Your favourite ride - and why?

[DmonSlyr]

No one has mentioned the C205...

Hmm maybe this tour I'll attempt dominate the skies in that beast. 

[Softail]

I like the M8....get her up to 60 and launch off the cliff.....she'll fly.

[FBKampfer]

No one has mentioned the C205...

Hmm maybe this tour I'll attempt dominate the skies in that beast. 

Oh but we have. We've determined that the C.2's are the Ferraris of the AH world. No matter how old, fat, and despicable you are as a person, flying one automatically makes you the envy of everyone within icon range.

[DmonSlyr]

Oh but we have. We've determined that the C.2's are the Ferraris of the AH world. No matter how old, fat, and despicable you are as a person, flying one automatically makes you the envy of everyone within icon range.

The plane doesn't have a lot a credit. IMO, it is one of the most balanced planes in terms of handling. It is a ki61 to a spitfire as a C205 is to a P51. It isnt quite "there". It can't out turn much unless you really know how to turn, and even still you can't out turn the real turners. I found out during FSO that it simply won't climb higher than american planes in terms of total attitude. I'd say it is one of the most difficult planes to learn in aceshigh and it takes a major understanding of the plane and AH to be successful in it. In 9 years of AH I've never seen anyone claim it as their plane.

[Oldman731]

The plane doesn't have a lot a credit. IMO, it is one of the most balanced planes in terms of handling. It is a ki61 to a spitfire as a C205 is to a P51. It isnt quite "there". It can't out turn much unless you really know how to turn, and even still you can't out turn the real turners. I found out during FSO that it simply won't climb higher than american planes in terms of total attitude. I'd say it is one of the most difficult planes to learn in aceshigh and it takes a major understanding of the plane and AH to be successful in it. In 9 years of AH I've never seen anyone claim it as their plane.

That's because it is a pig.

- oldman

[mbailey]

That's because it is a pig.

- oldman

Well that escalated quickly   

[DmonSlyr]

That's because it is a pig.

- oldman

Well that escalated quickly   

Haha, well it essentially is. It does everything moderately average. It's dive speed and guns are the best asset to the plane. The only real way to fly it is much like a timid P51 you see flying around. You have to very good at predicting moves and setups, which is why you have have to understand the game and how planes fly in AH in order to be successful in it. Not to mention the birdcage views you get. But it is a great challenge for experienced players to say the least.

[caldera]

Haha, well it essentially is. It does everything moderately average. It's dive speed and guns are the best asset to the plane. The only real way to fly it is much like a timid P51 you see flying around. You have to very good at predicting moves and setups, which is why you have have to understand the game and how planes fly in AH in order to be successful in it. Not to mention the birdcage views you get. But it is a great challenge for experienced players to say the least.

You are underselling the 205 a bit.  It is best used for BnZ attacks but it does have some roll rate agility and a strong climb rate.  A nice bomber interceptor/base defender.  It can't turn with Spits, but neither can most of the plane set.


Film of a C.205 vs Spit IX fight:

http://www38.zippyshare.com/v/v793RUK2/file.html

The 205 doesn't seem like a pig in this one.

[DmonSlyr]

I'm not even sure which download to click on and I surely do not want a virus but I am giving it just enough credit, but it really doesn't deserve that much, here is why:

1. If pilot A is a really great pilot vs Pilot B who doesn't have the same grasp, and Pilot A in a c205 may win the fight vs a spit.
2. If pilot A is a really great pilot vs Pilot B who doesn't have the same grasp, and Pilot A is flying a spit, Pilot A will crush pilot B regardless of the plane.
3. If pilot A is a good stick vs Pilot B who is also a good stick, and pilot A is flying the C205 vs pilot B in the spit, the spit will crush pilot A.

Even a C205 pilot who is a very good stick, The C205, no matter how hard you try, vs another good stick in a p38, ki84, 109, Spit, or any other plane that can out turns those, will simply not perform better. on top of all that, in FSO you cant even get the alt advantage over American planes which puts it at a big disadvantage. This would be one of the last planes I would as a base defense.

[caldera]

I'm not even sure which download to click on and I surely do not want a virus but I am giving it just enough credit, but it really doesn't deserve that much, here is why:

1. If pilot A is a really great pilot vs Pilot B who doesn't have the same grasp, and Pilot A in a c205 may win the fight vs a spit.
2. If pilot A is a really great pilot vs Pilot B who doesn't have the same grasp, and Pilot A is flying a spit, Pilot A will crush pilot B regardless of the plane.
3. If pilot A is a good stick vs Pilot B who is also a good stick, and pilot A is flying the C205 vs pilot B in the spit, the spit will crush pilot A.

