The P51s speed and hi-speed agility give it several excellent qualities as a fighter. The ability to escape bad situations... the ability to out maneuver planes at high speed... and so on.
While these are excellent traits and lend themselves to high kill streaks, one serious flaw is being overlooked:
This plane simply sucks for defending your countrymates unless they are flying one too.
There were 4 of us defending a nothern base from continuous waves of attacks. The waves were expected since the base was well within enemy territory. The furballs were fast and furious with 109s, f4s, p47s, 190s, Spits, Typhoons, and a lone p51.
The enemy was primarily flying 109s, F4s and 190s. We were keeping pretty even on k/d (maybe a slight advantage to us)... but we were right at our base and able to re-plane to help other friendlies while the enemy had to take the time to get back to our base.
Eventually, an enemy P51 arrived and dove through the furball. A quick jink later and he was on his way out without landing a shot.. with one plane lazily chasing. That plane broke off as the P51 continued running. The P51 eventually came back (all other cons had been downed) and dove through again. I don't know if he got someone or not. I don't believe he did. He then climbed out of the fight as we all grabbed alt at the base.
As the next wave attacked, the same thing happened. By this time, we'd gained a distinct energy advantage and the enemy was too spread out to be effective. Yet the p51 continued swooping in and out... never being paid much attention.
We couldn't catch the plane. It out zoomed us every time. He got no kills and cleared zero pilots. He contributed nothing. He was a neusance at best. I wonder what his kill streak was at?
Planes that give you a high survivability rate usually do it by being able to keep you out of the fight. This is the p51's strength. Sometimes, however, you need to be in the middle of the fight to help out. This is the 51's weakness.
I'm sorry, but if I see a p51 try to turn in the middle of a furball.. I say "oh.. goodie
".
Its a decent ride, and can be quite a neusance. Its just that in order to be effect with it in the air... you are seldomely able to be effective with it in the war.
Some people manage to do things in this plane that go against the grain of this argument. Those are people that spend many hours playing this game and learning the neuances of the flight model... or have tons of time flying the 51 and have learned that one plane inside and out.
Uberness is not achieved by requiring a skilled pilot to be behind the stick. Uberness is a plane's ability to make even a bad pilot look good.
Also... going from a 190/109 to a p51 is not that great of a leap. I think its even less of a leap than most LW pilots are willing to admit... and its not always a leap up.
AKDejaVu
