4.1 OVERVIEW
by Brooke
This chapter is about the various propeller-driven WWII fighter planes and especially about the differences among them. With the introduction of Air Warrior III, there are now two plane sets. Air Warrior for Windows and the beta version of Air Warrior for the Macintosh have available one set of aircraft, and Air Warrior III has available an expanded set.
Before we get into a lot of detail on each plane, let me give a brief overview. (By the way, for those of you who like Twist's excellent descriptions of aircraft, there are more of his descriptions in the appendix called "The Twist Files." It never hurts to get more than one opinion about the capabilities of an aircraft. Also, Air Warrior II has excellent information on the various aircraft -- I highly recommend reading it. Click on "fly a mission," click on "change theater of operations" to choose a theater, then click on "aircraft information/check ride.")
For dogfighting, the most important characteristics to keep in mind for each type of plane are: turning performance, top speed, climb rate, and roll rate, and to a lesser extent firepower and durability. You don't have to know exact numbers for each plane, but it helps immensely to know how the plane you are flying compares to the planes you are fighting. Should you mix it up in a low-speed dogfight with a Spitfire IX if you are flying a P-51D Mustang? If you are in a Ki-84 Hayate, can you run away from a P-38J Lightning? Should you trade head-on shots with an F4U-1D Corsair if you are in an A6M5 Zero? If you are in an N1K1-J, can you climb away from an F6F-3? If you are in a FW 190A-3, can you out-scissor a Yak 9D? These are the types of decisions you will be making in the game.
In the following two sections, I give approximate orderings for each of the above characteristics. The values quoted are for planes with 100% fuel loaded, at sea level, and with WEP on. The orderings do change at different altitudes (for example, there are altitudes at which the P-47D climbs faster than a lot of the other aircraft). However, if you have the orderings in mind at sea level, that is generally good enough for normal arena play where the altitudes of combats tend to be low. It would take an impractical amount of information here in this manual to go into the changes with altitude. You will aquire a feel for that, anyway, as you become familiar with a small set of favorite planes. Also, you don't have to memorize the complete lists -- but, when you are fighting in a particular arena with a particular group of planes available, you should know how those particular planes relate.
There are two sections below because there are some differences in the performance of some aircraft between Air Warrior III and the other versions.
4.2 THE F6F-3 HELLCAT
by Brooke
The Hellcat was designed by the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation to be the successor to its Wildcats the US Navy's main fighter. The Hellcat, with its Pratt and Whitney Double Wasp engine (a 2000 HP, air-cooled radial), was to be faster than the Wildcat and to have a better rate of climb, more firepower, and better armor -- yet still be easy to fly and to maintain, rugged, reliable, and simple to build. The Hellcat met all of these requirements well. Having first entered combat in 1943, the Hellcat was widely used until the end of the war, where it finished with the best combat record of any fighter: an impressive 19:1 kill ratio. It had a top true airspeed of 330 knots at 22,000 ft. and armament consisting of six 50-caliber machine guns.
In Air Warrior, the F6F-3 is not best at any one thing -- but it is good at almost everything. Its worst trait is its lack of speed -- it is one of the slower late-war planes in the game (which tells you how slow the Wildcat was) -- so you can't often run away if a fight turns against you. It also hits compressibility rather early. It is decent to good at everything else, though. Its most outstanding traits are its turning performance, ruggedness, and ammo load.
In the Pacific theater, assuming that Spitfires are not available, the F6F-3 can at stall speeds turn as well as or better than every plane except the A6M5, and it can outrun, outclimb, and outgun the A6M5. The Ki-84 can rival the F6F-3 at stall-speed turning, and is a lot faster, which is why the Ki-84 is more popular. The P-38J also turns well at low speeds, but it is trickier to coax full turn performance out of at low speeds.
The Hellcat is one of the most rugged planes in the game. It can usually withstand several good hits (except as delivered by a FW 190 A series or N1K1, perhaps) before going down. Also, you need not fear ripping your wings off coming out of compressibility or in a high-speed dive.
The F6F-3's lethality is mediocre for the same reasons that the P-51D's and F4U-1D's lethality's are (six 50-caliber machine guns -- see the write-up on the P-51D). However, the F6F-3 holds a very large amount of ammunition, as much as the F4U-1D, and it holds 100% lethality for the whole load.
The F6F-3 doesn't have maneuvering flaps (as do the P-51D and P-38J). In fact, the F6F-3's flaps are not very useful in combat; but it does have a speed brake, which can be useful in reducing a large airspeed in order to turn more tightly. Ki-84's do not have speed brakes, so if one is following at high speed, you can sometimes use the speed brake to out-turn him. The Ki-84, not being as rugged, must worry about tearing off wings when coming out of compressibility and in very high-speed dives.
When I'm in an angles-fighting mood in the Pacific theater, the F6F-3 is usually my choice.
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4.3 THE F4U-1D CORSAIR
by Twist
The Corsair, like the Marines it often served, was lucky to survive its way into the second World War. (In the period before WWII, the Marines were almost dissolved; luckily for the Americans, this never came to pass). Built primarily for Navy operations and worked on as early as 1938, the Corsair had a rocky start when it was initially deemed unsuitable for carrier operations. Pilots had problems with the long nose giving poor takeoff visibility, as well as the landing gear assembly causing some difficulties. An additional problem existed that stayed with the plane throughout it's history -- the huge R2800 engine the F4U carried generated significant torque effects at low airspeeds, and early on the Corsair earned the title "Ensign Eliminator" to describe its behavior. Pilots unfamiliar with the plane might wall the throttle at low speeds, at which point it would quickly flip on its back and plow into the turf.
All of the problems aside from the torque were dealt with in short order, but the Navy was still wary of the plane and didn't implement it particularly quickly. The Marines on the other hand were very happy with it, and it became standard fare for their Air division. After pilots became familiar with it and after some slight modifications were made, it was evident that the F4U was a superior aircraft; it is without doubt only rivaled by the F6F Hellcat as a carrier-based fighter in WWII.
Like the Hellcat, the F4U was an extremely dangerous plane to Japanese pilots increasingly dependent on the Zero design as the war moved on. Its inverted gull wing produced a low-drag profile, and the Pratt and Whitney R2800 delivered as always massive horsepower at altitudes most other planes couldn't reach. [The F4U-1D had a top true airspeed of 361 knots at 24,000 ft.] A Zero pilot faced in the F4U a plane that was considerably faster, had twice the horsepower, could climb much better, was much better armored, and featured the by then staple American gun configuration of multiple [six] .50's with lots of ammo. Not surprisingly, the F4U generated a massive (11:1) kill ratio rivaled only by it's R2800 cousin the F6F.
The Corsair was such a solid design that it was used well after the war into the 1950's in a variety of roles. For a plane type that is assumed to make some concessions to its carrier-based operation, the F4U proved to be an outstanding design. If it weren't slightly range limited compared to the P-51, P-38, or P-47, it could have easily filled any of the roles they were used for as well in the Pacific.
The F4U in Air Warrior
Strengths:
Lethality -- Good lethality, and like the F6F, huge ammo supply.
Roll rate -- [One of the] Best roll rate[s] available in the Pacific.
Tough -- As with most American designs, a heavily armored fighter.
Climb -- Excellent climb rates that only an F6F [and N1K1] can match, but the F4U is faster than the F6F at any given climb rate.
Weaknesses:
Poor sustained turn ability -- Compared to the F6F, Ki, or of course Zero.
Take off checklist:
Where: Any Pacific aircraft field.
Field: The F4U isn't the best choice for a capped or immediate-action field. Although it climbs well, it can't steadily out turn anything in the Pacific except a P-51; so give yourself a sector or so to climb in where you can better use it's airbrakes and flaps from alt.
Fuel: Corsairs are decent in fuel endurance, but super-light loads don't help them much. Might as well take 50% or more if you're going particularly far.
