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Urbane Guerrilla · 08-09-2006, 02:28 AM

I think the P-51 actually had a better turning circle and roll rate than the Bf-109, which was famous for flying along "like it was on rails." The 109 somehow had a very considerable capacity to take on more and more powerful engines -- not bad for a basically 1930s design, and it really needed the extra power if loaded up with the heavy, draggy cannon packages they started using to attack bombers with. Every single-engined German fighter design struggled when loaded with extra cannons; they took quite a performance penalty, and cannon-laden fighters consequently avoided mixing it up with US escorts as much as possible. Cannon squadrons went after the bombers, while regularly-armed squadrons fought with the escort fighters.

08-09-2006, 02:28 AM	#41
Urbane Guerrilla Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 6,674	I think the P-51 actually had a better turning circle and roll rate than the Bf-109, which was famous for flying along "like it was on rails." The 109 somehow had a very considerable capacity to take on more and more powerful engines -- not bad for a basically 1930s design, and it really needed the extra power if loaded up with the heavy, draggy cannon packages they started using to attack bombers with. Every single-engined German fighter design struggled when loaded with extra cannons; they took quite a performance penalty, and cannon-laden fighters consequently avoided mixing it up with US escorts as much as possible. Cannon squadrons went after the bombers, while regularly-armed squadrons fought with the escort fighters. __________________ Wanna stop school shootings? End Gun-Free Zones, of course. Last edited by Urbane Guerrilla; 08-09-2006 at 02:32 AM.