Quickest Plane to Modest Ord Delivery

[Slade]

Hello,

What single plane would be the fastest at getting 1,000 pounds of ord from base to a target?

Assuming of course that you want to drop the ord, so say 8-10k altitude required at destination.  I am assuming it will not be a bomber but let me know your findings please.


Thanks,

Slade 

[cobia38]

  ar 234

[Slade]

Cobia,

Does that include takeoff and climb to alt etc.?

BTW, good response.  Was not even thinking about that plane.  Sounds like fun.


Slade 

[Karnak]

Of the piston engined fighters I've tested the P-38L would do best for you, followed by the Mosquito Mk VI.  Spitfire Mk XVI might do better due to sheer climb rate, but in general twin engined aircraft handle ordnance better than single engined aircraft.  An extra 1,000 or 2,000lbs of bombs is a smaller increase in weight for a P-38 or Mossie and their ~3500hp is better able to absorb it than the 1500-2800hp of the single engined fighter-bombers.

EDIT:

For only 1000lbs the Mossie might win due to it all being internal, but that probably won't make enough difference to overcome the P-38's performance advantage.

[hotcoffe]

Of the piston engined fighters I've tested the P-38L would do best for you, followed by the Mosquito Mk VI.  Spitfire Mk XVI might do better due to sheer climb rate, but in general twin engined aircraft handle ordnance better than single engined aircraft.  An extra 1,000 or 2,000lbs of bombs is a smaller increase in weight for a P-38 or Mossie and their ~3500hp is better able to absorb it than the 1500-2800hp of the single engined fighter-bombers.

EDIT:

For only 1000lbs the Mossie might win due to it all being internal, but that probably won't make enough difference to overcome the P-38's performance advantage.

mossie (the attack version not the bomber) can carry max 4*500lbs, not 1000lbs

[Wmaker]

With "only" 1000lbs to carry, I would think the fastest jabo to get the bomb on target area at normal MA distances would be the Dora with it's 10min WEP.

[Lusche]

 ar 234

Given the required target altitude of 8-10k, I think that depends very much on the distance involved. The Arado is not a fast climber and takes room to get to alt.

I did a quick & dirty test - Ozkansas A137 field to A138 town, a distance of about 30 miles, just over one sector - rather typical for MA distances.

P-38L, 100% fuel, 2x1k+rockets (=3560lbs of damage) straight to the enemy base, no WEP usage: 10k reached after 5:20, enemy dar circle after 6:35, over town at 8:37
Arado, 100% fuel, 3x500kg (=3300lbs of damage) straight to the enemy base: Enemy dar circle reached after 05:43 but only at 6k. Leveling off at that point, reached town at 07:44 but still only 6k and not particularly fast.
Alternate Arado mission profile. Staying on the deck after takeoff and intending to zoom climb near the target. Dar circle was entered at 04:42 on the deck but only had reached at 400mph at that point. Zooming up only got the Arado up to about 4k. Much less efficient profile.

So in this scenario, the Arado would have to fly a indirect route to allow reaching the required target altitude. The P-38L is quicker to target and of course much more useful in combat after dropping the ords.
The Arado wins at long distance targets.

[Karnak]

mossie (the attack version not the bomber) can carry max 4*500lbs, not 1000lbs

He wasn't asking about max, he was asking about 1,000lbs.  If you just take two 500lb bombs in the bay you have a clean airframe and 1,000lbs of bombs.

Likewise, the P-38L can opt to just take two 500lb bombs.

[Wmaker]

Of the piston engined fighters I've tested the P-38L would do best for you, followed by the Mosquito Mk VI.  Spitfire Mk XVI might do better due to sheer climb rate, but in general twin engined aircraft handle ordnance better than single engined aircraft.  An extra 1,000 or 2,000lbs of bombs is a smaller increase in weight for a P-38 or Mossie and their ~3500hp is better able to absorb it than the 1500-2800hp of the single engined fighter-bombers.

Just did a quick test on the initial climb rate and P-38 with 75% fuel and 1x1000lbs had roughly ~300fpm on a Dora (100% fuel, 1x500kg) with both on WEP. So P-38 seems to get to the altitude slightly faster, Dora can use its WEP more liberally though.

[Tank-Ace]

Just did a quick test on the initial climb rate and P-38 with 75% fuel and 1x1000lbs had roughly ~300fpm on a Dora (100% fuel, 1x500kg) with both on WEP. So P-38 seems to get to the altitude slightly faster, Dora can use its WEP more liberally though.

I think this is very range-dependent.

If we're talking a short hop to the other base, the D9 is probably going to be the faster of the two, just due to the fact that it can run at WEP for the entire sortie.

[Karnak]

Depends.  If I intend to fight after delivering my bomb(s) I won't want to run WEP much at all on the trip out.  Sure, the D-9 could do WEP the whole way, but that would leave you with only 3-4 minutes of WEP left for fighting.

If you just want to bomb n'auger, well, that is a different matter.  One that I don't endorse.

[Wmaker]

nvm...

[gyrene81]

why no jugs? 

[Wiley]

why no jugs? 

Because their climb rate heavy is very much similar to that of an unpowered crow bar.

From what I've seen, if you want to get 1k there quickly with 10k alt, a P38 is probably about the best you can do.

Wiley.

[Randy1]

Two 500# bombs on a P47D40 climbs pretty descent on WEP.  Not A 38 but the 47 offers a faster and safer return trip.  If you want to get out after a ammo bunker run then 47 beats the 38.  A 51D beats them both on getting out.

A typhoon with rockets is a fun choice for a radar run.