Bombs: Two bombs; the F4U is a good dive bomber.
One way of getting a handle on the F4U is to think of it as "the FW of the Pacific." If you're familiar with both planes, this may seem a little deceptive, since the F4U has two strengths the FW does not: it can turn passably well [compared to the FW], and it has a great climb rate. But the turn ability comes in an environment filled with such turn wonders as the Zeke and the F6F; depending heavily on an F4U's turn ability will get you killed more often than not, since it can't tangle with these planes at low or medium alts. Similarly, there are other planes (notably the F6F [and the N1K1]) which can climb much like the F4U, so you have to be careful when applying that as well.
What makes the F4U like the FW is (a) speed and (b) roll rate. These two components combined are all you need to go on multi-kill mission sprees providing you take the time to set up a situation properly and work from alt on your opponent. The decent high-speed characteristics of the F4U let you dive in, take your shot, and climb back out again quickly. Remember to keep your e-state [energy state] high however, as Ki's and P-51's [and N1K1's] both have speed advantage on you at most alts.
This is not to say you can't ever use the turn ability of the F4U, however, just that as a design all of its strengths are particularly suited to B&Z or energy fighting methods. The F4U has multistage flaps and the all important airbrakes, so it can perform tricks similar to those of the P-38 or F6F by coming at high speed, then chopping throttle and slamming the brakes to come around quickly on the opponent. It can pull some interesting tricks with nose-down, flapped turns against the likes of Ki's -- although this requires a fine edge of control on the brakes and speed to work correctly. Try speeds of 210-225 with 1 click of flaps, tapping the airbrakes on and off as you go around, and keeping the nose down to hold a steady speed.
If you've got an opponent roped in and have even a slight e-advantage over him, [other than the N1K1] the F4U is the king of the spiral climb in the Pacific. Even F6F's can be had with this maneuver because of their slower speeds. And one thing to remember about the F4U is that it really comes into its own at high altitudes; above 26K you can not only out turn the likes of a Ki using flaps, but you can also out RUN them. P51s are fun to start turning at this alt as well. The only plane to beware of at nosebleed alts is the P-38, a shock to most players who haven't flown it that high. [Watch out for the N1K1, too.]
Regardless of the fact I despise the Pacific arena in AW, the F4U is my favorite plane to fly, rivaled only by the FW. Both are purebred killing machines and exhibit everything that made for an excellent WWII fighter.
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4.4 THE P-38J LIGHTNING
by Twist
The P-38 has probably the most convoluted and interesting histories of any major WWII fighter. To begin with, the specifications it was created for were widely regarded as a pipe dream; unheard of requirements for top end speeds of 360 mph along with high altitude and massive payload requirements made many experienced aircraft manufacturers shy away from the submission process. At the time this design document was circulating, top speeds of 300 mph were unusual, and no fighters were designed to operate consistently above 20,000 feet.
But the (then) small-time company Lockheed had an idea that they could make an airplane that delivered.Using the brilliant and unconventional ideas of their designer, Kelly Johnson (who later went on to help design the SR-71 Blackbird among others), Lockheed came up with a plane that was totally unique for the time: two engines, using liquid-cooled inlines instead of radials, tricycle landing gear, staggering operating ranges and payloads, yet able to maneuver capably with single-engine fighters.
Had the P-38 been focused on early and more exclusively by the US war industry, it almost certainly would have become the dominant fighter of the war. The test models of the P-38 made more "firsts" than any other plane type; in paper and in the air, it met and exceeded almost everything asked of it. It's long-range potential was immediately evident to people like Doolittle and Hap Arnold (prodded successfully by Lt. Ben Kelsey, an early supporter of the P-38 and one of the main reasons it survived to production), since it could deliver payloads of up to 4,000 lbs and had potential ranges of 2200 miles even early in its development, later reaching more than 3,000 miles.
But Lockheed as a company was unused to playing the political games required to bring a major production fighter through its infancy, and other unique problems plagued the Lightning as it was developed. It was fast -- too fast, as it become the first fighter to suffer heavily from compression (until then a largely misunderstood aerodynamic effect) with deadly results. The inline V12 engines could be married to a supercharger system that delivered high horsepower, but the entire system was unreasonably finicky compared to the much sturdier radials popular in other designs. Eventually difficulties with the Lightning reached almost bizarre proportions -- for example a C-47 carrying equipment to correct compression on many of the operational P-38's in the 8th Army Air Force was accidentally shot down over the Atlantic by a British pilot, a setback that cost the P-38 months of good use in Europe.
These events conspired to put the Lightning in a difficult situation: in the early part of the European bombing campaign, it was the only fighter with range to fly into Germany and back, but it was also basically an incomplete design, and Lockheed was having a very difficult time meeting production demands that required both new fighters and retro fittings for older units at the same time.
At just about exactly the time the P-38 had started into its true potential as a fighter/interceptor, it was pulled from front-line service by the 8th AAF in Europe and supplanted by the P-51 with Merlin engines. It was still used in the Pacific afterwards and was in fact in great demand there, much more so than it's P-51 or P-47 siblings. At the end of the war, with the cumulative tuning of several years of operation, the P-38 was an amazing fighter by any consideration. It could fly farther, at a greater height, and carry much more payload than any other fighter. [The P-38J had a top true speed of 363 knots at 32,000 ft. Armament consisted of four 50-caliber machine guns and one 20 mm cannon.]
The Lightning in Air Warrior
Strengths:
Turns -- Surprisingly to some players, the P-38 can perform an excellent turn. The trick to it is to get the nose down 20 degrees or so with at least one click of flaps, and possibly riding the airbrakes. In this configuration you can regularly confound Spits and Bf 109's that try to follow suit.
Flaps -- The P-38 has the most responsive multi-position flap arrangement in the game, with some strange characteristics due to modeling. For instance, letting out a click of flaps causes the nose to leap up several degrees, very useful when doing vertical loops (called "walking the flaps" or "pumping the flaps").
Guns -- Good ammo load, and at the very beginning, carries the extra punch of cannon rounds, the only US fighter so equipped.
Weaknesses:
E-loss -- The Lightning is a bad plane for E-loss [energy loss]. In dives, it compresses fairly easily, which can be recovered with airbrakes, but that means lost speed and energy. In turns, it can manage itself well PROVIDING it has some alt to work with. Once on the floor, it's not very good.
Climb -- [In Air Warrior for Windows and Mac,] Similar to the P-51 or FW, the P-38 does not climb particularly well. In particular, it cannot play climbing-spiral games with Spit's or Bf 109's. [In Air Warrior III, it climbs well.]
Big ass -- Simply put, the Lightning is a big damn target. AW has to make concessions to the way bullet hits are computed, and that concession is to create a circle around the plane called a "hit bubble" based on its wingspan. The P-38 has a huge wingspan. In real life, this wasn't such an issue because the PROFILE of the plane is very slim, but this benefit isn't delivered in Air Warrior.
The Lightning is much like the Hellcat in AW: a jack of all trades but master of none. It's a capable stallfighter, used correctly. It can B&Z, although almost nobody flies it this way (takes too long to climb out and come back). It's the best of the dive bombers, providing a stable platform, two bombs, and dive brakes to control descent.
But a lot of the things the Lightning was designed for don't come through well in AW, or can't because of design considerations. For instance, as mentioned above, the P-38 has the greatest hit area of any fighter, even though in real life it had a small profile. It featured a nose mounted gun set that didn't have to be tuned for convergence like wing guns, and therefore were extremely accurate even to great distances, but AW [might not model this with as much contrast as was evident in real life]. One thing does come through well: the P-38 is the best all-around fighter at "nosebleed" alts, an important thing to consider in scenarios. It can easily climb into the 40K+ range, is maneuverable at that alt, and keeps its speed well. It was designed as an interceptor, and it does that, very well.
