WWII Fighter Performance Comparisons

[Shuckins]

One of the perks of being a teacher is being able to order books for the library.  Recently acquired by our library was a copy of Francis Dean's "America's Hundred Thousand."  

You know, for "reference" purposes.  

Anyway, the weighty tome has seldom left my hands since it arrived.  Those of you who have a copy know that it is absolutely chock full of charts, graphs, facts, figures and other priceless information that makes life in our civilized society bearable.  So I thought I would draw up some charts of my own to summarize some of this data, and present it on the bulletin boards for discussion.

Unfortunately, a straight, across-the-board comparison of the various fighter aircraft is often difficult, because of scarcity of data on the various production models, graphs that are less than precise, and other reasons.  So, some extrapolations have had to be made, and I have tried to be as objective as possible.  I have tried to keep the charts as simple as possible, and yet give as much relevant information as possible.

By necessity, I had to narrow the number of aircraft to be compared down to five;  the F6F-3/5, the F4U-1D, the P-38L, the P-51D, and the P-47D.  Data on these five was the most complete.  They were ranked in each performance category on a scale from 1 to 5.  Just for fun, I also award each aircraft points for how well it placed in each catetory;  for instance, if it placed first in a category, it received 5 points and only 1 point if it placed last.  I have not totalled up the points won by each fighter...I leave that for you to do, if you wish.

Enjoy.

Regards, Shuckins/Leggern

[Shuckins]

Power Loadings at Sea Level.

                         lb/hp             gross wt/hp              Ranking

F6F-3/5             6.11              12,213/2000                 1/5 pts.

F4U-1D              6.14              12,289/2000                 2/4

P-38L                 6.21              17,699/2850                 3/3

P-51D                 6.83              10,176/1490                 4/2

P-47D                 7.21               14,411/2000                 5/1

[Shuckins]

Aw crap!  What did I do wrong?

[Shuckins]

----------------------Power Loadings at Sea Level.

-------------------lb/hp -----------gross wt/hp------------Ranking

F6F-3/5 ----------6.11-----------12,213/2000------------1/5 pts.

F4U-1D-----------6.14------------12,289/2000----------- 2/4

P-38L-------------6.21------------17,699/2850----------- 3/3

P-51D-------------6.83------------10,176/1490----------- 4/2

P-47D-------------7.21------------14,411/2000------------5/1

[Karnak]

Shuckins,

Doing tables on the board bites.  If you look at my "Some Mosquito durability, fuel burn and misc data" thread you'll notice that my tables are all JPGs that I linked to.  I made the tables in Word, pasted them into Paint, saved them as JPGs and then uploaded them to a place I could link from.

Very annoying that it has to be don't that way.

[Shuckins]

------------------------Power Loadings at 10,000 feet

P-38L---------------6.21-------------17,699/2850------------1/5

P-51D--------------6.78--------------10,176/1490------------2/4

F6F-3/5------------6.99--------------12,213/1745------------3/3

F4U-1D------------7.04---------------12,289/1745-----------4/2

P-47D-------------7.21----------------14,411/200------------5/1

_____________________________ ________________



-----------------------Power Loadings at 20,000 feet

P-38L--------------6.21----------------17,699/2850----------1/5

P-47D-------------7.21-----------------14,411/2000----------2/4

P-51D-------------7.48-----------------10,176/1360----------3/3

F6F-3/5------------7.52-----------------12,213/1625----------4/2

F4U-1D------------7.56-----------------12,289/1625-----------5/1

_____________________________ __________________



------------------------Power Loadings at 30,000 feet

P-38L---------------6.21----------------17,699/2850---------1/5

P-47D--------------7.21-----------------14,411/2000---------2/4

F6F-3/5------------9.77-----------------12,213/1250---------3/3

F4U-1D-------------9.83-----------------12,289/1250--------4/2

P-51D--------------10.60---------------10,176/960-----------5/1

[Shuckins]

Sadly, Karnak, I'm technologically "challenged."  Besides, my eldest son isn't here to show me how to do it.  Soooo...guess I'll just have to keep chugging away the best I know how....lol.  Thanks for the suggestions.

Regards, Shuckins/Leggern

[Shuckins]

-------------------Level Flight Acceleration---------------------

----------------------Acceler. ft./sec/sec----------------rank

P-38L-----------------------4.13--------------------------1/5

P-51D-----------------------3.85--------------------------2/4

F6F-5------------------------2.60--------------------------3/3

P-47D-----------------------2.15--------------------------4/2

F4U-1-----------------------2.08---------------------------5/1


Dean's data wasn't clear about whether or not the F4U-1 was an A or D model.    For further comparison, note the figures for the late-war aircraft listed below:

