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General Forums => Wishlist => Topic started by: Guymed on April 02, 2010, 06:27:31 PM

Title: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Guymed on April 02, 2010, 06:27:31 PM
The A-36 is a redesigned P-51 as some of you people know. It was meant to fly the dive bombing role.

Here's is why it should be included in the game.

*It had a significant service record throughout Italy and the CBI (China-Burma-India) theaters.
*It featured a model with 20mm Hispano autocannons.
*It had an air-to-air record of 80-something kills, pretty large for a dive bomber.
*They were stable and quiet.
*It has a significant squadron record, and was great in coordination.

Now, here are some reasons why it shouldn't be in the game.

*HTC would have to make another plane model, even though the P-51 is very similar.
*It has a bad engine disadvantage when flying at high altitudes.
*When fighting faster and higher flying fighters, they suffered losses due to the disadvantage above.
*The P-51 is already in the game, and can fulfill the same role at much more ease. (Though, having the A-36 still poses and larger historical experience, which is another reason to add it to the game)

Excuse my use of the term "game", it's more of a sim...

Now for the specs.

Crew: 1
Length: 32 Feet, 3 Inches
Wingspan: 37 Feet
Powerplant: 1× Allison V-1710-87 Water-cooled V12 Piston at 1,325 hp
Max Speed: 365MPH
Range: 550 Miles
Ceiling: 25,000 Feet

Sources: Wikipedia, My Head

~Guymed-
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: AWwrgwy on April 02, 2010, 07:33:04 PM
Didn't have canunz.


 :banana:


wrongway
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Guppy35 on April 02, 2010, 07:44:04 PM
LOL enough to make ya weep sometimes with the sneak the 4 cannon Mustang in crowd.

In terms of historical significance, the RAF and USAAF Allison Mustangs with the MG armament were far more significant.  A36 would be part of that crowd.

4 cannons way way down the list in terms of history.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Ack-Ack on April 02, 2010, 07:55:33 PM
Please, someone post a picture of an A-36 with 20mm cannons.  The first person that can post one from an operational squadron will win a date with Mensa.  Somehow, I think Mensa is going to end up dateless.


ack-ack
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Plazus on April 02, 2010, 08:56:30 PM
Yikes. Time to get mensa signed up for EHarmony.com.  :neener:
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Guymed on April 03, 2010, 06:51:15 PM
Maybe I was wrong about the 20 mills but the aircraft itself would be a good addition to the game. So far the only designated American dive bombers in the game are the A-20 and SBD-5, I want to see more.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Karnak on April 03, 2010, 09:45:22 PM
Maybe I was wrong about the 20 mills but the aircraft itself would be a good addition to the game. So far the only designated American dive bombers in the game are the A-20 and SBD-5, I want to see more.
You realize the Germans and Japanese have one each, so the Americans are not exactly underrepresented.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Ack-Ack on April 03, 2010, 10:32:38 PM
Maybe I was wrong about the 20 mills but the aircraft itself would be a good addition to the game. So far the only designated American dive bombers in the game are the A-20 and SBD-5, I want to see more.

The only real dive bomber the US has is the SBD-5.  The A-20G was an attack/intruder aircraft and not a dive bomber.  Besides, the US plane set includes planes like the P-47, P-38 and P-51B/D which were all very good in the dive bombing role.  Hell, most of the US fighters in the plane set were excellent dive bombers.


ack-ack
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: SlapShot on April 04, 2010, 09:00:54 AM
The only real dive bomber the US has is the SBD-5.  The A-20G was an attack/intruder aircraft and not a dive bomber.  Besides, the US plane set includes planes like the P-47, P-38 and P-51B/D which were all very good in the dive bombing role.  Hell, most of the US fighters in the plane set were excellent dive bombers.


ack-ack

F6F and the F4U are no slouch when dive bombing too.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Chalenge on April 04, 2010, 02:11:14 PM
Guymed: These guys are scared to death of the A36. It will never be in the game for that reason alone. It doesnt matter that it was the best dive-bombing American plane of the war... they fear it. It would 'own.'

The cannon P-51/Mustang 1A could not carry bombs but they are even more frightened of it.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Karnak on April 04, 2010, 02:24:44 PM
Guymed: These guys are scared to death of the A36. It will never be in the game for that reason alone. It doesnt matter that it was the best dive-bombing American plane of the war... they fear it. It would 'own.'

