Best Accelerating Aircraft

[JimmyD3]

What are the top 6 accelerating aircraft in the game?

[Dadtallica]

ChatGPT weighed in. This is taking out the 163 and 262 which would be 1/2 on the list.

1. Bf 109K-4

This is the benchmark.

In AHIII nothing with a prop gets off the line and keeps pulling like the K-4. Light airframe, brutal MW-50 power, and very low drag. From ~200 IAS upward it just keeps adding speed while others taper.

Why it’s #1: best power-to-weight and best drag profile combined.

⸻

2. Fw 190D-9

The Dora accelerates like a freight train once it’s rolling.

Slightly heavier than the K-4, but the Jumo engine delivers smooth, sustained push. In level flight or a shallow dive it closes gaps fast and recovers energy better than almost anything else.

Why it’s #2: relentless mid-speed acceleration and excellent energy recovery.

⸻

3. Tempest Mk V

This airplane is violence at low altitude.

The Sabre engine gives instant torque, and the Tempest’s aerodynamics stay clean at speed. From ~250–400 IAS it accelerates harder than most pilots expect and dominates deck-level extensions.

Why it’s #3: unmatched low-alt acceleration among Allied props.

⸻

4. P-47M

Heavy, yes. Slow to start, no.
Once power is on, the P-47M builds speed faster than almost any Allied fighter, especially above 300 IAS. Turbo + water + clean high-speed design matters a lot in AHIII.

Why it’s here: enormous horsepower that actually converts into speed.

⸻

5. Spitfire Mk XIV

This one surprises people.

The Griffon Spit accelerates brutally from low-to-mid speeds, especially right after a maneuver. It doesn’t hold acceleration as long as the Tempest or K-4, but the initial shove is excellent.

Why it ranks here: explosive burst acceleration, especially post-turn.

⸻

6. Ta 152H

This is altitude-biased but still earns the slot.

Below its optimal band it’s merely good; in its band it accelerates extremely well for a long-wing aircraft. In AHIII, above ~20k it out-pulls most props in level acceleration.

Why it makes the list: sustained high-alt acceleration others can’t match.

[JimmyD3]

Dadtallica, thank you for that in depth expert listing. It was also very timely. 

[Dadtallica]

Dadtallica, thank you for that in depth expert listing. It was also very timely. 

lol anytime!

[hazmatt]

ChatGPT weighed in. This is taking out the 163 and 262 which would be 1/2 on the list.

It seemed to me that he 262 was always slow off off the line compared to the props.

[DmonSlyr]

ChatGPT weighed in. This is taking out the 163 and 262 which would be 1/2 on the list.

1. Bf 109K-4

This is the benchmark.

In AHIII nothing with a prop gets off the line and keeps pulling like the K-4. Light airframe, brutal MW-50 power, and very low drag. From ~200 IAS upward it just keeps adding speed while others taper.

Why it’s #1: best power-to-weight and best drag profile combined.

⸻

2. Fw 190D-9

The Dora accelerates like a freight train once it’s rolling.

Slightly heavier than the K-4, but the Jumo engine delivers smooth, sustained push. In level flight or a shallow dive it closes gaps fast and recovers energy better than almost anything else.

Why it’s #2: relentless mid-speed acceleration and excellent energy recovery.

⸻

3. Tempest Mk V

This airplane is violence at low altitude.

The Sabre engine gives instant torque, and the Tempest’s aerodynamics stay clean at speed. From ~250–400 IAS it accelerates harder than most pilots expect and dominates deck-level extensions.

Why it’s #3: unmatched low-alt acceleration among Allied props.

⸻

4. P-47M

Heavy, yes. Slow to start, no.
Once power is on, the P-47M builds speed faster than almost any Allied fighter, especially above 300 IAS. Turbo + water + clean high-speed design matters a lot in AHIII.

Why it’s here: enormous horsepower that actually converts into speed.

⸻

5. Spitfire Mk XIV

This one surprises people.

The Griffon Spit accelerates brutally from low-to-mid speeds, especially right after a maneuver. It doesn’t hold acceleration as long as the Tempest or K-4, but the initial shove is excellent.

Why it ranks here: explosive burst acceleration, especially post-turn.

⸻

6. Ta 152H

This is altitude-biased but still earns the slot.

Below its optimal band it’s merely good; in its band it accelerates extremely well for a long-wing aircraft. In AHIII, above ~20k it out-pulls most props in level acceleration.

Why it makes the list: sustained high-alt acceleration others can’t match.

Think I would replace/add the P47 and Ta152 with the Ki84 and La7, but overall good list. Usually the least fun planes to come across in the MA because its an easy press X and avoid trouble... but the Spit Ki84 and 109K can make for some fun fights.

[LCADolby]

It seemed to me that he 262 was always slow off off the line compared to the props.

I think it accelerates with a P51D

[Banshee7]

Think I would replace/add the P47 and Ta152 with the Ki84 and La7, but overall good list.

I agree with this. 152 acceleration sucksssssss at MA altitudes. 

[Mongoose]

It seemed to me that he 262 was always slow off off the line compared to the props.

A piston engine reacts pretty much immediately to the throttle.  A jet engine takes some time to spin up when the throttle is advanced.  Once it does spin up, you have lots of acceleration and speed.

[hazmatt]

A piston engine reacts pretty much immediately to the throttle.  A jet engine takes some time to spin up when the throttle is advanced.  Once it does spin up, you have lots of acceleration and speed.

There's a automatic fuel control unit that the early 262s didn't have that they model in IL2 GB. If you jet doesn't have it you have to move the throttle very slowly or suffer the consequences.

From AI:
The early Messerschmitt Me 262’s Junkers Jumo 004 engines lacked an automatic fuel control unit (sometimes referred to as a fuel metering pump or fuel regulator). Without this device, rapid throttle movements could cause fuel surging, compressor stalls, or flameouts, which is faithfully modeled in IL-2 Great Battles. Pilots had to move the throttle very gently to avoid engine damage.

🔧 What Was Missing?
Automatic Fuel Control Unit (Fuel Pump/Regulator):
Early Jumo 004 engines did not have a sophisticated fuel metering system.
Fuel flow was directly linked to throttle position, without compensation for compressor speed or airflow.
This made the engines extremely sensitive to throttle inputs.

⚠️ Problems Caused
Compressor Stall: Sudden throttle increases disrupted airflow through the compressor.
Flameout: Excess fuel could extinguish combustion if airflow wasn’t matched.
Overheating: Fuel surges led to dangerously high jet pipe temperatures.
Operational Limitation: Pilots were instructed to move throttles slowly and smoothly to avoid catastrophic engine failure.

🎮 IL-2 Great Battles Modeling
The simulator replicates this limitation:
If you slam the throttle forward, the Jumo 004 engines can flame out or stall.
Players must “nurse” the throttle, just like real Luftwaffe pilots did.
Later versions of the Jumo 004 incorporated improved fuel control systems to reduce this risk, but early models remained notoriously fragile.

I think this may add to the spooling up time as well. As I recall the early model F-14 had a bit of a delay too.