Even a C205 pilot who is a very good stick, The C205, no matter how hard you try, vs another good stick in a p38, ki84, 109, Spit, or any other plane that can out turns those, will simply not perform better. on top of all that, in FSO you cant even get the alt advantage over American planes which puts it at a big disadvantage. This would be one of the last planes I would as a base defense.

As for the film, your #3 scenario probably fits it best, except for nobody getting "crushed".  You could plug any number of planes into those scenarios in place of the 205 and come out with similar results.  The Spit is much better but that doesn't make the 205 a turd, when so many other planes are outclassed by the Spit as well.

From Soda's AH aircraft evaluation synopsis: The C.205 really is quite a reasonable plane and I don't think it gets even a portion of the credit that it is due. In the hands of a reasonable pilot a C.205 can make life very difficult for most opponents.   Nothing there about needing to be a great pilot.

For the calendar year 2014:

Spit IX  K/D+1  1.01  (27,910/27,438)

C.205  K/D+1  1.13  (16,359/14,467)

Seems like a more survivable option than the Spit.  And from personal experience I have had a good deal of success using the 205 for base defense.  And by base defense, I don't mean upping into a crowd of vulchers.

[Big Rat]

I understand DmonSlyr's point on the 205.  You really have to have your plan laid out to use it effectively, it's one of those planes that once you get it into a bad situation it's sometimes very difficult to get it out of it.  Unlike some planes that are very good in one category such as a K4, or a A6M, which can use this to their advantage to get themselves out of trouble.  The 205 on the defensive doesn't have any super strong options unless it's got some alt to dive away from something that can't dive with it.  Offensively it's a strong performer with a great gun package.  The key is to keep it on the attack.

As for the original idea of this thread the F4U-1A is my primarily favorite ride (nobody knew that though, right).  It's versatility in both being on the offensive and defensive is great.  It's offensive ability in high dive speed, good top speed, good gun package, make it a formidable foe.  Defensively it's ability to reverse attackers, I think is far above average with it's high roll rate and extremely effective rudder and flaps.  It's main drawbacks being acceleration and climb.  Improve on these two aspects and you have the 4 hog which most consider the best prop plane in the game.

The 109G2 comes in my second spot, as I think it's the best rounded of the 109 series personally.

The A20 comes in 3rd, as it's simply fun to horse that big bird around and take on fighters that didn't realize what and whom they took on until it's too late.

 
BigRat

[Butcher]

Once got #1 rank in fighters for a tour and the majority of the kills were in a C.205 while P-38J came close second.

It was a gem to fly for a few tours; I actually learned to out fight mustangs, and at 15k it runs smooth at 400mph with a great climb rate.

[DmonSlyr]

I said it was a very balanced plane. It fly's very smooth and does feel very stable, however, once you lose the BnZ advantage, the plane will not perform as well as many of the others. It just won't. It doesn't roll or climb like a 190 due to stall speed, it doesn't out turn a P51 or a yak or 109, yet each of these planes will catch it. As bagrat said, once the plane is caught, it is disastrous to fight in, which makes it a fun challenge and all difficult to fly. The stall rate/and mediocre speed alone is what makes it very difficult to fly and be successful in.
It really doesn't desearve that much credit. In the overall scheme of things, it is not that effective of a plane.


BTW Bagrat, the Ahog is also one of my favorites in the game. It really does well in both the attack and defense, and if you can get in and out of the furball to regain alt, you can be very effective in it. I do enjoy turning it to the fullest extent. It really does outclass most planes.

[Oldman731]

I said it was a very balanced plane. It fly's very smooth and does feel very stable, however, once you lose the BnZ advantage, the plane will not perform as well as many of the others. It just won't.

So, in light of my previous comment, I thought to myself, "Oldman, why don't you get into one of those 205s and fly it for awhile?  It's been some time since you formed your opinion."  Took it up in Midwar.  Flew it against a variety of planes, mostly piloted by younger folks.  I confess that it is not a Poland China hog, but it is still a pig compared to its sibling the 202.

Now the 202...

I met a lady in the meades,
Full beautiful, a fairy's child;
Her hair was long, her foot was light,
And her eyes were wild.

Oldman (channeling Keats)

[Big Rat]

ummm DmonSlyr..., it's BigRat 

 
BigRat