The cannon P-51/Mustang 1A could not carry bombs but they are even more frightened of it.
In your dreams.  The P-51 is an easy kill for a Mossie in most cases.  I am pretty sure it shouldn't be, so if I were you I'd be asking them to look at the P-51's flight model rather than trying to get 20mm cannons on your airplane because the .50s aren't good enough for you.

The reason we don't support your lies about the quad 20mm P-51 is because we want aircraft added that actually played a significant part in the war before footnotes get added.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Guymed on April 04, 2010, 03:49:09 PM
Guymed: These guys are scared to death of the A36. It will never be in the game for that reason alone. It doesnt matter that it was the best dive-bombing American plane of the war... they fear it. It would 'own.'

The cannon P-51/Mustang 1A could not carry bombs but they are even more frightened of it.
*sarcasm* So, basically, the addition of aircraft is based on whether or not high-ranking players think it owns them or not? *sarcasm*
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Chalenge on April 04, 2010, 06:56:18 PM
Now your catching on. Note the same fanbois always respond in the negative? Its fear.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Krusty on April 04, 2010, 08:39:30 PM
Now your catching on. Note the same fanbois always respond in the negative? Its fear.

Guymed: You seem new. Ignore challenge. He's making sarcastic comments and you're taking them seriously.

Please use the SEARCH function in this forum and search for similar threads to this. You will see it has been requested and discussed many many MANY times over many years, and you may find a lot of interesting info and opinions.


P.S. HTC does read these forums and does take suggestions and implement them. They just don't always reply and don't do it "just because" -- they think and decide for themselves if it's worthy or interesting. As for planes requests, I think they've got their own list. Doesn't hurt to make a suggestion, but chances are in the 10 years this game has been running most everything has already been requested at one point or another.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Guppy35 on April 04, 2010, 08:43:48 PM
Now your catching on. Note the same fanbois always respond in the negative? Its fear.

LOL you tell em Challenge!

Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: lyric1 on April 04, 2010, 09:08:39 PM
Please, someone post a picture of an A-36 with 20mm cannons.  The first person that can post one from an operational squadron will win a date with Mensa.  Somehow, I think Mensa is going to end up dateless.


ack-ack
As you requested & why stop at 1 picture.
You can keep Mensa for your self though.



111Th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron.




(http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/stofp51.jpg)

(http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/92_1_b.jpg)

(http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/p8a.jpg)

(http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/a36.jpg)

(http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/DeanGilmore_c.jpg)

Not an A-36 technically but a RAF MK1A is in the ball park a colour picture no less as well. Possibly a 168 squadron or 225 squadron not quite sure.


(http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/febc0bcfb2c18d4b7020449e1fa1320b.jpg)
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Krusty on April 04, 2010, 09:14:23 PM
As you requested & why stop at 1 picture.

Sorry, those are not A-36s. A-36s never had cannons. Those are Mustang Mk.Is that the USAAF took from an RAF order.

The A-36 had subtle differences, even though it was the same general design. These included air brakes for dive bombing. The Mustang Mk.Is with cannons were used by the USAAF but if one is requestion an "A-36" for inclusion into this game, the A-36 never had cannons.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: lyric1 on April 04, 2010, 09:17:11 PM
Sorry, those are not A-36s. A-36s never had cannons. Those are Mustang Mk.Is that the USAAF took from an RAF order.

The A-36 had subtle differences, even though it was the same general design. These included air brakes for dive bombing. The Mustang Mk.Is with cannons were used by the USAAF but if one is requestion an "A-36" for inclusion into this game, the A-36 never had cannons.
Can only go by what the web sites say.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.michael-reimer.com/CFS2/CFS2_Profiles/MTO_Allies_12_USAAF-Dateien/North%25252520American%25252520A-36A%25252520APACHE_400x150_002.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.michael-reimer.com/CFS2/CFS2_Profiles/MTO_Allies_12_USAAF.html&usg=__eBI2Y66fVG2IxZmTWsQuBjkF0xw=&h=150&w=400&sz=41&hl=en&start=36&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=xIxMQjCrLlGXNM:&tbnh=47&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Da36%2Bapache%2Bwith%2B20%2Bmm%2Bguns%26start%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1T4GGLL_enUS358US358%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Krusty on April 04, 2010, 09:20:14 PM
I don't know the specifics but it is very likely they served with mixed units, being "generally" a A-36 unit with similar Mustang Mk.I's thrown in.

