Let's Talk about the FM2 Wildcat

[Tig]

WHY IS IT SO DADGUM TURNY??

I just had a few furballs with callsign:Fisher1 in the Training Arena's Dueling Zone. He upped an FM2 Wildcat, and I upped a P-51D. I started the fight with an altitude advantage, which I then proceeded to waste like a numbskull. But seriously, WHY does the Wildcat turn so tight? He bested me, he landed several passes of .50s on me, and although it didn't damage my systems, I tried to rudder slip him, and instead plowed into the trees on accident. I then proceeded to promptly up my trusty Spit 9 to fight him again. Somehow, that FM2 STILL managed to turn inside me! I was eventually able to get underneath his belly so he couldn't see me, then slip in on his tail. I think I had previously knocked off one of his elevators, because this time he didn't turn very tight, and he eventually stalled out trying to evade me.

Overall, I'm very humbled by this fight with Fisher1, I dumped quite nearly all my ammunition into him and caused negligible damage ('Cat moment for sure). And of course I'm still shocked how tight that thing could turn.

So what am I missing here about the FM2? All the reading material I've gotten my hands on say the 'Cats were more of a BnZ kind of plane, but they out turned my Pony.

[morfiend]

In the training arena you can’t really damage a plane as it takes about 1000 rounds to do the damage of a single round. This is done to aid in training so players and trainers don’t have to re-up because of damage.

While the wildcat might have been used as a BnZ plane against the likes of the zero,it’s quite capable of turn fighting. I suspect you lost your advantage when you tried to turn with it instead of using energy tactics to defeat that pesky little bumble bee.



   <S>


PS: you know a bumble bee can fly simply because it doesn’t know it shouldn’t be able to….

[Tig]

In the training arena you can’t really damage a plane as it takes about 1000 rounds to do the damage of a single round. This is done to aid in training so players and trainers don’t have to re-up because of damage.

While the wildcat might have been used as a BnZ plane against the likes of the zero,it’s quite capable of turn fighting. I suspect you lost your advantage when you tried to turn with it instead of using energy tactics to defeat that pesky little bumble bee.



   <S>


PS: you know a bumble bee can fly simply because it doesn’t know it shouldn’t be able to….

Ohhhhh reduced damage makes a lot of sense now that you mention it..... 

[Puma44]

Consider that the Cat has a different type wing than the Mustang’s laminar flow wing (intended for high speed). 

[Tig]

Didn't think about that, but I wouldn't think the difference would be that dramatic. And I would imagine the Spit would've been better against it than it was.

[TryHard]

The FM2 is a lighter F4F with 4 guns and another 300 horsepower of engine in front and you're surprised it turns so well?

[Chalenge]

I wonder if the FM2 has smooth rivets and spot-welds versus the rough welds of the F4F? The F6F has a frontal smoothness that becomes rougher behind the wing, because it mattered less and made the airplane more affordable to produce. The F8F is smooth overall, because Grumman dedicated more time and money into the Bearcat.

[Drano]

The trick is when flying the go fast planes is to not turn with the turny planes. Sure, the mustang will turn-- but not like that! Always remember to fight your fight--not the other guy's fight. As soon as you started turning with the wildcat you broke that rule. Best solution would be to disengage, use your speed and reset the fight. Because you can. The wildcat is tough, dives well (good high speed control), rolls very well, zooms better than you would think, turns very well--as you found out. It isn't particularly fast and climbs like a brick. Don't confuse zoom with climb. In the mustang vs the wildcat best to treat it like an allied zero. They're pesky little buggers. Have to factor that in when they're around a fight. Use speed tactics and stay above.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[Greebo]

I wonder if the FM2 has smooth rivets and spot-welds versus the rough welds of the F4F? The F6F has a frontal smoothness that becomes rougher behind the wing, because it mattered less and made the airplane more affordable to produce. The F8F is smooth overall, because Grumman dedicated more time and money into the Bearcat.

The FM-2 was rivetted in the same way as the F4F-4; The fuselage, inner wings and flaps had raised rivets while the outer wings and fixed tail surfaces had flush rivets. (I like to get these things right when I create a skin.)

One thing that I like about the FM-2 and the F6F-5 in AH is how effective the controls are at low speed, particularly the rudder. Probably a legacy of USN requirements for carrier landing controllability. This is really handy in a scissors fight where a boot full of rudder generates a nice controllable snap roll reversal. It also makes it possible to aim shots even when the plane is on the edge of a stall.

[morfiend]

Tig,

   Look up the energy egg, learn the principles of it and practice using it to deal with those pesky turny planes.

 With an energy fighter like the 51 the worse thing you can do is get into a flat turn, it just bleeds energy and takes too long to gain it back. Try to do your turns in the vertical ,this will tighten the turn radious and you trade speed for alt so you retain more energy. This is explained in the energy egg principal.

 Another bonus is you can use the principal with a turny plane and gain an advantage.



  <S>

[Puma44]

Tig,

   Look up the energy egg, learn the principles of it and practice using it to deal with those pesky turny planes.

 With an energy fighter like the 51 the worse thing you can do is get into a flat turn, it just bleeds energy and takes too long to gain it back. Try to do your turns in the vertical ,this will tighten the turn radious and you trade speed for alt so you retain more energy. This is explained in the energy egg principal.

 Another bonus is you can use the principal with a turny plane and gain an advantage.


 
  <S>

^^^What Morf said.  If someone “teaching” you can’t explain/demonstrate the energy egg concept, move on to someone else who knows what they’re talking about.  Along with the energy egg concept, is a basic understanding of how flight path vector applies, along with the energy egg, in BFM.

And most importantly of all, CHECK SIX!  Don’t expect someone else to always check your six.  It belongs to you and is your survival responsibility.   .

 

[Chalenge]

The FM-2 was rivetted in the same way as the F4F-4; The fuselage, inner wings and flaps had raised rivets while the outer wings and fixed tail surfaces had flush rivets. (I like to get these things right when I create a skin.)

One thing that I like about the FM-2 and the F6F-5 in AH is how effective the controls are at low speed, particularly the rudder. Probably a legacy of USN requirements for carrier landing controllability. This is really handy in a scissors fight where a boot full of rudder generates a nice controllable snap roll reversal. It also makes it possible to aim shots even when the plane is on the edge of a stall.

I suspect the F6F was G-limited in turn rate, or at least roll. I know for a fact it was with the F8F. Grumman made these two planes for their performance down low for carrier defense. Mitchell revealed that level bombers couldn't hit a defiant ship, so everyone was using dive-bombers and torpedoes. The FM2 was designed for carrier defense, too, it seems. They, the US Navy, already had the F4U for air superiority over the enemies homeland. Besides, Kepford and Bong had already suggested that dogfighting was never going to win the air war. That doctrine has been dominate until now. I think it started around the time of the FM2.

[sanfordpaul]

fun fact

FM-2 was informally  known as the "Wilder Wildcat."