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4.5 THE P-51D MUSTANG
by Brooke
I love the P-51D Mustang. When I was a kid, I read about the exploits of American aces who flew this sleek, beautiful plane. I still think it's one of the most beautiful airplanes ever made.
The P-51 was originally designed by North American Aviation Company in response to a purchase request by Britain for more P-40's. (North American thought it could design something better than the P-40 and got the go ahead.) The first P-51 was -- from scratch -- designed and built in the amazingly small span of only 90 days. The innovative airframe was to prove itself in the years to come, but the P-51 was originally equipped with an Allison engine, which wasn't worth a damn at high altitude. So, the P-51 was initially used as a ground-attack airplane because the Allison worked well at low altitude.
The British seemed happy with the P-51 as a ground-attack plane, but some bright guy had the idea that the P-51 would be a hell of a fighter at altitude if only it had a Rolls-Royce Merlin in it. The Merlin was a V-12 liquid-cooled engine of about 1500 HP at takeoff. Eventually, a Merlin was slapped in, and the result was one of the most highly regarded fighters of WWII. (The British were also the ones who gave it the name "Mustang.") The Merlin-equipped P-51 was excellent at high altitudes, was agile, had a very long range (long enough to escort bombers all the way from England to Germany and back), and was very, very fast (one of the fastest WWII fighters). The P-51D had a top true airspeed of 373 knots at 24,000 ft.
In Air Warrior, the P-51D is the fastest prop plane at altitudes below about 30,000 ft. (Above that, it becomes the second-fastest -- the P-47D, with its enormous washing-machine-sized turbocharger, is faster). The P-51D is a fast-rolling prop plane at high speeds (above about 275 knots) and can go faster than most other prop planes before hitting compressibility. Overall, the P-51D handles very well at speed and picks up speed well in dives. It can also deploy a notch of flaps at speeds up to about 300 knots, which can give it extraordinary maneuverability in the 275-300 knot range.
As for lethality, the P-51D's six 50-caliber machine guns are mediocre. Air Warrior models the boost in lethality due to explosive cannon rounds (which the P-51D doesn't have) but does not model the effect of armor-piercing and incendiary ammo, which is what the P-51D used. It is quite difficult to model the effect of these things compared to explosive rounds. At any rate, even though as modeled in Air Warrior the P-51D's lethality is mediocre, it does have a large ammo supply, and the lethality stays high almost all the way to the end of the ammo load (unlike most of the cannon-equipped planes whose lethality drops drastically when the cannon rounds run out, which is generally somewhere around the 50%-ammo mark).
The P-51D is a fairly robust plane, too. It will not experience wing failure at high speeds or coming out of compressibility. Even though the P-51D has a liquid-cooled engine (making its cooling system vulnerable to damage from gunfire, unlike the air-cooled engines of planes like the P-47D, F4U-1D, and F6F-3), it can take a fair amount of damage and still fly. It is definitely a more sturdy plane than the Spitfires and Ki-84.
The P-51D does not turn well at low speeds. At near stall speeds, it will get out-turned by most fighters in the game, with the P-47D and FW 190's being notable exceptions. Unless you are fighting one of those or another P-51D, do not allow yourself to get sucked into a low-speed fight. And against the FW 190's, you have to be very careful at low speeds because they can outroll a P-51D by a wide margin.
As for time aloft, the P-51D with 100% fuel can stay aloft longer than any other fighter in the game except perhaps the A6M5. For arena fighting, you generally won't need 100% fuel. Take only as much fuel as you typically use (plus some safety margin) -- the more fuel you load, the heavier your plane, and the more poorly it will turn and climb. 30-40% fuel is probably more than enough for most arena play (where staying in one plane for more than an hour is not too common).
With this combination of attributes, the P-51D is an excellent plane for scenarios, where time aloft, ammo load, performance at altitude, roll response, and speed are much more important than low-speed turning performance. In regular arena battles, it is a much more tricky plane to use. You can outrun everything that can out-turn you, but if you get caught by a better-turning plane at lower altitudes (which are common in arena play), you are in trouble.
Effective use of the P-51D in the arena thus requires planning and finesse. The key is, if you are fighting a plane that turns better at low speed, disengage before you get too slow in the fight. If you have misjudged that point and are already slow by the time the better-turning plane is coming around on your tail, dive out if you can, barrel rolling and jinking on the way down. Or try a very steep, diving spiral. The P-51D picks up speed rapidly and (in all but a couple of cases) is sturdy enough to take a hit or two as you outrun your opponent. The earlier you recognize your trouble, the easier will be your disengagement.
Some specific recommendations for various planes follow. Do not try to dive away from FW 190's or N1K1's in situations where they can get some good shots at your tail unless you are very desperate. The FW 190's and perhaps N1K1's can kill you with one good burst. Be wary of Spitfires and F4U-1D's. Both of them are fast planes that handle well at high speed but that can out-turn you at low speed. Because they are fast, they are more difficult to disengage from. The Ki-84 and N1K1 are even more formidable in that regard as they are nearly as fast as the P-51 at some altitudes and yet can turn extremely well at low speed. Fortunately, the Ki-84 and N1K1 do not roll well at high speed, are not very sturdy (and can rip their wings off coming out of compressibility if its pilot isn't careful), and hit compressibility earlier than the P-51. Be careful about getting slow around Ki-84's and N1K1's, especially if you don't have a good altitude cushion for diving out. N1K1's can out climb the P-51, too. N1K1's even have a notch of flaps that can be deployed at high speed. Fortunately, the P-51D can out roll the N1K1 at high speeds.
The following two maneuvers are not the safest of maneuvers, and I rarely use them; but I thought I'd mention them anyway. If you can get an enemy to follow you into compressibility, you can crank your P-51D into a 6-g loop and see if your opponent rips his wings off coming out of compressibility while trying to follow you. (The A6M5, N1K1, and Ki-84 are susceptible to ripping their wings off -- American and German fighters are not.) Or you can try chopping throttle briefly, deploying a notch of flaps at 300 knots, and looping hard on your opponent, coming around for a shot on him as both of you loop hard, rapidly losing speed. Do not try this against planes with speed brakes or the ability to deploy flaps at speed (F4U-1D's, P-38J's, F6F-3's, N1K1's, and of course other P-51D's).
Another variation on the latter maneuver is a split S close enough to the ground and at a high enough speed so that you, with throttle chopped and a notch of flaps deployed, can make it whereas your opponent (in a Spitfire, say, which is a plane that does not bleed off speed well and that has no significant ability to slow down other than by chopping throttle) cannot. This maneuver obviously requires good judgment on your part if you are to keep from digging a nice ditch in the ground with your airplane, but it's a good maneuver to try when you are at low altitude and a more maneuverable opponent is running you down.
In the arena, the P-51D is a good plane for B&Z fighting and, because of its sleek shape and ability to hold onto its energy, can fight well in the vertical, such as vertical dives onto an enemy followed by a pull out and then a vertical climb, repeated until you run out of an altitude advantage on the enemy. The P-51D can be a very deadly plane if flown correctly, but it is not as easy to get kills with one as it is in the more popular Spitfire IX and Ki-84. Against other P-51D's, FW 190's, and P-47D's, you can fly however you like, using angles tactics if you so choose. Against other planes, you will need to use B&Z and energy tactics. Against Spitfires, N1K1's, and Ki-84's especially, effective use of the P-51D means that you use whatever energy advantage you have and then disengage if you lose that energy advantage. When you have mastered the P-51D, you will know it, as you will get kills and then get yelled at on the radio -- there is no other plane in the game that, when flown well, generates as much frustration in its opponents.
