A-26 vs Tu-2

[Karnak]

I was thinking about the back and forth guncrasher and I were having about the A-26 in another thread and I started looking at it against the Tu-2 instead of against the Bf110G-2, Mosquito Mk VI and A-20G.  While I am nothing remotely like an expert on the two aircraft, it seems to me that they are pretty competitive with one another.  The A-26 would be faster, 355mph to 325 or 342mph for the Tu-2, and have better firepower, ten Browning .50s with lots of ammo to two 20mm ShVAK cannons with 100 or 200rpg, but the Tu-2 generally has a better climb rate listed in the sources I looked at, 2,300fpm to 2,000fpm, and would also have lower wing loading, 44.5lbs/sq.ft to 51.1lbs/sq.ft at normal loads.  Bomb loads are useful for both being 6,000lbs for the A-26B and a bit over 8,000lbs for the Tu-2.  Both were also supposed to be robust aircraft, though simply due to the weight of the aircraft the A-26 is likely tougher.

In AH the A-26 will likely be a perk bomber and after looking at the Tu-2's capabilities, it may end up being the bottom end perk bomber or another top end free bomber.

While I think using either as a fighter is silly, I do think that dogfights between the A-26B and Tu-2 would be fairly entertaining.

[Noir]

doesn't the A26 have WAY better defensive positions?

[Karnak]

doesn't the A26 have WAY better defensive positions?

Not really, no.  Better yes, but a top and bottom dual .50 turret isn't that much better than two of the nice Russian 12.7mm guns manually aimed in the dorsal and one in the ventral positions.  Ammo supply is likely much better for the A-26 though.

[Ack-Ack]

How were the flight characteristics in terms of maneuverability of the Tu-2 compared to the A-26?

ack-ack

[Karnak]

How were the flight characteristics in terms of maneuverability of the Tu-2 compared to the A-26?

ack-ack

I do not know, but I was hoping somebody more familiar with the two aircraft would see the thread.  Soviet pilots described being able to fly the Tu-2 like a fighter and the A-26 was credited with 7 air-to-air kills, but both of those are very, very subjective measures.

[Krusty]

The 10x .50cal setup would be an option but comparing glass nose to glass nose, I think the Tu2 has better forward firepower, for sure.

I think the A-26 has a better bomb load. The Tu-2 has only 1000 or 1500kg internal, and about 5000lbs rating for external, but as far as I recall it rarely carried that much. It only had so many hard points. Post-war it was used in a number of test configurations (it flew on into the 50s) where its power and loading were pushed to the limits, but during the war I'd be shocked if it ever carried more than 2000kg at a time.

[Krusty]

I do not know, but I was hoping somebody more familiar with the two aircraft would see the thread.  Soviet pilots described being able to fly the Tu-2 like a fighter and the A-26 was credited with 7 air-to-air kills, but both of those are very, very subjective measures.

Probably more believable with the Tu2 than the A-26. Similar to comments like you've read, I've heard that before but also that pilots would turn back after dropping bombs to engage enemy fighters in the region. Subjective, still, since they there are any number of motivating factors, circumstances, and the like that make this plausible. They also flew IL2s as fighters when they had to defend themselves. Overall it's still very subjective, but I think it would be more like our A-20G than it would be like our B-25C.

[Ack-Ack]

I do not know, but I was hoping somebody more familiar with the two aircraft would see the thread.  Soviet pilots described being able to fly the Tu-2 like a fighter and the A-26 was credited with 7 air-to-air kills, but both of those are very, very subjective measures.

The air to air kills credited to the A-26 are very misleading as I believe all of them were a result of the Invader's defensive firepower and not the pilot operated guns during a dogfight.  However, an A-26 was credited with a possible kill in a Me 262 that was either taking off or landing at the time of it being shot down.

ack-ack

[Wolfala]

The air to air kills credited to the A-26 are very misleading as I believe all of them were a result of the Invader's defensive firepower and not the pilot operated guns during a dogfight.  However, an A-26 was credited with a possible kill in a Me 262 that was either taking off or landing at the time of it being shot down.

ack-ack

One of our older members who hasn't played in years flew the A-26C during Vietnam - Dukemskt. Completely different beast with the On Mark conversion then the B models we had in 45.

[Slash27]

One of our older members who hasn't played in years flew the A-26C during Vietnam - Dukemskt. Completely different beast with the On Mark conversion then the B models we had in 45.

Where is he anyway?

[Wolfala]

Where is he anyway?

At the moment, Chinook WA

[Wmaker]

Interesting Tu-2 in Russian: http://youtu.be/nLs2qeDuuC8

[Shiva]

Interesting Tu-2 in Russian: http://youtu.be/nLs2qeDuuC8

Fourteen separate fuel tanks to ensure that getting one shot up didn't leak all your fuel from that location. A simple, brute-force solution at the expense of some additional weight; typical Russian approach.

[Krusty]

My mental estimation of the size is a little off. I thought it was actually a bit larger than it really looks with people in it. It's very much a compact airframe like a Pe-2, but I thought it was larger like a B-25 or something.

Very interesting seeing the crewman climb into the door in front of the tail wheel and the pilot with the canopy glass opened up (which I also wasn't aware they could do!)

It looks to be a very claustrophobic airframe now, after seeing that youtube link.

[MK-84]

I'm always "stunned" at how difficult many of these are so difficult to exit in an emergency.  It always seems that was the least important design aspect of any plane.