A-20G: Dangerous dogfighter

[F4UDOA]

Widewing,

The weights and didn't go through and check myself. I just looked at the wing and power loading of the F4U in your initial post. The total weight of fuel in the F4U-1D is 237Gallons 1422LBS. The loaded weight is 100% at 12,175lbs and 11,464lbs with 50% fuel. Wing loading = 36.5 and power loading is 5.09. I didn't run down the others but they are close enough.

As far as a scissors goes I think it would work great against an A-20 especially at 300MPH to 400MPH.

At those speeds if I am in an F4U I can roll 45 degrees and pull max G and then reverse course in less time than it would take the A-20 to roll 45 degrees. The F4U also bleeds E in turns like mad so my first shot would be very long after the first scissor.

Would luv to try it in the DA

[Wolfala]

Originally posted by Widewing
Over the past month (covering portions of two tours) I have been flying the A-20G quite a bit as a fighter-bomber. I have enjoyed quite a few sorties where I engaged in combat with all kinds of fighters, from 18k, right down to the deck.

--

Personally I love the A20G: Next to the P-38L its the 1 aircraft i've flown that has taken a beating and kept me comming home.

As for history on it: It was designed with a secondary capability as being a night fighter - but since the P-61 was awarded the role, it was never utilized as such.

I have nothing but respect for A20 pilots.

Best,

The Wolf

[Widewing]

Originally posted by Gixer
It's best quality?? Like to see you pull that move off. Pretty sure I would take your wing off before you even made it to the turret. :-)


...-Gixer
~Hells Angels~

Gixer, I completely agree. Anyone flying the A-20 is better off forgetting that there is a dorsal turret and concentrate on out-flying the enemy.

The A-20 is all about careful energy management. Level  acceleration is relatively poor, so you need to conserve speed. On the other hand, dive acceleration is tremendous, so you need to carefully manage high-speeds or you risk tearing the airplane apart.

Fly the A-20 for a while and you will learn energy management and you will develop the feel needed to never again break a fighter by pulling too much G.

My regards,

Widewing

[BUG_EAF322]

Well on my last sorty with the A20 i got 7 kills of wich one was a gv

I was flying around a base and a 109 came up i had more e and smoked his engine. (while outclimbing the 109 dweeb) He just ignored the fact the A20 can be a *****.<<-- BIATCH whaaa
 
I got out of ammo at that point, than i got the victim on my tail raised the nose shift x and finished it of with the dorsal.

Better not forget u have one. He became kill 8 btw

I flew just a few sorties and i have a KD of 1/18 in it .

[Kommandant]

I was doing Base Capping on a VH, and my Squadmate with me was downed by an F4U, He diddn't even pay me mind because I was in an A20, while  he was goin into shoot my Squaddies chute, I let loose with my .50 Cals and ripped him to pieces. Guess he will learn next time, ne?

[Gixer]

Widewing,

Totally agree on your comments, only ever come across one A20 flown with E retention and he did put up a good fight until eventually bled all his E away and made for a easy kill. Think I was in a D Pony at the time.

A20 is like 110 and other single dorsal gun planes, waste of time trying to defend from that position and better off making a fight out of it.

Will try out the A20 sometime, see how it goes. Good post by the way.


...-Gixer
~Hells Angels~

Originally posted by Widewing
The A-20 is all about careful energy management. Level  acceleration is relatively poor, so you need to conserve speed. On the other hand, dive acceleration is tremendous, so you need to carefully manage high-speeds or you risk tearing the airplane apart.

Fly the A-20 for a while and you will learn energy management and you will develop the feel needed to never again break a fighter by pulling too much G.

My regards,

Widewing

[mora]

Gixer, that move is not hard to do at all. I'm using shift+x which is auto angle. I just gently pull vertical and engage auto angle and that's it. I've used it in other planes aswell.

[Westy]

" On the other hand, dive acceleration is tremendous, so you need to carefully manage high-speeds or you risk tearing the airplane apart."

 Yeah. I learned that one the hard way.  But I found that when I do a split-S in an A-20 (great manuever on lower enemies who never expect such a thing) it's best to chop throttle completelyBEFORE rolling over.  Even then a little prayer helps keep the empendages on!

[Zanth]

Originally posted by Widewing
I refer to the A-20G as the P-38's fat, ugly sister.

My regards,

Widewing

I had just told a squaddie this past weekend I found that the a20G was unexpectedly good training for the P-38.  I flew a20 quite a bit last tour and doing so seems to have vastly improved my P--38 this tour.

[Gixer]

Yes, an easy move but not very effective. Post is about the A20's maneuverability and retaining energy. Going into a auto climb neglects both of these qualities and relying on the dorsal gun opens you up for an easy kill.

Although, If the fighter has no balls and breaks away on seeing your tracers, you've still ended up in a worse position by blowing a good portion of your energy in the autoclimb and leaving you very vulnerable to the second pass.

Forget the dorsal gun exists and try merging with folks, they'll be suprised that they are being engaged aggressively by a buff and you'll probably suprise yourself at the same time with a few kills.



...-Gixer
~Hells Angels~

Originally posted by mora
Gixer, that move is not hard to do at all. I'm using shift+x which is auto angle. I just gently pull vertical and engage auto angle and that's it. I've used it in other planes aswell.

[Steve]

Mora I mean no offense, truly, but if you are having regular success w/ the maneuver you suggested, you are fortunate to run into inexperienced and/or unskilled sticks.
I'm not as experienced as many in here, having flown for just over a year, but if you somehow manage to last long enough to pull that move on me, I'll have your tail chewed off before you can get a round off at me from your turret. Now, I don't fly a cannon plane and have only a year's experience so I bet there are more than a few sticks who would make you pay for  a "move" like that.
WW is a clever pilot and he really used the a20 well but look at the moves his opponents try: almost textbook on how NOT to escape an aggressively flown A20.  I'm sure WW executed w/ precision as is his wont, but other than a friendly vulchee, one would have trouble finding more cooperative targets.

[mora]

I know it's not an effective manouver and it will blow your E, and that's why I only use it when everything else fails. Usually people just tend forget that this agreessively manouvering bomber has defensive weapons. A-20G is indeed quite effective as a fighter but it's biggest drawback IMHO is ineffective elevator.

[gatt]

During one of my last AH missions with my mighty C.205 I engaged in a high-speed dogfight (better: chase) with an A20 at medium altitude.

The pilot was very smart and kept the thing very fast with wide turns, slightly climbing or diving away. I tried to get close to him, our speed was always between 350 and 400mph+ TAS. After a couple of minutes I gave up. Its incredible how fast the thing is and how well is able to build up and retain Energy.

[LePaul]

A-20 (F-20?) is a great plane...load her up with 500s, thwack a few GVs or so and you are all cleaned up and ready to terrorize some some cons

I, too, found the rear gun pretty much useless...big tail in the way

[Hawklore]

The A-20 is indeed a nice plane to fly, I've been able to dogfight with a load of bombs, and still win, but who knows that coulda been a nOOb..