f7f

[mitchk]

http://www.warbirdalley.com/f7f.htm


Look at the spesifications and tell me if you want it in AH, or if you are in the addministration tell us if we can or can't have it.
 

[DFunited]

looks good to me! Wouldnt mind the B24 either

[JAWS2003]

Is a nice bird, but it didn't see combat in WW2. I wouldn't like it in a WW2 game. There are so many planes  that where produced by the thousands and are not in AH.

[RTR]

Nope, doesn't belong in AH.
RTR

[Angus]

It would belong in a "What if 1946" scenario. Aces over The Pacific had an add-on like that, - quite much fun really. But I doubt that AH would be incorporating that in near future

[ra]

For twin engined monsters, the DeHaviland Hornet might be a better choice.

[bockko]

the part about not seeing action before VJ day disqualifies it. but i like it, built the model when i was kid

[Widewing]

Originally posted by Angus
It would belong in a "What if 1946" scenario. Aces over The Pacific had an add-on like that, - quite much fun really. But I doubt that AH would be incorporating that in near future

F7F-2N Nightfighters were flying combat sorties in the PTO just prior to VJ day. Any fighter operational, in squadron service, deployed to a war zone should qualify. By the term "squadron service", I mean in fully equipped, fully trained units. That would include the F7F, F8F and P-51H. Although I agree that these are low on the priority list with many other aircraft being needed first to fill out the plane set.

My regards,

Widewing

[LJbomber]

Id really like to see a craft like the C.a.c boomerag make the cut the gun set up might have to be altred however

[SELECTOR]

if it had 1 day combat then it could be considered for the game..as it didnt have any combat its not a WWII plane, simple..


i would like to see b24 and beaufighter... any one else?

[Nilsen]

yup, id like the baufighter

[Widewing]

Originally posted by SELECTOR
if it had 1 day combat then it could be considered for the game..as it didnt have any combat its not a WWII plane, simple..


i would like to see b24 and beaufighter... any one else?

I tend to agree with your logic, and if we do follow it then the F7F-2N and P-51H qualify simply because both were flying combat sorties during the last week of the war. One squadron of P-51Hs flew two B-29 escort missions that were unopposed by Japanese fighters. These missions were selected specifically to allow the squadron to wring-out the new fighters without heavy opposition being likely (although the Mustang pilots hoped for some action).

(Since the P-80A Shooting Star was in squadron service (with the 29th, 31st and 445th Fighter Squadrons) well before the end of the war, some might argue that it qualifies as a WWII fighter. With a 558 mph max speed (on the deck), a climb rate of better than 4,500 fpm, it would likely overpower the Me 262 in the MA (the P-80A weighs less than the 262 and has slightly greater wing area too). Therefore, I would imagine a perk price of 250+ to fly one of these babies. Alas, snowballs have a better chance in hell than we do seeing the P-80A in AH.)

Marine VMF(N)-533 F7F-2Ns flew two local night patrols during the evening of on August 14-15, 1945 and like the P-51H squadrons, encountered no opposition. No enemy aircraft were operating near Okinawa and the primary purpose of the flights were give pilots some orientation time. However, the aircraft were armed and available to be vectored to any incoming bogies.

Should these aircraft ever be added to the plane set (highly unlikely), they would require large perk prices to offset their very high performance. Indeed, the F7F-1 out-performs the Tempest in every catagory. Low-speed turning was viewed as being only slightly inferior the the F6F-5! Speed was an outstanding 445 mph @ 22,000 ft, and a scorching 397 mph on the deck! Wing loading was a bit less than the P-51D, both with 50% gas aboard. Armed with four 20mm cannon (Hispano type) AND four Browning .50 caliber MGs, it would be the most lethal aircraft in the plane set.

My regards,

Widewing

[HoHun]

Hi Widewing,

>(Since the P-80A Shooting Star was in squadron service (with the 29th, 31st and 445th Fighter Squadrons) well before the end of the war, some might argue that it qualifies as a WWII fighter.

From "Fighter Pilot's Heaven" by Donald S. Lopez:

"After a great deal of testing and modifying, there were four P-80s overseas - two in England and two in Italy - in 1945, but a tragic accident involving one of them cause them to be grounded. Maj. Fred Borsodi, an experienced Wright Field test pilot, was demonstrating one of the 80s in England when, unknown to him, a fire started in the engine compartment. The aft section of the airplane burned off, and he was killed."

(I think for most of 1945 and '46, the P-80 was either grounded or subject to serious restrictions, getting hardly any air time.)

Lopez was an Eglin Air Force Base test pilot who was tasked with the operational suitability trials of the P-80. His first flight in the P-80 was in February 1946.

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

[Widewing]

Originally posted by HoHun
Hi Widewing,

>(Since the P-80A Shooting Star was in squadron service (with the 29th, 31st and 445th Fighter Squadrons) well before the end of the war, some might argue that it qualifies as a WWII fighter.

From "Fighter Pilot's Heaven" by Donald S. Lopez:

"After a great deal of testing and modifying, there were four P-80s overseas - two in England and two in Italy - in 1945, but a tragic accident involving one of them cause them to be grounded. Maj. Fred Borsodi, an experienced Wright Field test pilot, was demonstrating one of the 80s in England when, unknown to him, a fire started in the engine compartment. The aft section of the airplane burned off, and he was killed."

(I think for most of 1945 and '46, the P-80 was either grounded or subject to serious restrictions, getting hardly any air time.)

Lopez was an Eglin Air Force Base test pilot who was tasked with the operational suitability trials of the P-80. His first flight in the P-80 was in February 1946.

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

Heya Henning

Those four Shooting Stars that went to the ETO were YP-80s, not production P-80As.

In December of 1944, a pair of YP-80s were handed over to the 31st FS for operational trials. They received 17 the first P-80As in the spring of '45. As early as June of 1946, the 38th FS of the 55th Fighter Group went operational with P-80As in Germany. I believe 12 squadrons were operating the P-80A by the end of 1946, with another dozen or so actually involved in transition.

Most of the bugs had been ironed out by early '46. Many of the operational squadrons were in Groups that retained the P-51 for the remaining squadrons, simply because time was needed to sort out the new fighters, as well as train pilots and ground crews. For specifics, I'll have to visit my book shelves.

After Germany and Japan surrendered, the breakneck pace of the P-80 program slowed considerably. It is always better to de-bug a fighter without the added stress of doing so during combat deployment. Had the war dragged on for another 6 months, P-80s would have been deployed despite not being fully wrung-out.
Much the same as the P-38 was, and to a lesser degree the Merlin Mustangs which suffered serious issues with cracked heads and leaking water jackets during its first several months of combat operations.

My regards,

Widewing

[Karnak]

Its not just the F7F that is eliminated by barely missing WWII.

As scary as Widewing makes the F7F out to be, the Hornet would be worse and it missed WWII by a similar margin, the first active squadron flying their Hornets over Berlin on VE day.

The F7F and Hornet would be too much for many.  Hell, the Meteor, which was clearly in service and seeing usage, is thought to be inappropriate my many players.