F6F Hellcat

[Oldman731]

I found that change to be inexplicable.  While the view from the Hellcat could not compare to that of a fighter with a bubble canopy, it was described by many WW II pilots as being "good".  Grumman's chief test pilot for the F6F was Corky Meyer, as many of you know.  In an article in a special edition of Flight Journal Corky described it thusly:

"Visibility from the cockpit was excellent for almost 360 degrees.  Visibility aft was enhanced by a rearview mirror.  The Hellcat fuselage's eight-degree nose-down angle provided excellent visibility for lead corrections when firing the six guns."

I think the "new" cockpit view thing is over-emphasized.  The Hellcat's view is still excellent given its razorback fuselage.  We're all just spoiled because most of the other AH razorback cockpit views (e.g. the 109s) are unrealistically good.  While the new cockpit view took some adjustment, once I got used to it I didn't find that it was causing me to lose any fights.

- oldman (I have many and varied other ways to lose fights, thank you very much)

[B4Buster]

I upped the F6 a couple times last night. It's a fun plane - extremely stable which is great for bad gunners like myself. At one point, I got stuck in a 3v1. The good turning ability enabled me to kill one bad guy, and survive long enough vs the reamining two for friendlies to show up and help me out. I'll have to giver her another shot tonight 

[Zeagle]

The f6f is a fine bird. You see so many corsairs now because, in my opinion, ....well lets just say I actively try to kill every f4u I see

[Delirium]

Not only are the Corsairs faster but they are better turn fighters too, particularly the 1, 1A and 4. Their flaps seem more effective and they seem more stable in a knife fight, which is odd given their RL reputation for low speed handling compared to the F6F.

Agreed, 110%.

[caldera]

I think the "new" cockpit view thing is over-emphasized.  The Hellcat's view is still excellent given its razorback fuselage.  We're all just spoiled because most of the other AH razorback cockpit views (e.g. the 109s) are unrealistically good.  While the new cockpit view took some adjustment, once I got used to it I didn't find that it was causing me to lose any fights.

- oldman (I have many and varied other ways to lose fights, thank you very much)

Well, there's the problem.  If the Hellcat is the one razorback plane with "realistic" rear view limitations, it is at a SA disadvantage that it shouldn't have.  At the rate planes are remodeled, it will be a very, very long time before the playing field is leveled. 

[Oldman731]

Well, there's the problem.  If the Hellcat is the one razorback plane with "realistic" rear view limitations, it is at a SA disadvantage that it shouldn't have.  At the rate planes are remodeled, it will be a very, very long time before the playing field is leveled. 

Do you find that you lose many fights in the Hellcat because of the rear view?

- oldman

[Noir]

Do you find that you lose many fights in the Hellcat because of the rear view?

- oldman

when in a multi con engagement its pretty obvious that it limits the SA...also when you have to extend from bad odds you have no way to see how fast the pursuers are closing in, and take the necessary actions in good time...

MA duels are an illusion

[caldera]

when in a multi con engagement its pretty obvious that it limits the SA...also when you have to extend from bad odds you have no way to see how fast the pursuers are closing in, and take the necessary actions in good time...

MA duels are an illusion

Precisely.  Making little turns every few seconds to check your 6 scrubs speed and adds to a pilot's workload.  It is an extra disadvantage that other planes (that should have similar limitations) don't have.

[Oldman731]

Precisely.  Making little turns every few seconds to check your 6 scrubs speed and adds to a pilot's workload. 

Unless you're in a jet or rocket plane...don't you do this in any aircraft you're flying?  None of them has perfect visibility to the rear, particularly below the tail.

- oldman

[caldera]

You know what the visibility was (same as other razorback planes) and what it is now.  If it doesn't bother you, so be it.  It's still different.

The thread is all yours, I'm done repeating myself.

[Shuckins]

"Visibility from the cockpit was excellent for almost 360 degrees. Visibility aft was enhanced by a rearview mirror.  The Hellcat fuselage's eight-degree nose-down angle provided excellent visibility for lead corrections when firing the six guns."

[Widewing]

I believe that the Tigers did encounter the Zeros. There was a show on the history channel about it.

There were no Zeros in China when the AVG was operational.....

[Widewing]

"Visibility from the cockpit was excellent for almost 360 degrees. Visibility aft was enhanced by a rearview mirror.  The Hellcat fuselage's eight-degree nose-down angle provided excellent visibility for lead corrections when firing the six guns."

What HTC did was restrict head movement too much. You can't get get your cartoon head anywhere near the canopy glass... Having had the opportunity to sit in an F6F-5 a few times, I know that if you get right up against the glass you can see better to the rear than the AH F6F-5.

[Widewing]

I wouldn't go so far as to say its competative.... but it can hold its own given a fair chance. When I was playing, one of the things I least like to see was an ornery F6F pilot, because odds were good that if he was flying well, he knew the F6F well, and because they weren't afraid to HO anything without a spud-gun.

As for the F6F outclassing the jug, I would say thats true for the earlier models, but the D-40 can hold its own, and the M and N can walk away from you like the others. Also, I've never understood why everyone consides the F6F to be 'rugged' Yeah, if you're counting individual bullets its pretty tough, but I've never had one survive a tater, and they still die with a good burst from even .50's.

In game, the F6F is not especially rugged. In the real world, it would absorb more battle damage than the F4U. Post war analysis by the Navy shows this. Generally speaking, the F6F was more durable than the P-47 as well. It lacked the vulnerability of the Jug's turbo system, and it was designed to handle the severe stress and strain of carrier ops.

[Tank-Ace]

Yes, but this is something that doesn't come out in Aces High, which is why I don't understand why people bring it up.


That would be like me saying that the M4A3 is arguably better than the Tiger I in aces high because the Tiger I guzzled gas and was more prone to break downs (we have neither fuel nor random break downs for GV's in AH).