Author Topic: What Colonel Gabreski said about the P40 (Read 943 times)

beet1e · « **on:** May 03, 2002, 01:48:39 AM »

I had the pleasure of meeting Colonel F Gabreski about two years ago at the WB 2000 con in North Carolina. I bought his autobiography, and he signed it for me. What a nice gentleman he was. He gave us an address which lasted about 30 minutes, in which he described his WW2 service in the P47.

He also talked about some other planes. Of the P40, he said "You know, that wasn't much of a plane", gently shaking his head.

If that were the case, then the P40 was certainly well modelled in WB. What a piece of crap. I flew one only because the rolling plane set (RPS) offered a very limited choice in the early war. It was P40 or Spit1a, replete with peashooters. (Couple that with iENs crappy connections, and you might as well stay in bed)

I wonder if the AH P40 will be any better. Probably, as most of the planes are better in AH than they were in WB. But I fail to be inspired by the current wave of excitement about the P40.

MrRiplEy[H] · « **Reply #1 on:** May 03, 2002, 02:41:31 AM »

beet1e often it's not about how 'good' a plane is..

It's about flying a simulated piece of history as a challenge, and feel of accomplishment after you succeed in beating several later model aircraft in one.

C202 is extremely nice if you can find 1:1 fights. It beats most spits, n1k's etc.. But the fight takes long so you need to make sure there are no more enemies around to bounce you.

marcof · « **Reply #2 on:** May 03, 2002, 02:45:08 AM »

The excitement regarding the P40 I think is due to the fact that our american cousins see it as their spitfire!, it was a great A/C for them in the early days and was very well advertised in their media at the time (news reals & movie films, hell I think John Wayne flew one in some yanky film!!).

The fact that it doesnt add up to much compaired with European & Jap models of the time, doesnt seem to stop their love for that A/C.

Marcof 249 RAF.

Durr · « **Reply #3 on:** May 03, 2002, 05:01:18 AM »

marcof I think thats a reasonably fair assessment of the situation. I, like so many of the others here, have long been a big fan of the P-40, because of its history mostly. It also looks cool, and it isnt a bad fighter. Its mediocre at best compared with the Mustang and Jug, but was certainly far from being a bad airplane. The P-51B should outperform it in every parameter, but many of us will still fly it because we have always loved this plane. Besides, it should yield great perks when you kill stuff in it.

Hristo · « **Reply #4 on:** May 03, 2002, 05:58:12 AM »

AFAIK, it dives very good and retains fantastic control authority in those dives. Kinda rolled like 190 when fast in WB.

A good RPS and scenario plane.

aztec · « **Reply #5 on:** May 03, 2002, 06:08:02 AM »

It's all well and good if ya don't like the P40 beet1e, but why piss in our corn flakes if we do.

Ripsnort · « **Reply #6 on:** May 03, 2002, 08:42:56 AM »

Dogmeat in the MA, as Hristos said, it'll hold its own in the Scenarios, except when up against 109's and 190's

Daff · « **Reply #7 on:** May 03, 2002, 08:44:33 AM »

Actually, the P-40B was one of the better allied early war planes in WB, due to the 2 x .50s cals.

Daff

Don · « **Reply #8 on:** May 03, 2002, 09:03:02 AM »

I flew the P-40 in AW, and it wasn't much of a plane (it's porked modelling stages not included). It was properly modelled there though: it climbed like a dog; dive was excellent; had 6 fifties with relatively short ammo load, turned okay but not well compared to zero, 109 etc.

Historically, it was one of the few planes we had that could get off the ground and fight reasonably well.
The F4F was much the same way; it was all the US had at the time, and well trained pilots to get the most out of it.
By comparison, later planes were much better designed and manufactured. Gabreski was correct; it wasn't much of a plane.
And the Brits thought it sucked also.

fdiron · « **Reply #9 on:** May 03, 2002, 09:29:18 AM »

The P40 was good for one pass only. Imagine this, your flying a P40 in a flight of 4 P40s. You spot Japanese A6Ms ahead of you. You go full throttle and close on the A6Ms. You line one up in your sights and open fire. Debris and smoke come off the Zero as your rounds impact it, but it does not go down. Oppps, better luck next mission, as the P40's only option now is to run away.

Udie · « **Reply #10 on:** May 03, 2002, 09:58:52 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by fdiron
The P40 was good for one pass only. Imagine this, your flying a P40 in a flight of 4 P40s. You spot Japanese A6Ms ahead of you. You go full throttle and close on the A6Ms. You line one up in your sights and open fire. Debris and smoke come off the Zero as your rounds impact it, but it does not go down. Oppps, better luck next mission, as the P40's only option now is to run away.

nah, you can always extend, climb and repeat....

Hortlund · « **Reply #11 on:** May 03, 2002, 10:01:21 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by fdiron
The P40 was good for one pass only. Imagine this, your flying a P40 in a flight of 4 P40s. You spot Japanese A6Ms ahead of you. You go full throttle and close on the A6Ms. You line one up in your sights and open fire. Debris and smoke come off the Zero as your rounds impact it, but it does not go down. Oppps, better luck next mission, as the P40's only option now is to run away.

OR you can do a hard flat turn and try to get on that zero's 6 again...

(I said try)

fdiron · « **Reply #12 on:** May 03, 2002, 10:02:07 AM »

I'm talking about the real P40 Udie. I've never read about P40s making a 2nd pass and comming out the victors.

Pongo · « **Reply #13 on:** May 03, 2002, 10:16:34 AM »

It looks very cool...
It had distinctive characteristics..and demonstrates the progression of what became the AMERICAN ethos of fighter design.

It was in the right place at the right time to help save the world.
Why would we not be excited about flying it..especialy those of us who never tried it in WB or AW and against its historical enemies that are in the game or soon will be.

Wotan · « **Reply #14 on:** May 03, 2002, 10:33:00 AM »

i am pretty sure it wil be a pos even against a a6m2.

Im the last ct tour vrs p51bs i was like 9 and 1. The only thing a p51 could do was just leave all together. Any hi speed pass was easy enough to avoid. Aftr a few of those they woud get bored and try to push for a kill and the would screw up and die.

wotan has 9 kills and has been killed 1 time in the A6M5b against the P-51B.

the 1 time I died was from ack

wotan has 12 kills and has been killed 1 time in the A6M5b against the P-47D-11.

They will just make a half arsed pass then run and it should be easy enough to deal with.

I believe their best tacvtic will be same used by p51bs in the current ct pac setups.

Bore us to death.

but I am sure glad theres lots of dedicated p40 pilots