Fighter-Bomber climb rates and time to target test results

[Karnak]

scJazz,

I quickly did a crude test yeasterday with the Bf110G-2 and Mosquito.

The Bf110G-2 with the external gun pack* carries 1150 20mm rounds and 255 30mm rounds.  After strafing two hangers down it had 351 20mm rounds left.

*Taking the external gun pack does not allow the 500kg bombs to be taken.

The Mosquito Mk VI carries an overload of 700 20mm rounds.  After strafing one hanger down it had 51 rounds left.



In my rankings I included my estimate of gun damag potential.  It is the only reason the N1K2-J made it into the list.  However, I also put it well below bomb and rocket damage in importantance due to the danger of applying gun damage in contested airspace.  Bombs and rockets can be applied in one fast pass, but guns require multiple passes that bleed away the energy gained from diving.  Gun passes are thus more likely to get you killed.  That, and durability, are why the N1K2-J is at the bottom of the list.

[scJazz]

Originally posted by Karnak
scJazz,

I quickly did a crude test yeasterday with the Bf110G-2 and Mosquito.

The Bf110G-2 with the external gun pack* carries 1150 20mm rounds and 255 30mm rounds.  After strafing two hangers down it had 351 20mm rounds left.

*Taking the external gun pack does not allow the 500kg bombs to be taken.


The Mosquito Mk VI carries an overload of 700 20mm rounds.  After strafing one hanger down it had 51 rounds left.

Totally consistent with the info I have 110G2's guns have in the area of 7000lbs of damage potential. The Mossie's Hispanos have a potential of around 2800lbs.

Hangers require 2731.2lbs by values given.

In my rankings I included my estimate of gun damag potential.  It is the only reason the N1K2-J made it into the list.  However, I also put it well below bomb and rocket damage in importantance due to the danger of applying gun damage in contested airspace.  Bombs and rockets can be applied in one fast pass, but guns require multiple passes that bleed away the energy gained from diving.  Gun passes are thus more likely to get you killed.  That, and durability, are why the N1K2-J is at the bottom of the list.

I totally agree with the statements regarding droppable ord vs straffing runs. It is more dangerous, more likely to miss, and more time consuming to straff a target. The reason for my looking into the subject at all is related to how many JABOs would be needed for blasting an HQ or how many JABOs are required for torching the town. The thoughts here are mostly about the NOE sneak attack which has a great probability of allowing the pilot(s) to unload ORD to suppress AAA and setup the targets followed by gun passes that finish it off.

[F4UDOA]

Karnak,

I haven't had time to look at the internal load of the Mossie or what is external so I won't comment further about the speed until I do.

However the climb of the Mossie is better with ordinance than is listed in the clean climbing condition. I was aware of the fuel load being very heavy in the Mossie so I did some quick adding just to check.

Mossie
Full loaded weight 100% fuel 22,221LBS
Minus 50%(1629lbs) fuel= 20,592LBS
Plus 2 500lbs bombs and 8 rockets approx 2,100lbs= 22692LBS

So the Mossie is heavier with the ordinance even with 50% fuel. Why it climbs so well is a mystery to me.

As far as twin engine a/c climbing better than single engine a/c with bombs. This makes no sense to me. If it was a better climber then it would be so without bombs as well. Climbing has much more to do with power loading than anything else.

[Karnak]

F4UDOA,

To the best of my knowledge the 22,221lb weight includes 2,000lbs of bombs as that is often listed as its maximum weight.  

The Mossie VI's empty weight is 14,300lbs.  14,300 + 3,258 + 2,000 = 19,558.  How much would the armament add?

What is the power loading of a laden F4U-1C?

The Mosquito FB.Mk VI Series 2 should have a power loading of 1hp per 6.8lbs while fully laden.

[mos]

I think you're all missing the point here, and that is:






everyone should be in the P-38.