I know this 'crusade' between pro-Luftwaffe and Anti-Luftwaffe has been going on more than I can imagine, and as a 3rd man, who (thankfully) lacks any kind of anger or frustration towards any of you people(the sort which might cloud any kind of judgement perhaps?), I think I can comment on this one pretty objectively..
I think every little part of what people have commented upon the C-Hog easily sums up and resonates into the conclusion that the C-Hog has turned into a VERY popular plane, and I don't think anyone can doubt that.
I must say this:
The F4U-1C has two kinds of strengths.. one is absolute and material strength which might be represented as figures and numbers, and the other is a immaterial, circumstantial, tactical strength, which cannot be presented in any kind of figures or charts.. but can be read and analyzed by looking at the current 'facts' and 'trends' of AH MA.
I think being out turned, out climbed, out accelerated by many planes in abolute figures doesn't have to necessarily mean that the F4U-1C is therefore, in aspect a 'non-whinable normal plane', sirs.
I think the C-Hog is a very circumstantial plane which despite its weak points, the overall circumstances of AH MA has molded up and multiplied its strong points.
It is out turned by many planes. But under the Carrier based Airfield raid conditions, do you really need to turn that much? Or require a good turning ability?
It is out climbed by many planes. But under same conditions the majority of battles in MA is performed, do you really need to climb that much? Up to say, 20k?
It is out accelerated by many planes. But as with the situations I have stated above, base raids are either "VULCH" or "RUN". You don't need to worry about accelration much when you have 7~8 more guys than defenders. You don't have to worry about just about anything when you are vulching.. If you are on the run, the Hog is a fast plane. Just dive a little and head straight back to CV and the odds are, base defense planes (majority being Spits) won't catch you.
The thing is, under MA circumstances, most of the times the C-Hog is NEVER in a condition where you might have to worry about its weak points. But on the other hand, it's speed, it's roll rate, it's sturdiness and ordanance load out, the fact that it's a carrier-based plane, the power of the guns, it's multi-role capability, plus maybe 600lbs less weight than usuall.. All it's strengths have summed up into just more than a normal 'total'.
It's weaknesses, I think, don't mean ANYTHING since we are not fighting in an environment it's weaknesses would present themselves naturally..
I mean if we are to meet a squad of C-Hogs fighting a squad of G-10s at 22K, the relative slow speed, bad rate of climb would kick into factor. If C-Hogs were to meet a band of Spitfires at co-alt the good turns, fast dive capabilities, good zooming, good climb of Spitfires might give the Hogs a hard time. If C-Hogs were to meet La-7s co alt at about 10K, faster speed and accelerations would drive C-hogs nuts..
But we don't have many of those situations.. and so, we don't get many chance to see the weaknesses of F4U-1C ever meaning anything. F4U-1C doesn't need to turn, doesn't need to climb, doesn't need to accelerate like other planes, at least not while MA is like this.
Some people ask for 'material facts' to a question which cannot be answered that way, and I don't think that is right.
Asking for material facts against the contempt spread over the LW population concerning the Hispano cannons would be appropriate. But denying the reality which cannot be translated into material facts is also wrong. After all, no one still has answered the question: "WHY IS THE F4U-1C IS SO MUCH POPULAR?"
It can not be answered with one word like "cannon", but neither can the question be pushed away and ignored with the same ol' same ol' "There's nothing wrong with it" or "WHINE AGAIN! YOU WHINERS".
