P-40E first impressions

[Finkeren]

Took the P-40 out for a few flights, and I must say, it was very satisfying and mostly what I expected, so I thought I'd share my first thoughts:

 

The external model is absolutely great. The most accurate P-40 I've seen in a sim in terms of proportions, which for some reason seems hard for modellers to get right. Cockpit looks nice and is an improvement over BoS cockpits but still nothing spectacular. The canopy is heavy framed and kinda restrictive to vision but nowhere near as bad as the Macchi. For some reason I get a feeling, that the cockpit is quite a bit smaller, than it appears from the outside. It feels just as cramped as sitting in the Yak.

 

The engine sound is awesome, best in the entire sim, but the .50 cals sound extremely puny and not at all what I'd expect (not saying it's wrong though)

 

It handles really, really nice. I'd say by far the most pleasant plane to fly in all of BoS/BoM in both combat situations and normal flight. Taxiing is a breeze too but will ground loop when oversteered and has a tendency to nose over when too much power is applied (the plane requires very little throttle input to get rolling). Stalls are very gentle and it's quite reluctant to even enter an accelerated stall at all.

 

The P-40 is very agile with great handling, strong roll, good turn rate, awesome dive characteristics and responsive and well-harmonized controls. If not for the fact that it's underpowered it would make a stunningly good fighter.

 

However: The climb rate and acceleration (except in a dive) is horrendously bad (as it should be). Unlike pretty much any other fighter in the sim, it has a marked tendency to lose a significant amount of altitude during a normal turn, and in a low level dogfight you have to really struggle to keep it from slamming into the ground. German pilots will quickly adapt to fighting these planes, as they can easily beat them in the vertical.

 

The 6 HMGs is a fearsome firepower, but in no way is it the equal of a four-cannon Fw 190 when it comes to damaging other aircraft. The wing mounted guns clearly require more careful aiming and in general fewer rounds are hitting the target than we're used to. Still I managed to critically damage 3 He 111s in a single pass, so clearly it's lethal enough. The guns take out soft ground targets with impressive speed, requiring only a quick tap on the trigger to destroy trucks. As a gun platform it is nothing short of rock solid. Very stable.

 

Engine management is easy as pie, though the dashboard is a bit confusing for me. The cooling is extremely effective, such that you have to be very careful not to overcool even on combat power. This will come in handy, when the summer maps arrive. I predict that the P-40 will pretty much be the only VVS plane capable of maintaining combat power without overheating very quickly in the summer heat.

 

The plane seems quite tough and resillient to damage as well as rough landings. During my attack on the He 111s I took a lot of return fire and even though they finally (after many, many hits) managed to inflict an oil leak, permanent engine damage, coolant leak and a lot of bullet holes, the aircraft still flew very nicely and took me safely home for a succesful landing.

 

All things considered, I think the P-40E is modelled very well, and was it not for the fact that it's severely underpowered, it would be my new favourite fighter. As things stand, it'll have to do with being my new favourite bomber killer and ground attack fighter (surpassing the LaGG-3 in every capacity other than tank busting ability)

 

Great job devs, you've made another winner

Edited September 29, 2015 by Finkeren

[SR-F_Winger]

Thanks! Pretty much what i would have expected.

Cant wait to get homw to try it out.

[LLv24_Zami]

Interesting analysis, thanks!

BTW, was P-40 in Stalingrad?

[LukeFF]

Yes

[=362nd_FS=Hiromachi]

As I spent some time testing it, quite a bit actually and saw progress I thought I could share my impressions and some notes on the handling. Dont want to pick up on you Finkeren, just add something here and there or give my impression to the thing

 

The engine sound is awesome, best in the entire sim, but the .50 cals sound extremely puny and not at all what I'd expect (not saying it's wrong though)

Yeah, I hoped for this :

 

 

 

It handles really, really nice.

Just to add, at full fuel and especially low speed you should feel sort of oscillation, that is due to fact that P-40 in such situation was unstable. 

 

Stalls are very gentle and it's quite reluctant to even enter an accelerated stall at all.

Try to pass the stall and force it into spin. It will be a very vicious spin, like it had in reality. It was acutally fun to die that way 

 

awesome dive characteristics and responsive and well-harmonized controls.

