Replacement for the Brew

[Lusche]

The Brewster is a BEAST, and the easiest ride in the game.

If there were any truth to that, it would be much more popular and effective.

[BnZs]

If there were any truth to that, it would be much more popular and effective.

Well, I understand where he is coming from. A lot of pilots, Jug flyers especially, get their jollies relying on geometry and deceleration to pwn the relatively unskilled flying "uber" rides. But the Brewster is just too tiny, too tough, rolls too well, turns inside it's own length, and-this is probably important-UNLIKE the Spitfire, it is harder for a noob to get in throttle trouble because they simply don't have that much thrust available.

[Wmaker]

Yes,  but as you noted, nobody took the Brewster to 500mph, let alone past it.  The test data simply isn't there.

 

As said, I really haven't tested it extensively. All I can say is that "controls remain effective throughout the speed range" certainly matches to what we have in AH. If controls are effective from slow speed flight to 400 mph (as tested by the Brits) the control forces are not very likely to hit a wall just past it. And as I said I wouldn't have any problem with having Brewster's max. dive speed (where starts flutter rip parts off) re-evaluated if the re-evaluation would be done to just about every fighter in the game. I don't have the game available to me right now but based on the reading I've done, and my experiences with A6Ms and I-16 for example tell me that Brewster certainly isn't alone here.

The problem is that finding this type of data for all fighters in the game can be very hard or impossible. Punishing planes which the data can be found for and leaving others as they are is not a good solution. Personally I consider it nitpicking if one starts being "suspicions" on the control at higher speed if a test report says "controls remain effective throughout the speed range" which is slow flight --> 400mph.

Just seems unlikely that Brewster, with no prior experience in aircraft, would have lucked into a design less impacted by speed than the Spitfire, Fw190, Bf109, A6M, Ki-84, N1K, P-47, P-38 and so on and on.

It is hardly that simple. Willy Messerschmitt for example is known for designing structures which had little allowance for higher G-loadings than specified. So he designed the elevator so that it would require a lot of force to move it at high speeds in low altitudes so that pilots wouldn't rip the wings off. Gneral consensus is that way less control force would have been sufficient. Brewster had 9G limit which is a lot for a WWII fighter. And it is true that sometimes excellent control harmony which the Brewster had truly was "accidental". P-36 for example had a longitudinal stability that was considered ideal for a fighter plane and was achieved basically accidentally. Designing aircraft was a lot different then than what it is now, sheer performance was paramount and any pilot ergonomy or comfort was mostly an afterthought at best.

[Butcher]

I am not sure what the Buzz is about the Brewster, I flew it quite a bit as I mostly take up anything over 20 eny. However I have never flown it for an entire tour - one of the reasons is the Brewster simply doesn't excel any which way. I learned to use the C.205's climb rate and 400mph speed to really scare the crap out of P51 pilots at 14k, even managed #1 in fighters flying it. I generally flew the P-38J and Ki-84. The Brewster however, had some problems; for one I tried to cap an airfield at 6k, problem was when my friendlies disappeared, I couldn't exactly run home - got caught and shot down by a N1k that chased me down.
Once I managed to get a P-47 to commit to a turn fight with me, I bled off to much E and he ended up getting around on me, it was my fault for not retaining my E but I had to dive somewhat to get some E going and ended up caught.

Frankly the Brewster Hype is a little off, in a decent hands it flies like a Hurricane IIC, only difference is the bazookas vs 50 cals. I know a number of good pilots that will give you a fight, but its not only the Brewster; its every OTHER plane as well.

I'm seriously thinking people are giving it "mystical" status for no reason, its just a "Brewster".

[Zerstorer]

If there were any truth to that, it would be much more popular and effective.

Perhaps it would be better to say the Brew is a beast if you play it's game i.e. close in, low speed stall fights below 5K.

Personally I think it is fun to fight in its element ....when I'm in a zeke. 

[TheCrazyOrange]

I usually fly lower than 10K, and I absolutely hate Brewsters, because they usually come in above 10K.


Once they latch on at close range, there's almost no way to shake them.

[Rich46yo]

I usually fly lower than 10K, and I absolutely hate Brewsters, because they usually come in above 10K.


Once they latch on at close range, there's almost no way to shake them.

Why? almost anything can out run them. Its not like were talking the Spitxteen here. The Brew has to go about 15k just to break 300 mph. I dont know why were even having this conversation.

[Randy1]

Why? almost anything can out run them.

Bold statement but not entirely true.  Only if you have a good running start can you out run them in time to prevent taking hits.  The brew lives off catching planes slow in a furbal.  The answer of course is don't get caught slow.

[LilMak]

Bold statement but not entirely true.  Only if you have a good running start can you out run them in time to prevent taking hits.  The brew lives off catching planes slow in a furbal.  The answer of course is don't get caught slow.

I've been burned enough in that situation that I now make sure I have an extra margin of speed before I engage a Brew. Rather than treat it like an FM2 or a Zeke. I treat it more like a spit and that helps. It's only weakness seems to be its level speed which is somewhere around 300.

[TheCrazyOrange]

That only helps if you are engaging. That isn't where the danger lies, and where all the myths about the superbrews come from.

It's when they are engaging you that things get annoying, and stupid, and questionable.

If I had my way, all brews would be modeled to remove all your perks and disco you when you cross 10K

[Karnak]

I've been burned enough in that situation that I now make sure I have an extra margin of speed before I engage a Brew. Rather than treat it like an FM2 or a Zeke. I treat it more like a spit and that helps. It's only weakness seems to be its level speed which is somewhere around 300.

As tested in this very thread, the FM2 gains more speed in a dive and retains it better than does the Brewster.  In my anecdote I specifically described diving away from a Brewster that had matched E with me and was in close proximity.  I left it behind so fast it never even got a decent long range shot on me.

[FLOOB]

Bold statement but not entirely true.  Only if you have a good running start can you out run them in time to prevent taking hits.  The brew lives off catching planes slow in a furbal.  The answer of course is don't get caught slow.

That statement applies to all planes. To me it's simple, if I encounter a plane that is more maneuverable I don't go lower than it's altitude and I don't go lower than it's speed. Whenever I end up with a spitV or brew or oscar or zeke or hurri on my near six I know that I'm about to get what I deserve

[LilMak]

I left it behind so fast it never even got a decent long range shot on me.

Good for you. I can't do that in a plane that's 40-100mph faster than an Fm2.

[TheCrazyOrange]

Good for you. I can't do that in a plane that's 40-100mph faster than an Fm2.

Me neither.

[Karnak]

Good for you. I can't do that in a plane that's 40-100mph faster than an Fm2.

I was in a Mossie, not an FM2.  It was another poster, FLOOB I think, who did flight comparisons between the Brewster and FM2.

I will grant that the Mossie is quite possibly the fastest accelerating piston engined aircraft in the game when it comes to a dive, but it isn't that far ahead of things the the Fw190D-9 or P-47s, if it is ahead at all.