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4.6 THE P-47D THUNDERBOLT
by Brooke
Thunderbolt was built by the Republic Aviation Corporation as a high-speed, high-altitude interceptor for the US Army Air Force. Originally, it was to be lightweight and have a liquid-cooled Allison engine. But there were problems obtaining the Allisons, so the plane was redesigned around a combination of the most powerful US-built engine (the Pratt and Whitney Double Wasp -- a 2000 HP, radial air-cooled engine) and an enormous washing-machine-sized turbocharger. The engine and a large fuel tank were in the fuselage in front of the cockpit, and the turbocharger was behind the cockpit. The Thunderbolt (also called the "Juggernaut" and the "Jug") was a huge plane yet, despite its size and the aerodynamic drag of a huge radial up front, was extremely fast at high altitudes. The P-47D had a top true airspeed of 369 knots at 25,000 ft. Overall, US fighters were rugged, but the Thunderbolt was probably the most rugged. Thunderbolts have returned to base with cylinders shot off their engines and after having flown through trees, not to mention with large amounts of damage from enemy gunfire.
The Thunderbolt was our main US fighter used against the Germans until well into the war. Eventually, most air combat duty was flown by Mustangs, as Thunderbolts didn't have the range to escort bombers from England to Germany and back. Then many Thunderbolts, thanks to their great ruggedness and ability to carry heavy loads, were assigned to ground attack. It is ironic that the plane first used for high-altitude interception (the Thunderbolt) and the plane first used for ground attack (the Mustang) switched roles in the later stages of the war.
In Air Warrior, the P-47D makes a good scenario plane but a poor arena plane. The reason it is a poor arena plane is that it is the worst fighter in the game for angles fighting, low-altitude dogfights, and low-speed dogfights. It turns abysmally at low speeds, bleeds off speed quickly during hard maneuvering, and can barely get out of its own way at speeds under 225 knots. You are limited to B&Z fighting except against other P-47D's (which are almost always rare) and against unwary FW 190 pilots (the Thunderbolt is worse than FW 190's at low-speed turning, but not by as huge an amount compared to other aircraft).
However, in scenarios, low-speed agility isn't as important as the other things -- and the P-47D is good at most of the other things. Although it's climb rate isn't spectacular at low altitudes, it holds a fairly steady rate of climb all the way up to 30,000 feet or more, so it gets to very high altitudes nicely. You can climb a P-47D to 40,000 feet or more, which most planes in Air Warrior cannot reach. Up at 30,000 feet and above, the P-47D is the fastest propeller-driven plane in the game.
There are a few disadvantages that do affect scenario use. The P-47D hits compressibility at lower speeds than most aircraft in the game (which can cause problems while pursuing a diving, fleeing enemy), and bleeding off energy quickly during hard maneuvers is a problem because you don't get all that many B&Z passes before you have to move off for more altitude. Also, the P-47D has a short firing duration, for while it has a large ammo load, its 8 50-caliber machine guns go through that ammo quickly. On the positive side, though, the 8 machine guns provide very good lethality; and the P-47D is the most rugged fighter in the game, able usually to withstand a huge amount of damage before going down.
In conclusion, for arena play, the P-47D is harder to be effective in. It is so ponderous at low speeds. Still, I like occasionally to fly the P-47D because I enjoyed reading about its role in history. Also, in a scenario where there are high-altitude patrols or tough ground-attack missions, I like the P-47D. For ground attack, it is rugged enough to withstand lots of damage from AAA and still get to the target. For high-altitude patrols, it gets up there nicely and is so very fast. Way up there, in your Thunderbolt, you get to call the shots -- and that's what the Thunderbolt was made for, after all.
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4.7 THE F4F-3 WILDCAT
by Brooke
The F4F Wildcat was built by the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation and was the main naval fighter for the US until its decendent the Hellcat came along. Its main opponent was the Zero, and like the other early-war US fighters, the P-40 and P-39, it was outclassed by the Zero most respects except sturdiness. It had a Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp air-cooled radial engine, which delivered 1200 HP at takeoff and a top true speed of 273 knots at 16,000 ft. (slower than the Zero). Armament consisted of four 50-caliber machine guns.
In Air Warrior, the F4F-3 has poor lethality, is not fast nor a good climber, but it is sturdy, and it does turn well -- well enough to outturn the P-38J, for example, at low speeds. It is an agile plane that's fun to fly -- sort of like a sturdier (but more ponderous) A6M5. Also, it rolls surprisingly well at high speeds.
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4.8 THE P-40E KITTYHAWK
by Brooke
The P-40 was built by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation, first going into production in the summer of 1939. It was built until December, 1994, and was used in all theaters of WWII on the side of the US and by the allies of the US. More than 15,000 of these aircraft were built during WWII. The P-40 (up to and including the E model) had a liquid-cooled turbocharged Allison engine of about 1300 HP at takeoff. The P-40F model had a Packard-built Merlin engine and a top true airspeed of 320 knots at 20,000 ft., which was faster than the A6M5. The P-40E and later models had six 50-caliber machine guns, three in each wing.
The P-40 is most famous for its role as the primary fighter of the volunteers who flew for the Flying Tigers and who fought against the Japanese in China. Early models were outclassed by the Zero, which was faster, could climb better, could get to a higher altitude, and which was more maneuverable. The P-40 was, however, faster in a dive and more sturdy; and the P-40F was actually faster than the A6M5 overall.
In Air Warrior, the P-40E is not as bad a choice as you might think if, like me, you've heard a lot about how it wasn't as good a plane as the Zero. The top true airspeed of the P-40E in Air Warrior is the same as that quoted above for the P-40F. The P-40E has very poor climb performance and a poor maximum sustained turning rate. But despite a low maximum sustained turning rate, it can turn pretty well at near stall speeds. Also, it is quite fast for an early-war aircraft and is fairly sturdy. It rolls well -- surprisingly well at high speeds -- accelerates well, and can get up to some pretty astonishing speeds in dives.
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4.9 THE SPITFIRE MK IX E
by Chick
Gather around, gentleman -- let me introduce you to Reginald Mitchell's Spitfire. Mr. Mitchell based this plane on his Schneider Trophy winner, the Supermarine S6. The plane had planform elliptical wings and a powerful engine, which gave it excellent speed and handling, making it one of the best fighters in Europe.
The version we use in Air Warrior is the MK IX. This plane has the following characteristics.
It can out turn all of the other fighters except the Zero and possibly the P-38 (and there is much discussion of this). [Actually, the Spitfire, the Hellcat, and the Ki-84 are all close in low-speed sustained turning and all are better than the P-38 and worse than the Zero, but the P-38 can generate a large turning rate in a nose-low turn with 1 notch of flaps, which is probably what Chick is referring to. With the introduction of Air Warrior II, there are also some planes that turn very well at low speeds, such as the F4F-3, other versions of the Spitfire, Hurricanes, and even the Me 110C-4. -- Brooke] The top true airspeed is fair [345 knots at 20,000 ft.], but acceleration is good. It dives well, but wings can be ripped off. The Spit has a very good lethality but looses it quickly. The ammo load is very light. [The Spit IX had two 50-caliber machine guns and two 20 mm cannon.] Only the Me 109 can out-climb the Spit in Europe. [Actually, the Bf 109F-4 is comparable in climb rate, and the other models don't climb as well. -- Brooke] The Spit can retain energy so well that it is hard to fly. At over 300 IAS, you start to lose full controls. The Spit will only take a few hits, so it is not a plane you can afford to give up hits in. The flaps on the Spit are 3-position: off, half, and full.
Generally a new pilot in Air Warrior will gravitate to the Spit because it is a joy to fly and, after one masters the throttle, it is a proven killer. A moderately well flown Spit is more than a match for a FW 190 or P-51 caught at the same energy state.
