I can't agree with this. For people like me, at least, the K4 took awhile to learn how to handle the torque effect, the necessary rudder input, and the guns solution. That just isn't the case with the Spitfires, Zekes, Niks, Yak3s and La7s.
- oldman
Sure the K4 can be a clutch plane, assuming you are a veteran pilot - with crack gunnery. In the hands of a veteran pilot? Yeah the K4 can be a serious threat - so can the C.205 and P-38J in the hands of the right pilots.
You have to look at an average pilot - flew aces for more then a year, has the basics down - no they will not win every time in a 109K4 let alone hit the side of a barn.
There are some planes which you can escape in far better then others, a Spitfire 16 you have a TON of tools - climb rate, acceleration, turn radius - I rarely ever flew the Spit16, to me I could get into trouble and out with no problem at all, anything faster then me I could out turn, anything slower I could outrun or climb. the 109K4 always plagued me, I had one of the best K4 instructors in the game (two actually) and I really never got to interested in the K4 other then its pure speed and climb rate - the 30mm for some odd reason was just my biggest poison either I fired to early or late when snap shooting etc.
I stuck with the C.205, P-38J and Ki-84 for most of my flight time, none offer any real tools in the late war arena, I used situation awareness to really keep myself out of trouble - and my gunnery was above average so even on snapshots I would go for wings etc.
I agree on one thing - with an average pilot, they can survive longer in the "dweeb" rides, P-51, Dora9, La7 and spitfire - but overall it really depends their SA and skill - the majority won't last with a veteran pilot around in any given situation and against an inferior plane.
Surviving depends on many factors, most jsut jump for one kill then haul bellybutton to get back to alt where they believe its safe - unless someone bothered to climb up there to take them down. Its a false illusion in my eyes.