P-47M-----------------------4.02

F4U-4------------------------3.33

_____________________________ ____________________





-----------------------Takeoff Distance-----------------------------


------------------------Gross Weight--------Feet-------Rank---------

F6F-5------------------12,483---------------780---------1/5

F4U-1D----------------12,289---------------840---------2/4

P-38J------------------17,699--------------1085---------3/3

P-51D-----------------10,176--------------1185---------4/2

P-47D-----------------14,411--------------2540---------5/1

_____________________________ _____________________




--------------------Range on Internal Fuel-----------------------------

-------------------------miles--------------------------------Rank

F6F-5------------------1322----------------------------------1/5

P-51D------------------1250----------------------------------2/4

F4U-1D----------------1020----------------------------------3/3

P-47D------------------1020---------------------------------3/3

P-38L--------------------550---------------------------------4/2

_____________________________ ___________________




-----------------------------Turning-------------------------------------

---------------------Percentage of FM-2 turn rate---------Rank

F6F-5-----------------------138---------------------------------1/5

P-51D----------------------179----------------------------------2/4

P-38L-----------------------205---------------------------------3/3

P-47D-----------------------206---------------------------------4/1

F4U-1D---------------------212----------------------------------5/1

[Shuckins]

-----------Roll Rate:   Unboosted Ailerons-----------------------

----------------------Max. Degrees per sec.--------------Rank

F4U-1D--------------------90---------------------------------1/5

P-51D----------------------90---------------------------------1/5

P-47D----------------------84---------------------------------2/4

P-38L----------------------75----------------------------------3/3

F6F-5----------------------72----------------------------------4/1

Dean stated that claims that the Corsair rolled at 120 degrees per second at speeds above 400mph could not be verified by the data.

_____________________________ ______________________



-------------------Climb to 25,000 feet----------------------------

--------------Time in Minutes/gross weight-----------------Rank

P-38L---------------10minutes/17,500lbs.-------------------1/5

F4U-1D--------------11 minutes/11,962----------------------2/4

F6F-5---------------11.5 minutes/12,427---------------------3/3

P-47D-----------------12 minutes/14,500---------------------4/2

P-51D-----------------14 minutes/10,200---------------------5/1

These figures were really hard to glean from Dean's charts and figures...but are as near a comparison as can be had from the data.

_____________________________ ____________________





-----------------------Diving Acceleration---------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------Rank

P-38L------------------------------------------------------------1/5

P-51D------------------------------------------------------------2/4

F4U-1D-----------------------------------------------------------2/4

P-47D------------------------------------------------------------3/3

F6F-5-------------------------------------------------------------4/2

_____________________________ _____________________




---------------------Limit Dive Speed----------------------------

------------------------MPH/IAS-------------------------------Rank

P-47D--------------------500----------------------------------1/5

P-51D--------------------500----------------------------------1/5

F6F-5---------------------449----------------------------------2/4

F4U-1D-------------------443----------------------------------3/3

P-38L---------------------440----------------------------------4/2

A couple of these figures caught me by surprise.  Unexpected, to say the least.

_____________________________ ______________________

[VooDoo]

Percentage of FM-2 turn rate
And what turn rate has FM-2 ? Such a unusual performance chart....

As for other data - looks like its all for Mil Power - any info for WEP ?

[Shuckins]

The following charts are based on the purely subjective opinions of pilots who evaluated these aircraft during the Joint Fighter Conference, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland in October of 1944.  In a couple of the categories, Best Fighter Below 25,000 feet and Best Fighter Above 25,000 feet, I have doubled the point totals awarded to each fighter, simply because I believe the opinions of the men who actually flew these aircraft for a living should carry more weight than mere facts and figures.

_____________________________ _______________



---------------------------Visibility---------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------Rank

P-51D---------------------------------------------------------1/5

P-47D---------------------------------------------------------2/4

F6F-5----------------------------------------------------------3/3

F4U-1D--------------------------------------------------------4/2

P-38L-----------------------------------------------------------5/1

_____________________________ ___________________




----------------------------------Armor---------------------------------

P-47D-----------------------------------------------------------1/5

F4U-1D----------------------------------------------------------2/5

F6F-5------------------------------------------------------------3/3

P-51D------------------------------------------------------------4/2

P-38L-------------------------------------------------------------5/1

_____________________________ _____________________




------------------------Best Ailerons at 350 mph----------------------

P-51D ------------------------------------------------------------1/5

F4U-1D-----------------------------------------------------------2/4

P-38L-------------------------------------------------------------3/3

F6F-5-------------------------------------------------------------4/2

P-47D-------------------------------------------------------------5/1

_____________________________ ____________________




-----------------------Best Ailerons at 100 mph--------------------

F6F-5--------------------------------------------------------------1/5

F4U-1D------------------------------------------------------------2/4

P-47D--------------------------------------------------------------3/3

P-51D--------------------------------------------------------------4/2

P-38L---------------------------------------------------------------5/1

_____________________________ ____________________




-----------------------------Best Elevators------------------------------

F4U-1D-------------------------------------------------------------1/5

F6F-5----------------------------------------------------------------2/4

P-51D----------------------------------------------------------------3/3

P-47D----------------------------------------------------------------4/2

P-38L-----------------------------------------------------------------4/1

_____________________________ _____________________





------------------------------Best Rudder--------------------------------

F6F-5-----------------------------------------------------------------1/5

F4U-1D---------------------------------------------------------------2/4

P-38L-----------------------------------------------------------------3/3

P-51D-----------------------------------------------------------------4/2

P-47D-----------------------------------------------------------------5/1

_____________________________ _____________________

[Shuckins]

Voodoo,

Dean states that the actual turn radius of fighters was difficult to quantify.  The turn rate figures he presented were based on the abilites of each aircraft to maintain a 3g level turn, without losing altitude, while in the clean condition, and without flaps.