Now that you think the Spit is the best plane in Europe, you jump in and take off, see an enemy, and pull guns on him. I know that the blackout is not that long, but it seems you could go get a drink by the time you can see again. How do you fly this thing? Well, the secret is the throttle. You have to control your speed with the throttle -- remember I said that the Spit retained energy well? In other chapters, you will read about energy and turn radius, but let us think about this: if you were in a car turning in a circle at 5 mph could you turn tighter (less diameter) than if you were driving at 30 mph? I think we all agree that you could. The Spit holds energy so well that it does not slow down in the hard turns, forcing the pilot to pull more elevator to turn, causing more G force to be applied to the pilot, causing a blackout. So, in our fight we have pulled into a turn with an enemy, and his plane loses energy faster than the Spit, so he slows down and as a result turns tighter. We have to cut inside his turn to get a lead shot (shoot in front) on him. CUT THE THROTTLE. At 150 indicated air speed and pulling 5 g's, the Spit will out turn everything in the ETO, with the possible exception of the P-38.
I am often asked how to get kills or how to maneuver to keep from getting killed. There is no secret move or place to fly. However there is this: keep the enemy in your up front view and always pull up into him. I recommend that the new pilot practice off line flying at just under 150 IAS. Keep the stall light flickering and do not use flaps. Now start turning in flat turns, getting into 180 degree turns. Drop the flaps one notch; now fly at 75 IAS. Next start looping -- the Spit can loop at 150 IAS all day long. Use the first notch of flaps to help you get over the top of the loop. You should be able to do several loops without losing altitude, all at 150 IAS. Now that you have mastered the Spit in slow flight and in vertical (looping) flight, the next important thing to remember is: keep the fight in the vertical and keep it going up.
The fuel load for a Spit varies due to missions. Flying 1 to 2 sectors and fighting requires 15% to 30% fuel; longer missions take 50%. The additional fuel load reduces the maneuverability of the plane, so do not take more than you need. The Spit only carries one bomb, but is a good dive bomber.
Spitfires carry a very light ammo load. The cannon runs out at 50% indicated ammo load resulting in a lethality drop of approximately 80%. The best I have ever done is 5 kills with a Spit. Strings of 3 kills are rare, so do not despair if it seems that you only land one or two. Practice, practice, practice.
You have to exploit the strengths of your plane and the weakness of the enemy planes, so it is important to learn to fly all the planes. After the Spit, I always recommend the P-51. Only by mastering the flight and fight characteristics of a plane can you know how to put it into unmanageable positions.
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4.10 THE SPITFIRE MK VB
by Brooke
This was a variant of the Spitfire first appearing in March, 1941. It had a Rolls-Royce Merlin 45 or 46 series engine (liquid-cooled, V-12, producing 1400-1500 HP at takeoff). Armament consisted of four .303 inch caliber machine guns and two 20 mm cannon. Top true airspeed was 317 knots at 20,000 ft.
In Air Warrior, it's like the Spit IX with less HP and little more firepower. So, while it handles roughtly the same, it has a lower top speed, lower climb rate, and lower low-speed turn rate.
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4.11 THE SPITFIRE MK IA
by Brooke
This was the earliest version of the Spitfire, first appearing in the 1938. It had a Rolls-Royce Merlin III engine, a liquid-cooled V-12 that developed 1400 HP at takeoff. Armament consisted of two 50-caliber machine guns and two 20 mm cannon. Top true airspeed was 300 knots at 20,000 ft.
In Air Warrior, it's like the Spit Vb with less HP and little less firepower. So, while it handles roughtly the same, it has a lower top speed, lower climb rate, and lower low-speed turn rate.
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4.12 THE HURRICANE I
by Brooke
The Hurricane was produced by Hawker Aircraft, Ltd., which produced 15,000 of the aircraft (of all models) during the course of WWII. The Hurricane was used initially by the British as a fighter and later as a ground-attack aircraft, fitted with devastating firepower and rockets. The British used it in all theaters of the war.
The Hurricane I first flew in October, 1937. It had a Rolls-Royce Merlin II or III engine (a liquid-cooled V-12 producing 1400 HP at takeoff). In the Battle of Britain, it accounted for more Luftwaffe planes destroyed than any other plane. Armament consisted of eight .303 inch caliber machine guns, four in each wing. It had a top true airspeed of 276 knots at 18,000 ft., slower than the Spitfire Mk Ia and Mk Vb, but the Hurricane I supposedly turned at least as well if not better.
In Air Warrior, this plane turns well and rolls astonishingly well at high speed; but it is very slow.
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4.13 THE HURRICANE IIB
by Brooke
The Hurricane IIb is the same as the Hurricane I but with a Merlin XX engine installed and four more .303 inch caliber machine guns -- giving it a total armament of 12 machine guns, six in each wing! It first saw service in November, 1941. The Merlin XX was a liquid-cooled V-12 producing 1500 HP at takeoff. The Hurricane IIb was bit better at altitude and had better firepower than the Hurricane I, althought the Hurricane I is faster on the deck than the IIb. Top true airpseed was 277 knots at 20,000 ft.
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4.14 THE FW 190A-8
by Twist
The FW 190 is much less recognized than the Bf 109, the fighter plane typically associated with the Luftwaffe, but it served Germany well and in many ways was a better plane than the more famous Messerschmitt. First appearing in 1941, the capabilities of this plane were a rude shock to the British, who worked quickly to bring the Spitfire in line with the FW 190's performance. FW 190's were made in large quantities until the end of the war and served a variety of roles from pure fighter/interceptor to fighter/bomber.
The principle advantages that made the FW so deadly in real life are preserved well in it's simulated counterpart; the weapons of the FW pilot are speed and amazing firepower. At the time of it's introduction, the FW was both faster and MUCH more-heavily armed than any comparable allied plane. [Top true airspeed for the FW 190A-8 was 345 knots at 19,000 ft. Armament consisted of two 13 mm machine guns and four(!) 20 mm cannon.]
The FW 190A-8 in Air Warrior
Strengths:
Speed -- Top-end speed second only to the P-51 [in the European theater], but only average acceleration.
Lethality -- Most powerful gun set of any plane.
Roll rate -- Best roll rate available.
Tough -- The FW can not only deal it out, but also can take substantial punishment.
Weaknesses:
Poor sustained turn ability -- The FW is a terrible close-quarters turn fighter.
Climb rate -- Can be easily out climbed by most stallfighters.
High-alt performance -- Although it can climb to 38K, the FW [A series] is very poor above 25K.
Take off checklist:
Where: The FW is available from any plane field in Europe.
Field: Due to it's mediocre climb and poor turning ability, the FW [A series] is not well suited to low-alt engagements, especially when outnumbered. Typically the FW pilot should look around before taking off to make sure there is about a sector worth of clear air to climb in.
Fuel: The FW has excellent fuel endurance, but doesn't benefit substantially from lower fuel loads to increase maneuverability. Taking 30% will get you several sectors to a fight and back, but taking 50% or even a little more will give plenty of time to climb to alt, fly for long periods picking fights, and bring you home.
Bombs: Only one bomb allowed.
The FW is a difficult plane to master, especially for newcomers, because it is weak in the areas that are intuitive about air combat. Simply put, it doesn't turn well, and most sim pilots -- especially those used to unrealistic sims -- expect the hard turn to be the crucial maneuver of any engagement.
The key to flying the FW successfully is to become practiced at energy fighting, or boom-and-zoom tactics. Given it's capabilities, it's obvious that the FW is not a stellar stallfighter -- sustained turns against Spit's or Bf 109's in a FW are suicide. But there are plenty of ways using it's speed and roll ability to bring those massive guns to bear on opponents -- and with the gun set it has, even the briefest guns solution can be deadly.
Boom-and-zoom/energy fighting are beyond the scope of a simple plane discussion and will be covered in another page. We'll assume a general familiarity with the concept and proceed to the specifics of the FW. When I was learning the FW initially, I came up with a simple set of rules that allowed me to use it effectively. They were as follows:
Twist's FW engagement list:
8K is "hard deck" -- when forced below this, switch to egress tactics.
2K alt advantage preferable over highest opponent, ESPECIALLY when alone.
Ideal firing pass speed is about 300 kts.
Use shallow attack angles less than 20 degrees -- don't dive in from straight above.
NEVER dive below opponents current alt.