Later you also found P-51Bs flying alongside P-51Ds well into the closing days of the war.

2 separate craft.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: lyric1 on April 04, 2010, 09:28:00 PM
I don't know the specifics but it is very likely they served with mixed units, being "generally" a A-36 unit with similar Mustang Mk.I's thrown in.

Later you also found P-51Bs flying alongside P-51Ds well into the closing days of the war.

2 separate craft.
So in summery based off the web site do you agree that the A-36 did see combat?
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Krusty on April 04, 2010, 09:29:28 PM
That's not in question. He was asking to see a 4x20mm armed A-36 because there were none. In other words he knew there were none to show. The A-36 only ever had 50cals.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: lyric1 on April 04, 2010, 09:32:01 PM
That's not in question. He was asking to see a 4x20mm armed A-36 because there were none. In other words he knew there were none to show. The A-36 only ever had 50cals.
  So the quote over the picture is wrong about it being an A-36?
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Karnak on April 04, 2010, 09:33:04 PM
  So the quote over the picture is wrong about it being an A-36?
Yes.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: lyric1 on April 04, 2010, 09:40:22 PM
Yes.
Well just another reason I guess to careful about what is on the internet I guess.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Chalenge on April 04, 2010, 11:50:50 PM
They are also NOT Mustang Mk Is they are Mk IAs. 168 and 225 squadrons both used Mustang 1As with 168 Squadron retrieving their 'loaners' from 225 just prior to D-Day so they could be at full strength and provide constant photo updates.

Mustang Is were the first Tac/R photo types to serve the RAF but as you can tell in their history the Mustang IA was the 'defining type' for which they drew so much pride. In flying this mission description it should be obvious that losses will occur at a higher than usual rate. The British did what they could by providing a 'weaver' to cover the photo plane but that usually meant the loss of the weaver plane even if he could help the mission plane escape (in the event of being bounced).

The A36 was a seperate airplane designed to fit a mission role that Kindelberger foresaw long before the USAAF did. At the time there was a quite an argument over the role of fighters being pure fighter or multi-role. Multi-role was seen as more of an infantry/cavalry support role by the traditional army corps and as bomber escort and attack roles by the more modern thinkers. To look back today and say the A36 was this or lacked that is not giving it the fair chance it deserves. For the time and in the role it was designed for the A36 was deadly accurate and a marvel of engineering.

The RAF only received one A36 for evaluation.

Some of you are also under the impression that the P-51/Mustang IA was heavier than the P-51A/B/C/D but that is not true. The P-51A and the P-51/Mustang IA were (I would say) identical. If you can provide verifiable manufacturers data stating otherwise I might accept it but the only figures I have seen are of the P-51 with a combat load and the P-51A as empty (no comparison). The cannon version then would be 800 lbs lighter than the B/C and 1250 lbs lighter than the D model in their empty states. That also means the B/C/D would be much heavier in combat trim.

Give me a P-51 and then come on down in the weeds and lets play!  :aok
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Krusty on April 05, 2010, 12:12:13 AM
That's a very far stretch, challenge...

Very far.

The P-51 showed so much promise that the Army couldn't pass up on it. Only problem is the politics at the time meant they were allowed only close support/attack craft (politics, budget, or both). So they asked for a Mustang in ground configuration.

Not only was it unecessary, it was not "decidedly accurate and a marvel of engineering" -- no more so than, say, an SBD dropping a bomb, or a stuka, or a P-51D with bombs, or a P-40E with bombs, or a P-47 with bombs. Compared to the fighter-specific role of the RAF mustangs, there's a very good chance the "ground attack" version (A-36) had additional armor plating for its role, as well as the additional weight of the mechanisms to deploy the speed brakes. That's not counting the structural strengthening to add durability in dive pullouts, the ability to carry outboard wing bombs (which the RAF mustangs did not have as far as I recall seeing).