The figures for climb rate are for sustained climb only.  Sustained climb rate varied from aircraft to aircraft based on the efficiency of their supercharging systems in maintaining power as altitude increased.  Thus, the surprising sustained climb figures for the P-47D, despite its abysmal initial climb rates at low and medium altitudes.  In all honesty, these were the hardest figures to extract from Dean's text, simply because much of the data was presented in line charts, which are almost always less than precise.

Regards, Shuckins

[Shuckins]

--------------------------All Around Stability-----------------------------

F6F-5---------------------------------------------------------------1/5

F4U-1D-------------------------------------------------------------2/4

P-47D---------------------------------------------------------------3/3

P-51D---------------------------------------------------------------4/2

P-38L----------------------------------------------------------------5/1

_____________________________ __________________




--------------------Best Stall Characteristics--------------------------

F6F-5-----------------------------------------------------------------1/5

P-38L-----------------------------------------------------------------2/4

P-47D-----------------------------------------------------------------3/3

P-51D-----------------------------------------------------------------3/3

F4U-1D---------------------------------------------------------------4/2

_____________________________ ____________________



-------------------Best Dive Stability/Controll---------------------------

F4U-1D----------------------------------------------------------------1/5

P-47D------------------------------------------------------------------2/4

F6F-5-------------------------------------------------------------------3/3

P-51D------------------------------------------------------------------4/2

P-38L-------------------------------------------------------------------5/1

_____________________________ ______________________



---------------------Best Instrument/Night Flying-----------------------

F6F-5------------------------------------------------------------------1/5

F4U-1D----------------------------------------------------------------2/4

P-47D------------------------------------------------------------------3/3

P-38L------------------------------------------------------------------4/2

P-51D------------------------------------------------------------------5/1

_____________________________ ____________________



-------------Best All Around Above 25,000 Feet----------------------

P-47D-----------------------------------------------------------------1/10

P-51D-----------------------------------------------------------------2/9

F4U-1D---------------------------------------------------------------3/8

F6F-5------------------------------------------------------------------4/7

P-38L------------------------------------------------------------------5/6

_____________________________ _____________________



-------------Best All Around Below 25,000 Feet----------------------

P-51D-----------------------------------------------------------------1/10

F4U-1D----------------------------------------------------------------2/9

F6F-5------------------------------------------------------------------3/8

P-38L------------------------------------------------------------------4/7

P-47D------------------------------------------------------------------5/6

_____________________________ ______________________



--------------------Best Fighter-Bomber------------------------------

F4U-1D----------------------------------------------------------------1/5

P-47D------------------------------------------------------------------2/4

F6F-5-------------------------------------------------------------------3/3

P-51D------------------------------------------------------------------4/2

P-38L-------------------------------------------------------------------5/1

_____________________________ _____________________




---------------------------------Best Strafer--------------------------------

P-47D-----------------------------------------------------------------1/5

F4U-1D---------------------------------------------------------------2/4

P-51D-----------------------------------------------------------------3/3

F6F-5------------------------------------------------------------------4/2

P-38L------------------------------------------------------------------5/1

_____________________________ _____________________





That's all I've had time to work up.  If want to see how your favorite WWII fighter stacks up against its friendly competition, just add up the totals of the second number given under rank.  You'll have to do it yourself....I don't think I have the strength.

Regards, Shuckins/Leggern

[Sh00ter]

while in the clean condition, and without flaps.

Ahh that explains why the 38 didn't do too well in the turn rate catagory. The 38 had to use the manuvering position setting with its flaps to be able to turn well.

I was really surprised by the rudder comparison though. You would think that the P-38 with those 2 barn doors hangin on the tail booms would have done better. :-)

[Xjazz]

Originally posted by Shuckins
That's all I've had time to work up.  If want to see how your favorite WWII fighter stacks up against its friendly competition, just add up the totals of the second number given under rank.  You'll have to do it yourself....I don't think I have the strength.

Regards, Shuckins/Leggern

BTW Did I mention about...

Highest kill ratio of any WW2 plane type and also highest scoring single airframe

"During five years of faithful service, the Model 239 Buffalo shot down four hundred and ninety-six Soviet aircraft for the loss of but nineteen of their own."