Best Heavy Fighter

[Karnak]

The PTO was largely a technical back-water, after all which heavy fighter
was the mount of the US's highest scoring aces?

It wasn't the F6F, & yet it turned out to be a dud in the ETO..

FYI, P-38 wasn't exactly a dud in the ETO.  It had problems operating at altitude but down lower it did just fine.

[J.A.W.]

Lets see now..
 P-38 was best performing at high altitude due to its turbo mills,
but due to lame Vne, couldn't cut it against the LW or P-51 up there..

So, like its fellow failed expensive high alt' turbo stable-mate P-47,
 it was then relegated to the tactical strike role..

But, due to being a big flak target & fragile, losses got so bad that it was
again relegated - to the medium bombing role..

& it wasn't too good at that either..

To sum up, in the ETO, the P-38 couldn't hack the pace.. a dud..

[GScholz]

I wouldn't call the P-38 a dud, but nor was it the "fork-tailed devil" of fame. I do agree with the PTO being a technological "back-water", just compare the capabilities of the 1942 aircraft in the PTO and ETO. People think of the start of the WWII air war as the Battle of Britain and Pearl Harbor. Most do not consider that these two battles are years apart, yet the aircraft that fought in the BoB compare favorably to those that fought over Pearl Harbor.






It's astounding that these aircraft are almost two years removed yet still would dominate their PTO adversaries.

[Karnak]

To be fair the two Pacific theater fighters were carrier aircraft which had historically performed worse that land based fighters.  The 109 and Spitfire would have been useless duds in the Pacific compared to the A6M and Wildcat due to range and carrier suitability.

[J.A.W.]

Well, in the ETO the RAF was keen to use the P-51,
 - even keeping the Allison engine variants in service 'til VE day.

But while accepting the P-47, they deemed it fit for service only against
the Japanese, to replace their ancient Hurricanes, & didn't want
P-38s at all.

If the RAF had organised an air defence of Singapore  - equivalent to that run by Park on Malta, then things might well have developed quite differently..

[GScholz]

Actually Karnak, those were the best American and Japanese fighters of that time. The IJA and USAAF fighters of that time were not better.

[J.A.W.]

& in`42 the ETO had the 109G/190A & Typhoon/Spitfire IX entering service..

[Karnak]

Just looking at it from a speed perspective the USAAF's P-39D and P-40C look more competitive:



Mind you, in an actual fight the A6M and F4F are probably superior.

[GScholz]

Remember Karnak, we're comparing 1940 ETO vs 1942 PTO. If we were were to compare 1942 ETO planes their superiority is just... staggering. In a "what if" Germany and UK in the PTO with carriers we could have had carrier versions of Fw 190As and advanced Seafires. Neither would have had the Zeke's tremendous range, but the Zeke would have been completely useless in combat against them.

[J.A.W.]

Note also that the Navy type-0 long range flight planning involved flying at very low air-speed/altitude, & that's fine over empty ocean, but it would not work
over Britain or France/Germany in `42..

[Saxman]

Remember Karnak, we're comparing 1940 ETO vs 1942 PTO. If we were were to compare 1942 ETO planes their superiority is just... staggering.

And then the Corsair arrives in the beginning of 1943,  and the capabilities of naval fighters catch up with land-based machines.

[J.A.W.]

Don't think so, the F4U could not match the P-47 performance at altitude,
& even the mighty jug got benched when the `51 swished in..

Could the F4U do the `51's bomber escort job up high?

Or -beat the Typhoon/Tempest on the deck?

Or the 190/109/Spitfire in A2A?

 Ah, No..

[Tank-Ace]

JAW, why do you hate the F4U? I mean I hate fighting them, since they're one of the more dangerous aircraft in the game, but I don't hate the plane.

[J.A.W.]

Don't hate the F4U, 'Ensign Eliminator' or no, just the hype..

 The Aces High distortion/manipulation..
 of actually validated performance is another thing..

[Tank-Ace]

Don't hate the F4U, 'Ensign Eliminator' or no, just the hype..

 The Aces High distortion/manipulation..
 of actually validated performance is another thing..

Yeah, but you're not going to convince anyone that their favorite plane isn't as good as they think it is. Its literally the same a dealing with another more specific, less annoying Schlowy.