Firstly, I don't want to labor the obvious, basic and persistant errors in posts that so many others have already corrected, but I would like to say something about the interesting historical references that have been used to support flawed conclusions about sustained turns.
A quick review of some of the anecdotal evidence can reveal how mistakes may have been made.
For example, the combat report by Hanseman, describes how the 109 stopped cutting him off as he cut throttle, and this can be perfectly consistent with aerodynamics and the flight model in AH, but only under certain conditions. For example, Hanseman does not say anything about his initial speed, and if he was above corner velocity reducing throttle would have allowed him to increase his turn rate and reduce his turn radius more quickly. Once he employed flaps, his turn radius would have reduced even further. Nothing was said that is not entirely consistent with real world physics, and Aces High. The mistake would be to make the assumption that Hanseman continued the fight with reduced throttle, and that was somehow responsible for his continued ability to out turn the 109. There is a circumstance where even that is conceivable, and that might be if the aircraft were in a descending low G spiral turn, but Hanseman describes this engagement as occurring at 500ft so that is not the case, because there wasn't room. So, under the conditions described, the assumption that fight was continued with reduced throttle and that this improved the turn, is clearly false because it is in conflict with basic aerodynamic principles. A much more reasonable assumption would be that once Hanseman had reduced his airspeed below corner, and employed flaps, he would have then increased power as necessary to achieve the best sustained turn.
Another example from the article by Johnson where he describes being out turned by a 190 and where the poster states:
However, if you read Johnson's article it presents a very different picture of what really happened, that is also perfectly consistent with aerodynamics. Firstly, when Johnson describes turning hard to the left and whirling around on opposite sides of what seemed to be an ever decreasing circle, he gave no indication or details of that phase of the fight, other than to say they were on opposite sides of the circle, which indicates that during that time the fight may have remained neutral. With no indication of how long that phase lasted, we can only speculate, but it is possible that if both aircraft were at high speed, and they both pulled the same G, they would have been able to match each others turns for a time while their speeds were decreasing. However, where Johnson initially describes being out turned by the 190 they were not at low altitude, and they were not in flat turns, as indicated in the quote above. They were high enough that Johnson was able to enter a near vertical dive after he conceding the fight, and the turn was not flat, Johnson actually said he was in the "tightest of vertical turns" and that he was at full throttle and greying out. What difference does that make? Firstly, you would expect the 190 to be superior in the vertical so no real surprise there, but he also describes being at full throttle and greying out, which indicates that at that time the fight was occurring at the relatively high speeds and load factors. Bearing in mind that two aircraft at the same speed and load factor will turn at exactly the same rate and radius, this fight may have been determined partly by the superiority of the 190 in the vertical, and possibly by differences in the G tolerance of the pilots. After all, for all we know, Johnson may have had a bad night and been greying out at relatively low G, while the German stud flying the 190 was able to pull harder, generating the rate and radius necessary to give Johnson the scare he needed to beak off into a near vertical dive. When Johnson says "My over-confidence of a few seconds before had already given way to irritation at losing my opponent" he gives us the clue that this phase of the fight was infact brief, and that his perception of being out turned was arrived at quickly, and not after sustained turning. Once he had broken off into a dive the 190 was in trail and in the control position, any further turning by Johnson appears to have only been used to align himself with the Ships.
I would say that this combat report says a lot more about the survival instincts and perception of a great Ace, than it does about the performance of the aircraft involved. It is also possible to see from both reports that anecdotal evidence, typically sparse in fundamental detail and lacking any basic technical facts, or information about the condition or configuration of the aircraft involved, can very easily be misinterpreted.
Badboy
-I quote a RANGE of best sustained radiuses for 200-300 MPH, Karnak... What is your problem?
-All I am saying, Hightech, is that it takes less speed to go around 900 ft. than 1600 ft... Less speed can even do it FASTER... That's all.
-As for the Badboy quote: It has been established in 1989 by TEST PILOTS, and confirmed to me by an aircraft designer, that the "Corner Speed" of many WWII fighters is " VERY close to the maximum level speed"... Hanseman does not say anything about his initial speed????? He describes several 360° turns on the deck, with AA firing on him whenever he got close to the airfield... He "gradually" worked the 109 away from the airfield 360 by 360... Do you really think that means his speed is still above 350 MPH on-the-deck!!!??? I guess you must, otherwise your whole argument against downthrottling being a low-speed tactic falls apart...
As for the argument against the obvious interpretation of the Johnson account, I don't know where to begin...: IF it was downward spiral, they would then NOT be on opposite sides "of an ever decreasing circle"... NOT a FLAT turn????
I love the omission of Johnson's quote: "He was gaining on me (in the same ever decreasing circle, remember?): In another couple of (360°) turns he would have me in his sights..." But that is NOT sustained performance: NOT related to sustained turning people... Noooo: The guy who was there just doesn't know what he is talking about...
I also love the omission of Johnson's OPENING statement, with POST-WAR hindsight: "They (FW-190s) turned better than the Me-109s" What a surprise: Totally unrelated to his anecdote, of course!
High enough for a vertical dive after conceding the fight: Yeah, 3000-5000 ft. by the looks of it: So??? Isn't what matter that he conceded the turn fight?
But my favourite is the "vertical turn" issue, which all people desperate to sustain their "calculation" fictions have used to their utter ridicule: The following is not a matter of debate. Since your ignorance of WWII lingo is apparently severe (how could "an ever diminishing circle" be a bunch of vertical loops?), let me complete your education about WWII terminology: "Vertical turn" is WWII short-hand for a "Wings vertical turn", a diminutive in effect, for a 90° bank turn, which means, by definition, a fairly flat turn...
-Quote, Badboy:
"Infact, if this thread is an example, the claims are so outrageously flawed that they are little more than a source of amusement."
'Couldn't have said it better myself...
Gaston
P.S.: For those with actual open minds, the texts in question:
http://www.spitfireperformance.com/mustang/combat-reports/339-hanseman-24may44.jpg http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/4716/jjohnsononfw190.jpg G.