The 109s in AH2, are one of the planes that received the most dramatic levels of inhibition in its ability to maneuver. Clearly, something has happened to its FM, which other planes do not suffer at the same level.
In AH1, one solid fact the 109 had in maneuvering was that it was responsive and very stable.
It couldn't turn as well as some planes, but maneuvering at extremely low speeds was not too hard. Also, while it wasn't a very good turning plane, it was always decent compared to its contemporaries.
While suffering from torque, still the powerful engine enabled it to chug and hang on through the low-speeds and keep maneuvering. You could really push this plane to the limits. While at normal speeds a P-51 or P-47 might be able to temporarily outmaneuver it thanks to early flap usage, but when the speeds came down low the favor was turned to the 109. It would handily outturn a P-47, and outturn the P-51 with some hard effort.
In AH2, all of this is gone. The stability is down to crap levels. You will get outturned in a sustained, prolonged turn fight against a P-47 in a Bf109G-2, because at lower speeds the Bf109G-2 cannot keep a turn radius tight enough to chase a P-47. Why can't it do that?
For starters, at speeds of over 300mph, the P-47 can use the flaps earlier than the 109. It also deccelerates faster - which considering the two factors, makes it possible for the P-47 to maintain at least a same turn radius with the opposing 109. Experts with better rudder/flap management will often even outturn the 109. Okay - no problems with this part.
What happens when the speed drops under 300, and reaches the border line of 199 and 200mph? Well, according to theory and anecdotes, the 109 should be a plane that outturns the P-47 pretty handily.
However, even when the 109 successfully chops its own speed down to use its own flaps - at least the relative advantages of the P-47 with its flaps should be gone, right? Afterall, the P-47 is a behemoth of a plane.
Well, that's not in AH2. While under 200mph, the P-47 with some 2~3 notches of flaps, can hang at the border of its stall limit speed, and keep pulling a tight turn radius.
In a P-47, with about 2 notches of flaps down, with full throttle - you can start a turn that does not gain or lose alt, with heavy rudder assist, and can pull hard enough so that the speed bleeds down to about 100mph and keep it there. In other words, a very tight turn sacrificing speed, hanging by a thread just above the stall speed.
However, the 109 can't do that. When it drops down to low speeds and uses its own flaps, in 109s, you can't pull the stick with full throttle and initiate a turn hard enough to bleed its own speed down to 100mph. Somewhere near 180mph it loses stability and wobbles.
In a sustained turn fight, the P-47 keeps its nose pointed towards you, and despite the slow speed, it still hangs on to the turn. The 109, can't keep its nose pointed towards the P-47 in the first place.
In other words, 109s are pigs in low speed maneuvering now. So, don't go down to low speed, and don't try any reversals.
I've felt a crushing blow to my ego in the fact that I can't outmaneuver a La-7 even with initial E advantage, in a Bf109G, I've been using for years.
However, in a P-51 or a P-47 which my personal flight time in it is only about 5% of that if the 109, I can easily outmaneuver the same guy in the same La-7 with initial E advantage. No problem - just drop flaps, pull harder than the enemy, dump some E and fire guns.
At least, empirically, in my own opinion, something's wrong. If the 109s are behaving more realistically in AH2, then whatever the cause of its heavy burden during low speed maneuvering, is not present in the P-51 or the P-47.
