Best Heavy Fighter

[earl1937]

  One type of aircraft we all fly almost everyday is the fighter with ords! Everybody has their favorite "ride", but begs the question, "Which is the best air to ground fighter in the Game"!
I have always found the 51D to be a stable gun platform, but not a lot of ords for GV killing, just enough to kill one hangar, 2 1,000lbers and 6 rockets. The D40 and "Nancy" jug carries a fair amount of ords and can stand its on in the right hands in a air to air fight.
The F4U series of aircraft also carry a fair amount of ords and can hold its own in a fight, but doesn't accelerate very good, about like the "jugs".
The 190's are good in fight, but doesn't carry much ords and is a little slow on the top end, all though the "Dora" does pretty good on the top end of the speed range of the fighters in this game.
I personally think that the fighter which can deliver a fair amount of ords and still be capable of winning a one on one fight with any fighter in the game should be the gauge which we use to arrive at the answer to the question, "The best air to ground attack fighter is_____________________"!

[Tank-Ace]

It really seems like you're just fishing for "'Murica!!!" answers. More specifically for the Corsair.

"Best air to ground" has nothing to do with air to air combat. Yet not only do you include air to air capabilities,  but 1v1 capabilities in your judgment.


But really, we'll arrive at the same conclusion as your other thread: a competition between the F4U-1C/D, the P-47, and the 190 A/F.

[GScholz]

Fw 190F-8

+ Fast enough to escape Spit16 and other turners.
+ Good guns for strafing.
+ Anti-tank rockets.
+ Good bomb load.
+ Heavy armor.
+ Small target.
- Can't turn well.

[earl1937]

Fw 190F-8

+ Fast enough to escape Spit16 and other turners.
+ Good guns for strafing.
+ Anti-tank rockets.
+ Good bomb load.
+ Heavy armor.
+ Small target.
- Can't turn well.

That is the kind of discussion that I think this thread should provide! I would guess from your answer that the F-8 is your favorite "ride"!

[earl1937]

It really seems like you're just fishing for "'Murica!!!" answers. More specifically for the Corsair.

"Best air to ground" has nothing to do with air to air combat. Yet not only do you include air to air capabilities,  but 1v1 capabilities in your judgment.


But really, we'll arrive at the same conclusion as your other thread: a competition between the F4U-1C/D, the P-47, and the 190 A/F.

Your missing the point of the post! WHICH aircraft, in your opinion is the best at air to ground and air to air combat! We all know some aircraft excel in one category or the other, but which in your opinion comes closest to meeting both categories!
The op concerns aircraft which are flown in this Aces High game sir!

[Scca]

 "The best air to ground attack fighter is.... the you do well in and will do the job you are asking it to do"!

Your question is like "which tire is best?"  Snow tires suck on a race track, slicks suck in the snow. 

[GScholz]

That is the kind of discussion that I think this thread should provide! I would guess from your answer that the F-8 is your favorite "ride"!

I don't do much air-mud except in scenarios. If I did the 190F would probably be my ride of choice, or perhaps the 110G; it has amazing air-mud option and can still fight pretty good in a furball. Corsair-D is also good, but the guns are lacking; cannons are preferable against ground ack since you only have to hit close to the guns to kill the crew. The .50 cal only gun pack is a drawback with most US fighters. Mossie would also be a good choice, perhaps better than the 110G...

[SmokinLoon]

Fw 190F-8

+ Fast enough to escape Spit16 and other turners.
+ Good guns for strafing.
+ Anti-tank rockets.
+ Good bomb load.
+ Heavy armor.
+ Small target.
- Can't turn well.

I'm not sure what flight sim you've been playing but in AH the Spitfire 16 can catch the 190A-8/F-8 in 95% of the scenarios.  Other than that, I agree.  The 190F-8 is a fun ride when it has the time to be able to do what it does best: hammer ground targets.  

The 'murica planes have the advantage in a lot of ways.  Mostly, a great many of them can carry a pair of 1000 lb bombs and that is truly "easy mode".  A few, like the P47 and P40N can carry 3/500 bombs, but are plagued by a seven year itch slow climb rate (ditto for the Stuka and 3/250kg bombs).  I really like the Mossi armed with 4/500 lb bombs for working gv's, it is fast, climbs very well, and the nose mounted quad 20mm's are lights out for any soft armored gv.  But, it is a large target for wirbys so pick your poison.

If you have cover, some aircraft off more than others.  If you want to be able to knife fight once the ords are gone then your choices are more limited.

In general, I suggest to NOT pick one and stay with it.  That robs you of all the different things AH has to offer.  There are a whole host of "heavy fighters" that can do a lot of things well and may serve a few specific roles "best", but there are too many tertiary issues to rest only on a few things (best guns, best speed, best weight, best bomb number, etc).  

[GScholz]

190F needs to stick to the deck to get away, and there is little room for mistakes. However the 190's WEP lasts twice as long as the Spit's, so if enough initial separation is achieved there is really nothing the Spit can do to catch up.

[-ammo-]

IMO, the P-47D hands down.

[Karnak]

Mossie, P-38L, P-47N or Fw190F-8.

I take the Mossie, but I can't ding guys who take other stuff.

Fast (357mph on the deck which is 12mph faster than the Spit XVI and Ki-84), four 500lb bombs, center mounted quad 20mm Hispano cannons, pretty tough (somewhat nullified by its size), climbs well with ordnance and long ranged.

[Mister Fork]

IMO, the P-47D hands down.

Yep. And so is the:
P-38L
+ ideal for initial bomber escort and then attack a secondary shorter range target
+ dual engines for reliability
+ decent turner
+ lots of rocket and bomb options.
+ good acceleration
- poor ground/underneath visibility
- fuel pig
- big target

CHOG
+ mean mo-fo with those Hispanos
+ decent turning machine
+ decent top speed and dive bombing capabilities
+ good weapons loadout
+ excellent strike fighter from a CV and then sticks around after dropping bombs
- fuel pig
- bigger target

P-51D
+ ideal for high altitude bomber escort for the entire trip or long range airfield strikes
+ excellent top end speed
+ excellent B&Z + turn fighter (except against other turn fighters)
+ good weapons options
+ fuel economy is top notch
+ excellent visibility
+ excellent dive bombing
+ small target
+ accelerates like a SOB in a dive and holds E well in a climb
- accelerates like a slug horizontal

F6F
+ excellent B&Z + turn fighter
+ good weapons options
+ excellent dive bombing
+ very durable
- big target
- rear visibility is poor
- fuel pig
- aerodynamics of a shoebox

Mossie
+ good long range bomber/attack platform
+ excellent against strike and run targets
+ fast in/out platform
+ good weapon options
+ decent fuel economy for it's size
+ best for the fast in - fast out strikes
- wood construction for some components
- really big target

[Wiley]

I prefer the P38L or the P47D40 or N for jabo.  The 38 climbs so well heavy it has more of a chance to get above the riffraff on the way to target.  For sheer payload though, the 47 with 2x1000, 1x500 and rockets, plus the ability to fight after it drops makes it a strong contender in my book.

The Corsairs are adequate, and the carrier capability can come in handy, but from a land base I'd much rather take one of the other two I mentioned.

Wiley.

[TGG93]

It would have to be the Mossie for me.

[Randy1]

IMO, the P-47D hands down.

I am going with Ammo on this one.  You can't beat the load out of the P47D40.  The D40 is solid fighter too boot.  

A very, very close second is the P38L.  Either bird suits me.  The 47D gets the slight edge with its extra 500 bomb and it is a bit more durable to ground fire albeit the 38 does have the spare engine.