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Originally Posted by Xenomorph The Aircobra was not a terribly good aircraft. In terms of performance, it was average. While it's design allowed for a rather large gun to be installed within the propeller hub, the relocation of the engine to just behind the pilot made it a bear to work on, practically necessitating the need to tear the aircraft apart to do even routine maintenance. There's a reason the US sent almost all of them to the Soviet Union with Lend-lease.
I have to say one aircraft that really got my attention was the Dornier Do 335 Pfiel. It had better performance than the P-51, the fasted speed of any piston aircraft of the war, and carried a formidable arsenal of 3 30mm cannons and 2 12.7mm machine guns. Luckily for us, they only had 12 or so made before the factory was overrun. |
P-39 versus Zero:
Actually the P-39 though much maligned as a dog actually had a 1.1:1 kill ratio in the Pacific. That means the P-39 pilots were giving slighty better than they got.
The Pilots who first got their P-39's in New Guineau at 17 mile strip basically saw a bunch of crates arrived. They had no groundcrews and no manuals and had to borrow tools but spent the next two weeks assembling and testing their P-39's. After they felt comfortable they started flying combat air patrols.
Another problem encountered mostly on Guadalcanal were most of the P-39's were actually Brit P-400's with Brit oxygen equipment. US oxygen equipment was not compatible so pilots could not fly over about 15,000ft without oxygen. The 20mm cannon was loved as a much superior weapon to the very low velocity 37mm gun. I have heard a story that crashed P-39's on Guadalcanal and New Guineau had to have a guard on them immediately lest the P-39 pilots scavenge the 20mm guns out of them to install in their P-39's in place of the 37mm gun.
I have read in multiple sources that many P-39 pilots removed the .30cal wing guns as they were considered worthless and the weight removed improved the performance.
When you consider the pilots had no prior training in P-39's and had to teach themselves the aircraft, and started performing CAP's within two weeks is amazing. The US P-39 pilots did suffer bad casulties but came up to speed very quickly on how to engage in combat with a Zero.
With both aircraft taking off from a stop the P-39 left the ground first and arrived at 5000ft as the Zero was arriving at 4000ft.
Below 10,000ft and from a cruising speed of 230knots the P-39D had a very obvious acceleration from the Zero.
From 5000ft ot 10,000ft the P-39 climbed to altitude 6 seconds before the Zero. From 10,000ft to 14,800ft the P-39 and Zero were almost equal. From 14,800ft to 20,000ft the P-39 arrived 5 min after the Zero.
From rollout to 14,800ft the P-39 maintained a climbing advantage but over 14,800ft ran out of power very rapidly.
Max Speed P-39D: 360mph
Max Speed A6M model 21 Zero: 330mph
Above 200mph the Zero also suffered a noticeable reduction in manuverability due to airflow over the large ailerons and rudder causing the stick to become harder to move. All Allied pilots quickly learned to keep airspeed over 200mph and not to get into a turning fight with the Zero.
P-39 versus Bf109:
The Soviets first P-39's were actually ex-British P-400's. They differed by havng a Hispano Suiza 20mm cannon in place of the M-4 37mm cannon, Brit .303 MG's, British oxygen system, Brit radios, British fire extinguisher, etc. This was not as much a problem for the Soviets as they were already operating British equipment such as Hurricanes, and Spitfires.
The first thing the Soviets did was strip everything including oxygen and all but pilot armor out of the P-39's. The Soviets even stripped out the 4 x 7.62mm MG's, ammo boxes and firing gear out fo the wings. Pokryshkin insisted the radios stay as they were vital to his new air combat tactics. The Soviets were able to remove almost 1800lbs out of each aircraft. The Soviets then added between 300-500lbs of weight to the nose to balance out the plane to be more nose heavy.
This left a 37mm or 20mm cannon in the nose and 2 x 12.7mm MG's. This was considered adequate firepower on the Eastern front and was actaully heavier than the Bf109's.
Bf109F usually had 1 x 20mm cannon and 2 x 7.92mm MG's. Bf109G's had 1 x 30mm or 1 x 20mm cannon and 2 x 13mm MG's.
The Bf109F and the Soviet modified P-39D/P-400's top speed and power to weight ratio was almost even. Due to its slippery aerodynamic shape the P-39 had better initial climb because it did not bleed off energy very fast but in a sustained climb the Bf109F was better. The P-39 turned much better than the Bf109's and dove better. Against the Bf109G the P-39 was still a better turner but didnt climb as well.
The FW-190A was considered a more dangerous advesary. The Soviet P-39 could outturn and out zoom climb the Fw-190A but the Fw-190A rolled much better, and had a better top speed. Dive speed was about even.
The main thing in the Soviets P-39's favour was that both the Soviet VVS and the German Luftwaffe were both primarily tactical air forces whose main purpose was direct battlefield close air support or behind the battlefield in support of the troops. As such combat very rarely took place over 5000m and usually was under 3000m. At this altitude the P-39 thrived.
Alexander Pokryshkin who finished the war as Soviets second highest ace liked hte P-39 so much that on early 1945 when his squadrom transferred to La-7 fighters Pokryshkin refused his La-7 and flew his P-39 til the end of the war, flying the La-7 only occasionally.
Another myth is that P-39's were used by the Soviets primarily as tank busters.
FALSE!
The US sent the Soviets almost exclusively M54 HE shells which were worthless against tanks but lethal to bombers and fighters. The muzzle velocity was only about 600ms
Soviets used the P-39 as they would any other fighter. It mostly did fighter escort, strafing, flak suppresion, and free hunt.
There were a number of Soviet aces who had more kills in P-39's than most other Allied pilots in better aircraft types.
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Re: Best plane of WW2 
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