Above 380 mph it goes heavy on the elevator and recovery is not easy, controls require often a bigger application of a rudder but that is natural and realistic. P-40 had serious issues with the rudder.

 

Engine management is easy as pie, though the dashboard is a bit confusing for me. The cooling is extremely effective, such that you have to be very careful not to overcool even on combat power.

There is no need to be concerned with cooling, I run it at 20 % shutters to keep minimal cooling as in winter condition Allison is hard to overheat, its in fact easier to break engine due to excessive rpm than overheat it. 

 

In regard to engine settings, 2600 to 3000 RPM is permitted for limited time. After that you may break your engine so normally try to operate the engine at 2500-2600 RPM. 

 

Hope that helps

Edited September 29, 2015 by =LD=Hiromachi

[Dakpilot]

P40E Involved in very intensive fighting at Stalingrad until Squadron suffered so much losses that had to be withdrawn and rebuilt/re-equipped (La-5's)

 

Still waiting on my unfeasibly slow 2nd world internet download speed....maybe tonight

 

Cheers Dakpilot

[TWC_Ace]

thanks Fink, your report summarizes what we know about that plane from RL accounts...

[6./ZG26_Gielow]

The MGs sounds are low and looks like 7.7mm 

 

This plane gun system is totally spray and pray    

 

She is not quite fast but turns well and has excellent payload options.

 

HUGE longitudinal instability   

 

Fun plane for sure !!!

 

Bring a wingman if you wanna come back alive 

Edited September 29, 2015 by =[Coffin]=Gielow

[ST_ami7b5]

Interesting reading:

http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/english/articles/romanenko/p-40/

[Guest deleted@50488]

Excellent reviews Finkeren et al...  Looking fwd to get home :-)

[6./ZG26_5tuka]

The MGs sounds are low and looks like 7.7mm 

Yea it is exactly the same as the UBS machine gun only quieter. I don't mind devs cutting some corners here and there but especially in terms of engine and weapon sounds this seems to be an increasingly common practise which bothers me.

 

Don't know abou the exteriour sound, it sounds like a tractor engine in FMod.

[keeno]

Thanks for the reviews guys, downloading now so I had time to read. 

 

Cheers

[Blitzen]

Screenshots? Tracks?

[LukeFF]

This plane gun system is totally spray and pray

 

Only if you don't know how to aim.

Edited September 29, 2015 by LukeFF

[6./ZG26_Gielow]

Uploading one video right now 

Only if you don't know how to aim.

 I am sorry Luke. I am too bad compared to you. Really sorry !!  I apologize for what I said. I hope You pardon me someday.

[Finkeren]

Just to add, at full fuel and especially low speed you should feel sort of oscillation, that is due to fact that P-40 in such situation was unstable.

 

Try to pass the stall and force it into spin. It will be a very vicious spin, like it had in reality. It was acutally fun to die that way

 

Above 380 mph it goes heavy on the elevator and recovery is not easy, controls require often a bigger application of a rudder but that is natural and realistic. P-40 had serious issues with the rudder.

 

There is no need to be concerned with cooling, I run it at 20 % shutters to keep minimal cooling as in winter condition Allison is hard to overheat, its in fact easier to break engine due to excessive rpm than overheat it.

 

In regard to engine settings, 2600 to 3000 RPM is permitted for limited time. After that you may break your engine so normally try to operate the engine at 2500-2600 RPM.

 

Hope that helps

Thanks for those input

 

I admit I only had time for a few test flights and two combat flights, before writing this.

 

About the oscillation at full fuel load: Only my first flight (startup - taxi - take off and landing) was with full fuel (the rest were done at 65%) I did notice less stability, but not the oscillation. Will have to try that again.

 

I only spun it once and while onset of the spin was violent (just getting into the spin required some effort) I found it easy to recover from. I'll have to test further.

 

About the insufficient rudder: Maybe it's because I still use a twister stick (my pedals broke after 4 days of use and still haven't got my replacements) so I generally find rudders to be over-sensitive. Maybe sluggish rudder on the P-40 suits me better?

 

The only high speed testing I did was in a series of 3 dives, and while I did experience heavy elevator in the pull out, it really wasn't any worse than on the Bf 109.

 

All in all: With the details you provided it really seems the modelling is quite accurate and very detailed.

 

I believe I'm gonna have fun getting killed a lot in this plane

[AndyJWest]

Landing is going to need more practice. 

