Somethings that don't surprise me, but certainly will surprise others.
P-39D-1 vs A6M2
P-39D climbed to 15,000 feet faster than the Zero 21.
P-39D accelerated much faster than the Zero 21.
P-39D had a much faster roll rate than the Zero 21 from 100 mph on up.
P-39D was 70-90 mph faster in a dive than the Zero 21.
All in all, the P-39D easily out-performed the A6M2 in every category but low-speed maneuverability and range. Yet, today you would think the P-39D was an absolute pig. It wasn't. It also proved very formidable against the Luftwaffe at altitudes below 15,000 feet. It's turn rate was very similar to the later P-63A King Cobra, meaning it was far more maneuverable than the P-51, even slightly better than the F6F. Within the American inventory of WW2 fighters, only the F4F/FM series was more agile than the Airacobra. What hurt the P-39 was its single-speed, single-stage supercharger that limited adequate performance to below 15k. Above that, performance fell off sharply as you went up. Both the Japanese and Germans were aware of the P-39's performance woes up high and they used tactics to take advantage of that. However, down on the deck, the Airacobra was a very dangerous foe. Especially the later models with more power and better guns.
For example, the P-39N was rated for 399 mph at 9,700 feet. How does that compare to late war fighters? Pretty good. It's faster than the La-7 (391 mph) at that altitude! Speed on the deck was very good as well. Where the P-39D could pull only 305 mph (and 368 mph at 12k), the P-39N could exceed 339 mph, 348 mph in WEP. Climb rate was good, if not spectacular. The P-39D needed 5.7 minutes to get to 15k, but the P-39N/Q could get there in 3.8 minutes, which is slightly better than the P-51D. Acceleration was also very good. In fact, it was better than the F4U-4, P-47D-30, and markedly better than the F6F-5. Just so you know, the later P-39s were powered by 1,420 hp Allisons, not the 1,100 hp engines fitted to the P-39D. The later models were also about 200 lbs lighter as well.
Most P-39N/Qs were shipped to the Soviets, but several USAAF fighter squadrons based in Italy flew them, as did the Italians and Free French. When USAAF units switched over to the P-47 near the end of the war, most pilots were unhappy to exchange their P-39s, which quite frankly, was a much better fighter at the altitudes where they spent most of their time. The P-47, however, could haul better than 3 times the weight of under-wing ordnance.
So, while the early P-39D was a better performer than the A6M2 Zero below 15k, likewise, the P-39N/Q series was reasonably competitive with later war fighters at low to medium altitudes.
Wouldn't it be a hoot to have a late model P-39 in Aces High?
So, are you surprised?
My regards,
Widewing