Avoid fixation -- scan after every pass. If new entry is higher threat than previous opponent, then ignore previous until new threat is dealt with.
Remember that the purpose of this rule set is to get you familiar with the attack style and the plane, and after you are, it's very possible to bend one or several of these parameters. (I particularly will deliberately dive below the current fight plateau against groups of opponents -- but only when I am sure my speed is much higher to make up for the alt disadvantage.)
It's crucial with these tactics to become adept at assessing threats against you, a subset of what is known as "situational awareness." In a stallfighting situation, you are often very focused on a single or perhaps a few opponents, all of which you are basically trying to out turn. As an energy fighter, you have to be aware of EVERYBODY within your visibility range, and not only that, you must be able to quickly and accurately determine their energy state relative to you. Are they lower or higher? Faster or slower? An opponent who is lower but considerably faster than you is probably even more dangerous than a co-alt but much-slower enemy -- because you might ignore the lower one out of hand.
The FW is a powerful energy fighter and is best used when following energy tactics.
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4.15 THE FW 190D-9 DORA
by Brooke
The original A series of FW 190's were excellent planes but did not perform well at high altitudes. The intent with the D series was to produce fighters with better altitude performance by taking the very successful airframe of the A series and fitting a different engine. The engine chosen for the D-9 was Jumo 213 A-1, a liquid-cooled inverted V-12 that could produce 1800 HP at takeoff and an amazing 2200 HP at takeoff with water and methanol injection. With this engine, the FW 190D-9 had a top true airspeed of 364 knots at 18,000 ft. altitude -- a very grave concern for P-51 pilots. This plane first entered service in the summer of 1944. Armament consisted of two 13 mm machine guns and two 20 mm cannon.
In Air Warrior, the FW 190D-9 has the same excellent roll response and sturdieness of the FW 190A-8 and is better at altitude. It does have less firepower (two less 20 mm cannon), but that still gives it excellent firepower compared to other aircraft in the game. It is a very formidable plane.
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4.16 THE FW 190A-3
by Brooke
This was one of the early variants of the FW 190A line, appearing initially in 1941. It had a BMW 801 D engine, which was an air-cooled radial producing 1700 HP at takeoff. It shares the exellent traits of the A-8 model but has a lower top speed and a slightly higher rate of climb. Armament consisted of two 7.9 mm machine guns and four 20 mm cannon. This plane was considered to be superior to its main counterpart, the Spitfire Mk V. It is truly an excellent aircraft, even by late-war standards. Top true airspeed was 331 knots at 18,000 ft.
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4.17 THE FW 190A-4
by Brooke
This version of the FW 190 was the same as the A-3 but with a methanol-water power-boost system giving more horsepower (and thus higher top speed and climb rate) with WEP. The A-3 first appeared in the spring of 1942 and, as with the A-3, was considered to be superior to the Spitfire Mk V. Top true airspeed was 351 knots at 22,000 ft.
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4.18 THE Bf 109-F4 FRANZ
by Twist
The Bf 109 was, along with the FW 190, one of the two backbone fighters of the Luftwaffe for the Second World War. Early on, however, it was entirely Bf 109's that took to the skies for the Reich; and the Bf 109 found its reputation as a solid fighter during the early European campaigns and the Battle of Britain. It's probable that the British seriously underestimated this fighter early on, considering their Hurricanes and especially Spitfires to be superior, a viewpoint that remains entirely debatable especially for early-war models. The Bf 109 had been used quite well in the Spanish Civil War, and the German pilots flying them had a solid understanding of what the aircraft was capable of, plus they had the benefit of combat experience in fast prop-driven fighters that lead to superior tactics. In retrospect, it was probably a very good thing that the Bf 109 limited Luftwaffe pilots to only a few minutes of combat over England, because if this "inferior" fighter had been better equipped for long-range sorties, it would have given the Allies even more trouble.
Of all the planes in WWII, the Bf 109 probably has the most interesting history; flown well before the War, it lasted all the way until the bitter end, undergoing continuous modifications and refinements. That it was able to cope at all was a testament to a solid design, but by the end of the war, the technology in the Bf 109 was more of a liability than a benefit to its designers -- it was being used in roles never envisioned for it and subsequently didn't fill them as well as newer designs might have. Total output for Bf 109's approached 35,000, and variants were produced as late as 1956, a more-than-20-year history of manufacture. [The Bf 109F-4 had a top true airspeed is 337 knots at 19,000 ft. and an armament of two 13 mm machine guns and one 20 mm cannon.]
The Bf 109 in Air Warrior
Strengths:
Turns -- Bf 109F-4's can turn with just about anything except Spitfires [and, in Air Warrior II, Me 110C-4's and Hurricanes], and even then a well-driven Bf 109F-4 will match most Spit pilots, especially at the 10-12K range where the Bf 109F-4 actually has a slight turn advantage.
Roll -- The Bf 109F-4 features a crisp roll even at low speeds and, at higher speeds, is a little less mushy than the Spit, although it's no FW in this regard.
Climb -- The single biggest advantage of this fighter, the Bf 109F-4 can climb better or equal to anything in the Euro plane set and can achieve some real nosebleed alts, particularly useful in scenarios.
Target -- Although the Bf 109F-4 is of average toughness, it offers a difficult target due to its small wing span and quick roll ability.
Weaknesses:
Lethality -- The Bf 109F-4 has terrible lethality, mostly because it's difficult for AW to model the benefit of its prop-centered cannon which required no convergence. Also, it has a very short ammo duration.
Fuel -- 7-11 sells Big Gulps with better capacity than the Bf 109F-4 fuel tank. At 88 gallons, it's by far the smallest, and it's not astoundingly fuel efficient, which compounds the problem.
Speed -- Unfortunately the Bf 109F-4 is just a little shy in this area. Spit IX's will out accelerate or level speed it, and P-51D's, P-47D's, and FW 190's of course easily out pace it.
Take off checklist:
Where: The Bf 109F-4 is European only, capable of lifting off any plane field.
Field: Bf 109F-4's make good scramble fighters, and when completely tanked up, they can also take off from a rear field and reach mind-boggling alts before entering the fray.
Fuel: Take lots. Twice as much as you would in a Spitfire, which means 60% for just average sorties, and 100% if you think you're going to be flying anywhere extended. You'll use it up fast enough -- trust me.
Bombs: 1 bomb.
One of the problems with the Bf 109 is that, as the war progressed, it became less and less of a "dog fighter" and more of an interceptor. The model used now in AW, the 109-F4, was probably the best all around fighter of the entire line, and it was a fairly early production. The core of the problem with this plane in AW is that it has to deal with a Spitfire IX which is of later design and, lets face it, a much better plane. If AW were all about taking off, climbing hard, jumping a formation of bombers or fighters, and B&Z'ing them briefly, then going home, the Bf 109F-4 would probably be seen in a much more favorable light. Unfortunately, AW doesn't always mirror the way the real war was fought, which in some ways is just as well (in the real war most pilots never saw combat).
Many players take the Bf 109F-4 up just to make a point about not taking the Spitfire IX. The important thing to note about this is that, while the Spit IX is a better plane in almost every respect, the differences are often so marginal as to be almost inconsequential. The only thing a Bf 109F-4 fighter has to truly fear against a Spit IX is being sucked into extended, minimum-radius flat turns -- where the Spitfire IX has enough of an advantage to work a Bf 109F-4 over pretty well. The answer to this is to make a deliberate effort to stay away from these types of turns -- a Bf 109F-4 should almost always favor a yo-yo, or Immelman -- something that maximizes the Bf 109F-4's climb ability and multistage flaps versus the Spit IX.
