A nice thread about P39s

Aircobra were viewed by Soviet Air Force as equal in perfomance to early Yaks(which viewed as best fighters in the early years of war), better diving, better radioequipment, some better armed, but requiring a longer airfield, which were a disadvantage in Eastern front conditions.

Reason Soviet Air Force needed Yaks, LaGGs, MiGs is there were very few Aircobras in USSR before the middle of 1943, for example on 1st January 1943 there were only 105 Aircobras in the Soviet Airforces, out of 7337 fighters (862 were Hurricanes and rest soviet types).

In total number of soviet figters produced about 5000 Aircobras received before the end of war doesn't look too great. USSR receved also about 2900 Hurricanes and about 2000 P-40 early in the war, and about 1200 Spitfires Mk IX in 44-45.

 

I wasn't the first thinking like that, don't forget it

 

I will as soon as i can access my computer again. Be patient

 

Do you know how many kills did Russians get with the Airacobra?

 

I guess such statistic doesn't exist about fighters in Soviet Airforce in WW2 at all.

Maybe some time later some researchers will try to count...

I can only assume it would be less then kills in La-5/7 and Yaks, but still a lot.
Maybe even on one scale with with La-5/7, cause some very resultative air regiments used P-39 very extensivly. Let's say from top 10 Air Regiments, sorted by number of kills credited(those kills were not cross-checked to german losses) about 3-4 would be P-39 users(some for a short period of time, some from early 43 to the end of war, most kills would be made in 43-early 44 period, when it was easier then in 41-42, but still were a lot german planes in air).

 

Thanks. I read the other day (sorry, can't remember where), that the second ace in WW2 was a Russian guy in a p39. Is that true?

 

It was A.I. Pokrishkin - 59 kills officialy credited (those kills not checked to german losses).

He fought from 41 till 45, but from early 44 he was commander of Air Division and almost ceased flying combat missions personnaly . In 41-42 he also have very little kills, he was flying MiG-3, Yak-1, I-16 during this period, often on reconecesense missions. Most his kills he made in 43 in P-39.

http://mig3.sovietwarplanes.com/mig3/pokryshkin.html

 

Thx

 

I'm also have that manual too. Page 16 says its possible to do acrobatics, and page 19 with ones were forbidden.

RAF report says that some flight specifications never was reached, like speed for exemple. RAAF pilots did very similar reports. Manuals says caracteristics in best situation, the real ones are find only in pratical tests. The real reports made by pilots who flew that plane are more trustable than manual specifications. RAF and RAAF says that P39 wasn't so good. Also in page 19 (P39 In Action) the australian pilot says it was very difficult to aim with 37mm cannon, indeed "he never known about pilots who had a hit using it".

 

What will you believe: a guy who did some tests with a new plane and says it's a difficult one or a guy who used that plane for months and got 59 kills?

 

59 kills hum? With ones? Ju 87, ju52, stochs, me110 or Fw190, Me109.....?
BTW if we considering planes piloted to aces Me109, Fw190 should be invencible...., and those kills has recorded with plane was shot down.

Let it go gunther...

 

So now you say his kills don't count, without even knowing him, not knowing what planes he killed, not knowing nothing... and you pretend to discuss a subject?

What do you want, then? Just get p39 downed so you don't suck anymore when facing it? Pffff

 

You're right strafe let it go.
BTW nice signature

 

cc, no more senseless arguments?

Thx

 

I do belive in real tests in combat. A p39 has been changed a lot by russian to get i better. That's the point. As far as I'm concerned all versions should have FM reviewed, putting it more suitable a spins when doing "acrobatics".

 

If Russians changed it, and got many kills with it and liked it, why can't you "assume" that FH version matches the Russian version IRL?

First tests with it showed that it was a shit, but Russians made a beast out of it. Why should we have the shitty vesion instead the good one, that was the one used in real war? I really can't get your point...

 

I was meaning strafe signature.

 

Btw, P39 wasn't good to do some maneuvers it's a fact.
In FHL the performace in early and late they can do any hard maneuvers. P39 wasn't so so bad , bad FM should be changed putting it more inclined to get spins when doing some that related maneuvers.

 

Have you flown it enough in "war" situations? I have (it's the only plane i fly in FH), and i can tell you that it ain't so hard to get a spin in it. Try to do consecutive loopings near the ground, and you'll probably crash.

Still don't get your point. Because it wasn't a good aerobatic plane it must spin in every turn?