....Hurri is far from one of the best planes....the end results will be the same, if you think because that plane or any plane is "easy" then your thinking is misplaced, the plane can do NOTHING with out the pilot....it is the Pilot you fight, I do think you need a working knowledge of all the planes abilities, but many sticks can push a plane well beyond its abilities.

when I was flying the Hurri exclusively you know how many times I heard " A hurri cant do that"  many many times....

a P40 in the hands of an expert P40 stick, will give any one a fight no matter what plane they are in if the situation is equal to start.

same goes for EVERY plane in the hanger.

[Krusty]

he will die.

I would agree there, and only there. We've had many discussions on these forums, and to say it's mostly pilot is (IMO) more arrogance  -- not meaning you, meaning the notion of it. You put a great pilot in a poor plane and the pilot cannot make it turn any tighter, nor fly any faster, nor dive any better before the wings rip off. He cannot make the flaps pop out any quicker no make the bullets punch harder or fly straighter. My own description I like to use is the plane multiplies a pilot's skill... Low pilot skill can be multiplied by an "easy" or "forgiving" plane, but good pilot skill can be reduced by a "hard" or "bad" plane. This is only of course when comparing 2 differing sets of pilot/plane

On the Tank issue I agree, this is all just academic.

[titanic3]

I can't imagine a top notch pilot flying a D3A1 and surviving against an La-7 or a Spit-16. Even if it was flown by a noob, I think a noob is smart enough to know when to point their nose the other way, then come back until he lands a lucky shot.

[PFactorDave]

Second round of the poll is up in game.  Ki43 has been eliminated.  We're going to get stuck with the Meteor if people with sense don't get behind one of the other planes.

[Karnak]

I can't imagine a top notch pilot flying a D3A1 and surviving against an La-7 or a Spit-16. Even if it was flown by a noob, I think a noob is smart enough to know when to point their nose the other way, then come back until he lands a lucky shot.

Noobs can surprise you.  Many times they will turn with the D3A until it kills them, thinking their super fighter will pull around on the bomber any moment now.

[ink]

I would agree there, and only there. We've had many discussions on these forums, and to say it's mostly pilot is (IMO) more arrogance  -- not meaning you, meaning the notion of it. You put a great pilot in a poor plane and the pilot cannot make it turn any tighter, nor fly any faster, nor dive any better before the wings rip off. He cannot make the flaps pop out any quicker no make the bullets punch harder or fly straighter. My own description I like to use is the plane multiplies a pilot's skill... Low pilot skill can be multiplied by an "easy" or "forgiving" plane, but good pilot skill can be reduced by a "hard" or "bad" plane. This is only of course when comparing 2 differing sets of pilot/plane

....

I dont know man, it seems easy to figure out, the plane can do nothing with out the pilot....plain and simple..You agree on this?   ..the plane is a tool.....do you agree on this?

if you agree on both of those questions then you have to agree its more pilot then plane.

the way people talk about the spit 16 or any of the spits or LA....the plane will go out and get kills with no input from the stick...which is absurd....the plane will just auger....hence it needs a stick to apply inputs to make it fly, a plane can only do so much like you say and of course I agree with this, but many sticks can make a plane do stuff that others cannot....this is fact...take mOOt in a 152...I have first hand witness of him on the deck out maneuvering zeros and Hurris, NOT BnZing them to death but low in the weeds out Maneuvering them, notice I did not say out "turning them"  

I can't imagine a top notch pilot flying a D3A1 and surviving against an La-7 or a Spit-16. Even if it was flown by a noob, I think a noob is smart enough to know when to point their nose the other way, then come back until he lands a lucky shot.

I would put my money on the Vet in a D3A any day over a noob in a 16/LA/uber ride....actually that would be an easy win for the vet.   I am talking about the situation being equal at the start of the engagement.
  the vet will win in any plane match up. when I say vet I am not talking about just some guy who has been flying for 10 years, I am talking about someone who is a great stick,who has pushed himself to be the best he can be, who has an understanding and ability to use ACM in all situations, who has his timing down pat.....

now I know I am not UBER but I know I will give the UBER guys a fight and have even won a few fights against those guys, I don't know how long you have been flying or HOW you fly, this is above all the most important aspect....HOW you fly.

I will take you up on that fight...me in a D3A(which I DO NOT fly)....you in a spit 16 or LA or whatever....meet at 7k see how long it will take for you to kill me.

a perfect example-I recently went and dueled with someone who thinks he is good, even said he wins all the 1vs1 he has...we fought around 10 times and not once did he kill me, even though He had in his mind the better merge.("in his mind" being the key words)...yet each and every time he lost....why is that? at one point I even gave him my high 6 with at least a 2k advantage...still he died.....in all the plane match ups he chose....


ACM and timing and being a good shot will trump a good plane every time. which translates into it is the Pilot who you fight NOT the plane.

obviously The better pilot at ACM and Timing would do better in a UBER ride, it just gives him more options .....same as a smart carpenter will use a nail gun instead of a hammer....

[Tyrannis]

Second round of the poll is up in game.  Ki43 has been eliminated.  We're going to get stuck with the Meteor if people with sense don't get behind one of the other planes.

>implying people who vote for the meteor donthave sense.

[titanic3]

I believe that all of us has the potential to become great pilots. Thing is, some don't play enough to get good enough, some are quick learners and some requires more training than usual.

When I first started in AH (4-5 years ago), I just knew the basics, like an Immelman, a loop, turn, and a scissor, having come from Jane's WW2 Fighters.
Back when H2H was still available, I met some great guys who taught me all there was to know. I remember two, Denholm, and one guy I just can't remember his name, but he was an excellent P-38 pilot. Ran his own server with MA settings.

I'm naturally a fast learner, so after a year or so, I was able to match up with these guys, even killed them every now and then.
But I also met guys who *seemed* like they just can't fly beyond the noob phase. A couple of guys and myself helped them, and although it took a while, they finally broke out of their bad habits and were great.

Noobs who fly poorly needs to be outflown in the most embarrassing way possible, just so they can learn from their mistakes. Now of course, don't rub it in their face, but don't tell them it was a "great" fight either, because it wasn't. You gotta teach them step by step, and sooner or later, they'll learn.