Bong says the japs can't roll at 350mph

[Citabria]

Richard Bong wrote down his tactics for a 5th airforce survey to help fighter pilots. In his own words:
 

From the experience I have gained in individual combat in this theater against a number of different types of japanese fighters and bombers, these facts stand out.
Defense against the Jap fighters is resolved around the superior speed of our fighters. If you are jumped from above, dive to pick up an indicated airspeed of at least 350mph, then level out and start a shallow climb at high airspeed. Generally speaking, a Jap fighter will not follow you in a high speed dive, but occasionally one does and if such happens, a turn to the right for 90 degrees will throw the jap behind. the controls stiffen up to excess in high speed dives, and he cannot follow a sharp-diving turn. A turn into the jap is always effective because they have a healthy respect for the firepower of our planes. an indicated airspeed never less than 250mph in combat is good life insurance.

Offensive measures go according to the number of enemy but they are always hit-and-run because the jap can out-maneuver us about two to one. Any number of nips can be safely attacked from above. Dive on the group, pick a definite plane as your target, and concentrate on him. Pull up in a shallow highspeed climb and come back for another pass. Single enemy planes or small groups can be surprised from the rear and slightly below a large percentage of the time. He seems to be blind, or he does not look directly behind him enough to spot you, and your first pass should knock him down. Against bombers, it is quite safe to drive right up on the tail of any of them with two exceptions - the betty and the helen. these two planes have a 20mm cannon which cover a 30 degree arc to the rear, and a beam attack broken off before you reach this one is the best attack.

afaik a large number of his kills and escapes from enemy aircraft using these tactics were in p38s w/o hydraulic aileron boost.

[StSanta]

109's lock up.

Maybe those pesky N1K's and A6M's should too?

Wouldn't that make the N1K crowd instant F4UC converts?

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Von Santa
Staffelkapitän 9./JG 54 "Grünherz"
"If you return from a mission with a victory, but without your Rottenflieger, you have lost your battle."
- D. Hrabak, JG 54 "Grünherz"

[Karnak]

StSanta,
I suggest you try to roll a Zero past 350 or 400, or turn past 400 or 450.  It just can't do it.  

I do have a kill of a Spit IX that I got in a Zero going 450mph, but that was his fault for staying in front of my guns.

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We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother

Bring the Spitfire F.MkXIVc to Aces High!!!

Sisu
-Karnak

[AG Sachsenberg]

 

Bong says the japs can't roll at 350mph

I would like to see Bong roll his own at 350 mph. Man its like this guy is superman or something.  Japs can't roll, Germans can't inhale, will it ever stop?  

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[This message has been edited by AG Sachsenberg (edited 04-30-2001).]

[DRILL]

 

Originally posted by Karnak:
StSanta,
 
 but that was his fault for staying in front of my guns.  

 i see they got to be in front of you
   well why didnt ya say so  


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DRILL

[Jigster]

Actually if you'll go look for the US analysis of Kogo's Zero you'd see that is exactly what happened to the A6M2. It would only roll with the engine torque. Near complete aileron lockup over 250 mph.

The N1K2 uses same tail structure as the A6M5, with a taller vertical stabilizer and rudder, and a very simular wing structure, in dimensions and shape, the main difference being a different aileron set up, and a thicker cord towards the wing root to hold the auto-flaps.

[ra]

Speaking of roll rates, does anyone else find the Ta-152 to have surprisingly perky ailerons?

ra

[Jekyll]

"I was sure that I could easily bag the opposing fighter leader, so I left my wingmen and followed the Zeke down.  He violently twisted and turned as we screamed out of the heavens.  It was dogma that the Zeke's ailerons got unusually stiff at very high speeds, but I saw no evidence of that as the nimble fighter kept a step or two away from my gunsight pipper.  To the contrary, at my own high speed, my ailerons overbalanced and I needed to maintain a light but firm touch to avoid going into an uncontrollable wing roll".

Tom Blackburn in a F4U Corsair describing a fight with an A6M2? on November 11, 1943 at Guadalcanal.

P.S.  where is the aileron overbalance at 300mph + in the AH Corsairs?

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Jekyll
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"
Aces High Training Corps

[AKcurly]

AG Sachsenberg sez:

"I would like to see Bong roll his own at 350 mph. Man its like this guy is superman or something. Japs can't roll, Germans can't inhale, will it ever stop?"
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I don't understand.  The P38 rolls nicely at 350.  In fact, at 350, the 38 will probably roll with the F4U and maybe even the 190.  The N1K doesn't.  What's your point?

AKcurly

[Kweassa]

 I seem to recall P-38s used electric powered ailerons, thus very nice roll rate even under high speeds, which hydraulic ailerons were not so capable of.

 Is that true? Or was that the case of all US fighters?

[MiG Eater]

The P-38 had hydraulic power assisted ailerons starting with the L model.

MiG