Against most other planes, the Bf 109F-4 has a long list of tricks to pull. It's possibly the best fighter at rope-a-dope maneuvers, considering its low stall speed, "rocket assist" zoom climb, and snappy roll even at low speeds. As mentioned, it has two-stage flaps that allow for interesting split-s and nose-low turning capabilities, and it features 10 minutes of WEP unlike most fighters than can deliver 5 minutes (although, at WEP settings, it uses a percentage point of fuel every 11 seconds!). Almost every experienced 109F-4 flyer in the arena can be seen using these in combination against Spits and the like -- dive in with a decent speed, hook the other fighter into following, pull what looks like a yo-yo into a hard zoom at an angle, and just at the point of stalling roll over, drop flaps and come down on top of the opponent. This works great unless the Spit behind you is hoarding speed, in which case it gets you into trouble fast.
Another aspect of the Bf 109F-4 that's appealing is it is less "twitchy" than the Spit and in most respects easier to control. That is, in turn fights, it tends to black you out less, and it responds fairly predictably to various turn speeds and flap settings. I usually tell players just beginning to try the 109F-4 over the Spit initially, as the Spit is a little more demanding of attention for a newer player. Some players never get used to the high instantaneous turn rate of the Spit or P-38J that results in so many blackouts, and for these pilots, the Bf 109F-4 is a more stable fighter capable of holding its own in most circumstances.
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4.19 THE BF 109K-4
by Brooke
The Bf 109K-4 was a further refinement of the G series. It had a Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine (liquid-cooled, inverted V-12) that produced an impressive 2000 HP at takeoff. It was faster and had better high-altitude performance than preceeding series of 109's, but it was yet heavier and less maneuverable. Armament consisted of two 15 mm machine guns and one 30 mm cannon. Top true airspeed was 369 knots at 25,000 ft.
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4.20 THE BF 109G-2 GUSTAV
by Brooke
The G-series Bf 109's were designed for more speed and better high-altitude performance at the cost of a heavier, less maneuverable plane compared to the F series. The Bf 109G-2 had a Daimler-Benz DB 605 A engine, a liquid-cooled, inverted V-12 that developed 1500 HP at takeoff. Armament consisted of two 13 mm machine guns and one 20 mm cannon. Top true airspeed was 329 knots at 25,000 ft.
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4.21 THE BF 109E-3 EMIL
by Brooke
This was an early version of the Bf 109 that first appeared in late 1939. It had the Daimler-Benz DB 601Aa, liquid-cooled, inverted V-12 engine, which delivered 1200 HP at takeoff. It had lower horsepower and higher drag than the Bf 109F-4 and thus a lower top speed and climb rate and slightly lower maximum sustained turn rate. It is similar in other respects. Armament consisted of two 7.9 mm machine guns and two 20 mm cannon. Top true airspeed was 295 knots at 18,000 ft.
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4.22 THE ME 110C-4 ZERSTORER
by Brooke
The Me 110 was the first twin-engined military aircraft designed by Professor Willy Messerschmitt. It first went into production in 1938 and was used throughout WWII as a light bomber, attack aircraft, and night fighter. It had two Daimler-Benz liquid-cooled engines of 1500 HP each at takeoff and a top true airspeed of 303 knots at 16,000 ft. Armament consisted of two 20 mm cannon and four 7.9 mm machine guns for forward firing and one 7.9 mm machine gun for the rear gunner.
In Air Warrior, like most early-war planes, compared to late-war planes, the Me 100C-4 is slow and climbs poorly. The Me 110C-4 also has relatively poor roll performance, but it does turn quite well, has very good lethality, and a large ammo supply. Unlike other bomber/attack aircraft, its wings do not suffer structural failure above 6 g's, and it has no problems coming out of compressibility.
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4.23 THE Ki-84 HAYATE
by Specter
The Ki-84 is one of the best stall fighters in the game, has very good speed, is a fairly decent during the climb, and if energy is managed carefully, does a better than average service as a B&Z platform.
The Ki-84 turns on a dime (second best sustained turn radius -- only the Zero is capable of out-turning it). In a very slow stall fight, adjusting flaps improves turning performance.
The armament consists of machine guns and cannon. The Ki-84 is hard hitting through approximately the first 35% or so of it's ammo load, pitiful as it may be.
Contrary to anecdotal evidence, one can perform high-G maneuvers even at speeds in excess of 350 kts. Wing failure generally occurs because of transitions from moderate altitudes (18,000 ft. or so) to lower altitudes (less than 10,000 ft.) at high speed. When you observe high-speed buffeting, you must ease off the throttle and be careful when pulling out of the dive. If you fail to heed this very sound advice, you and your wings will part company.
Despite rumors to the contrary, the AW Ki-84 has been observed running away from F4U's at 450 kts in a dive and living to re-enter the battle on more favorable terms. The key to flying this aircraft successfully is patience (waiting for the close-in shot), experience, timing, and a gentle touch. [Top true airspeed was 363 knots at 20,000 ft. Armament consisted of two 12.7 mm machine guns and two 20 mm cannon.]
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4.24 THE A6M5 ZERO
by Brooke
Manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., the Zero (also called the "Zeke" by US forces) was one of the oldest designs for a fighter plane still in use at the end of WWII. The A6M2 Zero fighter first used in combat in 1940, and except for increased horsepower and some minor modifications, the same design was fighting at the war's end -- still as the main Japanese fighter for both the Army and Navy. While by the war's end, the Zero's shortcomings compared to more modern fighters were apparent, its longevity is a tribute to a design that was brilliant and very effective for its time. The A6M5 had a radial air-cooled engine of about 1000 HP at takeoff and armament consisting of two 7.7 mm machine guns and two 20 mm cannon. Top true airspeed for the A6M5 was 284 knots at 20,000 ft.
At the time of its introduction, the Zero was faster, climbed better, flew higher, and flew much, much farther than the fighters it fought against (like the early P-40 Warhawks, the F4F Wildcat, and the P-39 Airacobra), which gave the Japanese a large advantage in the air. Later, the US produced more powerful, faster fighters: the Hellcat, the Lightning, the Mustang, and the Thunderbolt, all of which fought against the Zero. They flew faster, flew higher, climbed faster, had more firepower, and were more sturdy than the Zero (which had no armor and no self-sealing fuel tanks), but the Zero was still by far the most maneuverable in a close-in fight.
In Air Warrior, the A6M5 is, without argument, the best stallfighter in the game. If you get slow around an A6M5, you are in big trouble unless you are in another A6M5. Even diving away from a low-speed fight with one is dangerous because the A6M5 is a very clean plane that accelerates well even though it has a low top speed when flying level. It has an excellent time aloft, so you won't need 100% fuel. Even 40% is probably more than you'll need in most jaunts in the normal Air-Warrior arenas. It is an excellent early-war fighter. However, in most other respects compared to late-war fighters, the A6M5 has problems. It is the least sturdy plane; it is a very slow fighter; it has mediocre lethality (as its cannon and machine guns did not have very high rates of fire) and low ammo load; it climbs poorly; and it handles poorly at high speed.
To fly an A6M5 successfully in Air Warrior in late-war arenas you must know how to avoid B&Z attacks (1) as no other plane (with a pilot in his right mind) will want to mix it up in a tight angles fight and (2) as you are a sitting duck for any plane with altitude on you (they all can catch you). You must avoid the B&Z while trying to draw the enemy into an angles fight. A good B&Z attacker will cause you a lot of trouble and will not get slow around you, but some careless people will, and other somewhat-careless people can be tempted to turn with you if you give them a little view of the tail of your plane while you do a lazy turn, tempting them to follow. Of course, if they do follow, you can tighten the turn beyond what they will be able to follow -- keep looking back.
So, in late-war arenas, flying an A6M5 and fighting anything but an A6M5 is mostly a matter of surviving enough gunnery passes until the enemy gets sucked into a low-speed fight. Keep in mind that the A6M5 holds its energy very well and turns so well that it pays to do less than full-G turns unless you need to or unless the fight is now an angles fight. In between passes by the enemy, you can pull some gentle turns that don't waste as much energy yet that are still very tight compared to what the enemy plane can do. That keeps your speed up and your energy up, and an A6M5 with some energy is very, very dangerous. If you can catch an enemy and get him to turn hard, he will usually be yours unless he is very good at disengaging.