Might as well suggest the 190F8 was no different from the 190A8. Specific roles have specific requirements and have their own "baggage" inherrent with the design/production requirements. Fw-187 Falke was a very powerful plane for its time, great plane that could have turned the tide early in the war, but once loaded down with extra weight, a rear gunner, and "designed" for the zerstorer role, it was lackluster. You can't just say the Mustang and the A-36 were the same. Doesn't work that way. Close? Maybe, sure. Same? No.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Steve on April 05, 2010, 01:30:50 AM
In your dreams.  The P-51 is an easy kill for a Mossie in most cases.


 :huh
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Chalenge on April 05, 2010, 03:57:03 AM
That's a very far stretch, challenge...

Sorry Krusty but as usual your understanding of the sequence of events leading up to the acceptance of the Pony is missing any resemblance to reality. The Army left the two 'evaluation' ponies sitting on an apron for two years before sending them to Pensacola for gun trials... and not to test the pony... it just so happened that the gun trial revealed the pony was an 'engineering marvel.'

Steve... remember that 'in most cases' noobs are flying the pony.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Karnak on April 05, 2010, 04:19:29 AM

 :huh
Sadly, it is so in AH.  I don't think the Mossie should be able to out turn them like it does in AH.  I don't think it is that the Mossie turns too well, I think the P-51 might be performing too poorly in sustained turns.  The P-51 has two things over the Mossie in AH, speed and roll rate.  The Mossie has acceleration/climb, turning and fire power.  A good P-51 pilot will win, speed being what it is, of course but an average or poor pilot just gets the E bled out of their P-51 and then it dies or they realize they are losing their E and then they "extend" a sector or two.

Of the top fighters in AH, I never have qualms about engaging a P-51.  It isn't that I never lose, but I always feel like I have the better fighter.
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Ack-Ack on April 05, 2010, 12:39:15 PM

The A36 was a seperate airplane designed to fit a mission role that Kindelberger foresaw long before the USAAF did. At the time there was a quite an argument over the role of fighters being pure fighter or multi-role. Multi-role was seen as more of an infantry/cavalry support role by the traditional army corps and as bomber escort and attack roles by the more modern thinkers. To look back today and say the A36 was this or lacked that is not giving it the fair chance it deserves. For the time and in the role it was designed for the A36 was deadly accurate and a marvel of engineering.

The sole reason for the A-36 being produced was not because of some 'vision' that Howard Kindelberger had, but rather to get enough funds to keep the P-51 in production.  There were no funds for new fighter contracts for the 1942 fiscal year but there were funds for attack aircraft, so General Echols ordered modifications to the P-51 to turn it into a dive bomber. 


Quote
Some of you are also under the impression that the P-51/Mustang IA was heavier than the P-51A/B/C/D but that is not true. The P-51A and the P-51/Mustang IA were (I would say) identical. If you can provide verifiable manufacturers data stating otherwise I might accept it but the only figures I have seen are of the P-51 with a combat load and the P-51A as empty (no comparison). The cannon version then would be 800 lbs lighter than the B/C and 1250 lbs lighter than the D model in their empty states. That also means the B/C/D would be much heavier in combat trim.

I really don't recall anyone mentioning the weight other than you to deflect having to show any proof that the first production fighter Mustangs (P-51A) the USAAF received came with 20mm cannons like you claimed.  So far you haven't shown that proof at all, just like with the Iwo Mustangs.

ack-ack
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: AWwrgwy on April 05, 2010, 08:57:20 PM
Now your catching on. Note the same fanbois always respond in the negative? Its fear.

I think maybe you don't understand the meaning of "sarcasm".

 :eek:


wrongway
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Chalenge on April 06, 2010, 02:18:03 AM
I think you are a little blind to the obvious as well.  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: AWwrgwy on April 06, 2010, 01:57:59 PM
I think you are a little blind to the obvious as well.  :rolleyes:

Must be the fear that's blinding me.

 :neener:


wrongway
sarcasm
Title: Re: North American A-36 Apache
Post by: Ack-Ack on April 06, 2010, 03:12:31 PM
Must be the fear that's blinding me.

 :neener:


wrongway
sarcasm

If you notice in any of the threads Chalenge partakes in, as soon as he's been shown to be completely and utterly incorrect on something, he'll resort to his little attacks like the last couple of posts.  It's a clear sign of a beaten and broken man.


ack-ack