In high-speed fights, such as diving after a fleeing enemy, you should keep in mind that the A6M5's controls -- especially roll -- get very sluggish at high speeds, say, over about 300 knots. Watch out for following a plane that can slow down quickly and loop tightly on you (any of the planes with speed brakes or high-speed flaps). The A6M5 can go very fast before hitting compressibility -- faster than even some fast planes, like the P-47D. Once in compressibility, though, beware how you pull out of it. The A6M5 is a fragile plane, and you can rip the wings off if you pull too many g's at high speed.
Overall, the A6M5 is a joy to fly. It turns on a dime, loops on a dime, and gets out of a spin with just a tap of the rudder. Despite having a low top level speed, it is surprisingly fast in dives. Just be careful not to rip the wings off, and avoid taking hits at all costs because the A6M5 is one of the most fragile fighters in the game. It is popular for field defense when you have little time to climb or to get up to speed before you will be set upon by higher-energy enemy planes. It's maneuverability makes it one of the harder planes to hit. It is also quite fun to dive into a furball with an A6M5 and to mix it up, killing one hapless low-speed enemy after another, until you finally are shot down (which is the typical fate, because you can't run away from much in an A6M5).
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4.25 THE N1K1-J SHIDEN
by Brooke
The N1K1 Shiden (or "George," as it was called by US forces) was built by the Kawasaki Aircraft Engineering Company, Ltd. (Actually, according to JANE'S FIGHTING AIRCRAFT OF WORLD WAR II, the N1K1 was the float-plane version while N1K2-J was the Shiden, but I'll use N1K1-J as that's what Air Warrior uses.) It was a fast, maneuverable plane with great firepower -- definitely in the same league as the late-war fighters produced by the US. It had an air-cooled radial engine that produced 2000 HP at takeoff and a top true airspeed of over 350 knots at 20,000 ft. Its armament consisted of two 7.7 mm machine guns -- and four 20 mm cannon! I doubt that American fighter pilots were too fond of the Shiden.
In Air Warrior, the N1K1-J is an impressive plane. It is one of the fastest planes in the game -- faster than the F4U-1D Corsair on the deck! -- which is fast enough to cause problems even for the speedy P-51D. It turns well at low speeds (about the same as the Bf 109-F4, which is definitely no slouch at low-speed turning). So, in the Pacific theater, you need to beware low-speed turning fights only with F6F-3's, F4F-3's, Ki-84's, and of course A6M5's (and Spitfires, if they are in the arena). It has enormous firepower, as already mentioned, being second in lethality only to the mighty FW 190's. It has a very long firing duration (being able to fire its guns for as long as the F6F-3 and F4U-1D). It has one of the best climb rates of any prop-driven plane in the game. It is easy to get the N1K1-J out of a spin. It even has a notch of maneuvering flaps that can be deployed at high speeds, like the P-51D and P-38J. Impressive indeed. The only traits that are mediocre for the N1K1-J are roll rate and sturdiness (it does suffer wing failure if you pull lots of g's at very high speeds, such as coming out of compressibility). It does have a good time aloft (more than an hour at 100% fuel and full throttle).
As good a plane as the N1K1-J is, I suspect that it won't be as popular as the Ki-84 due mainly to the fact that it isn't quite as fast or as good at low-speed turning as the Ki-84 (although it is close). Still, it has a lot better firepower and a better climb rate than the Ki-84 and in fact than almost every other fighter in the game. It is an excellent plane.
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4.26 THE YAK 9D
by Specter
The Yak 9D is a viable option in full realism, but not very popular. Ammo load is fairly light, much like the Bf-109F-4. The fuel load is also anemic. This plane is perfect for the "bounce" with a bit of altitude. The aircraft handles and performs very well at speeds under 350 kts. The controls get a bit stiff at around 350 kts. The Yak 9D will sustain a climb rate of approximately 3500 fpm through 10,000 ft. altitude. It is a poor performer at higher altitudes. Acceleration is nothing to write home about. [Top true airspeed was 311 knots at 18,000 ft. Armament consisted of two 13 mm machine guns and one 20 mm cannon.]
This aircraft will not lend itself to prolonged B&Z passes, as it doesn't hold it's energy all that well. If your speed is below 150 kts in a stallfight, there is not anything (save for the Spit) that will out turn you in the short term. [In Air Warrior III, there are some other planes that turn well at low speeds, such as the Me 110C-4 and Hurricanes.] One notch of flaps is all you have, which is helpful when you are almost in the "saddle." The flaps have a tendency to really kill your energy. If you don't get the kill soon after dropping them, you are "in" very deep.
It is imperative that you be familiar with all of the strengths and weaknesses of this plane if you plan on flying it seriously. You've got to know the split-S performance by heart because you are will be using it a lot.
Generally, the plane is fun to fly, and in the right hands, it is deadly.
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4.27 THE LAVOCHKIN LA-5FN
by Brooke
The Lavochkin LA-5 was a Russian fighter. It had an air-cooled radial engine that produced 1600 HP at takeoff and a top speed of 308 knots. Armament consisted of two 20 mm cannon mounted in the engine cowling. This plane is not fast, but it rolls extremely well and seems to turn well at low speed. Top true airspeed was 325 knots at 16,000 ft.
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4.28 CHAPTER 4 EXERCISES
by Brooke
4.28.1 DIVES
Take a Yak-9D up to 12,000 ft. altitude. As you near 12,000 ft., adjust your climb so that you are climbing at 150 knots. When you reach 12k, roll inverted and pull into a vertical dive. Time how long it takes (starting from being inverted) for the plane to get to 350 knots. Do the same test for the P-51D. Which plane accelerates faster in a vertical dive? Do the test with one or two other planes of your choice.
Do a similar test by climbing up to 4000 ft. altitude and 150 knots. When you reach 4k ft., dive vertically and pull out on the deck. See how fast you are going on the deck. Do this test for a few planes of your choice.
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4.28.2 HIGH-SPEED TURNS
Take up a Spitfire IX. Get to 5000 ft. alt. Get up to speed and then dive enough so that you are going more than 300 knots. Level off, and let your speed decrease to 300 knots. Now do a 6 g turn for 180 degrees (i.e., half a full circle). Note you speed at the completion of the turn. Do the same with a P-47D. Which plane holds onto energy better? Do the same for a 360 degree turn. Try one or two more planes of your choice.
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4.28.3 HIGH-SPEED ROLL
Take up a Yak-9D. Get to 15k ft. altitude. Get up some speed, turn on WEP, and go into a 45-60 degree dive. When your speed is 350 knots, do a full-aileron-deflection roll. Notice about how long it takes -- what the roll response is like. Do the same test for a P-51D. Which plane rolls faster at 350 knots? Do this test for one or two other planes of your choice.
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4.28.4 LOW-SPEED SUSTAINED TURNS
This exercise requires a watch -- a digital watch with a stopwatch function is best. Take up an A6M5 to 1000 ft. alt. Use full throttle, and begin turning as hard as you can, staying at all times near 1000 ft. alt. Do enough revolutions so that your airspeed is steady in the turn -- i.e., go into a stallfight turn. Now pick out a terrain feature that you can recognize easily (a control tower, a mountain, whatever) and start your stopwatch when your nose passes it. Let your nose pass it two more times, and on the third time, stop your stopwatch. Now you can find out your turn period (seconds per revolution) by dividing the time by 3 (you did 3 revolutions). Repeat the test with a FW 190A-8. Note the difference in turning rates. Repeat the test with one or two other planes of your choice.
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4.28.5 LOW-SPEED ROLL
Take a FW 190A-8 up. Get to 130 knots. Do some rolling. Roll one way and then the other. Note how quickly the plane rolls. Do the same with a P-38J. Do the same with one or two other planes of your choice.
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