 

 

I came in far too fast, and bounced repeatedly...

[LukeFF]

If you guys want to see something cool with the cockpit, set up a nighttime mission and turn on your cockpit lights.

[IIN8II]

oh yeah downloading!!!

[LukeFF]

Landing is going to need more practice. 

 

I came in far too fast, and bounced repeatedly...

 

LOL yeah, it does take a lot of practice to land this plane properly. Landing in 3-point configuration is a must. 

[Feathered_IV]

Downloading....   Might take a while.  The joys of living in a country where my government thinks that 275kbs is "fast enough".

[Finkeren]

LOL yeah, it does take a lot of practice to land this plane properly. Landing in 3-point configuration is a must.

Really? I found it rather easy to land, and I landed it in both 2- and 3-point attitude.

I must've gotten lucky

 

In any case, it helps a lot in landing that the low speed handling is so pleasant.

[Finkeren]

This thing kinda reminds me more of a rhinoceros than a hawk actually

 

It's a big, hulking beast. Strong, powerful and resillient. Quite gentle unless provoked at which point it will destroy you. Fast enough once it gets going and can surprise you by being far more agile than it looks.

 

Just don't ask it to climb a tree :D

Edited September 29, 2015 by Finkeren

[Guest deleted@50488]

Regarding accelerated stalls...

 

 

and takeoffs...

 

Edited September 29, 2015 by jcomm

[System87]

As I spent some time testing it, quite a bit actually and saw progress I thought I could share my impressions and some notes on the handling. Dont want to pick up on you Finkeren, just add something here and there or give my impression to the thing

 

Yeah, I hoped for this :

 

 

 

Just to add, at full fuel and especially low speed you should feel sort of oscillation, that is due to fact that P-40 in such situation was unstable. 

 

Try to pass the stall and force it into spin. It will be a very vicious spin, like it had in reality. It was acutally fun to die that way 

 

Above 380 mph it goes heavy on the elevator and recovery is not easy, controls require often a bigger application of a rudder but that is natural and realistic. P-40 had serious issues with the rudder.

 

There is no need to be concerned with cooling, I run it at 20 % shutters to keep minimal cooling as in winter condition Allison is hard to overheat, its in fact easier to break engine due to excessive rpm than overheat it. 

 

In regard to engine settings, 2600 to 3000 RPM is permitted for limited time. After that you may break your engine so normally try to operate the engine at 2500-2600 RPM. 

 

Hope that helps

 

Just blew 2 engines in 20min, was flying around with 2900rpm. Thnx for the tip!

[Y-29.Silky]

Ah! The DCS 1.5 Beta is taking too long to download so I am pressing "Cancel", because I have been waiting for the P-40 for over a year!
 

 

BTW, was P-40 in Stalingrad?

Yes. And very active in the Summer, 268th IAD (might have to check my books) flew 194 combat sorties by mid-September. 
 

Edited September 29, 2015 by Y-29.Silky

[BMA_FlyingShark]

I am pleasantly surprised to see that the propellor pitch can be handled in both ways as in the real thing.

 

[EAF19_Marsh]

Excited like small child; just got a new i7 and Track IR5 but yet to fire it all up; what a perfect way to test it out

[SYN_Mike77]

I have a strange feeling that today's lecture on using evidence in argumenative settings may be a tad rushed!! Luckily, my target audience (college students) has an innate sense of the importance of trying out new gaming experiences!

[6./ZG26_Gielow]

Video here:  

 

 

Full screen and turn it loud

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Here's mine

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5DdvlFUzME

[Matt]

Only had a few flights so far.

 

It's big (especially notciable during take-off and landing), pretty slow (i had troble catching AI 202s) and can get into some nasty spins (has to be forced though). 

 

The cockpit looks nice, especially with the instruments lights turned on. Engine sounds are good and while i agree that the 50 cals sound a bit weak, i like that they sound much less artificial than almost all other gun sounds in BoS imho. It has a very effective radiator/oil cooler. Overheating requires fully closed cowling flaps and flying at slow speed with emergency power, you're more likely to overcool it if you're used to the other planes. Armament is very powerful, i had  lots of flamers and pilot kills.

 

One interesting feature i noticed, was that the emergency power time limit can be recovered after flying with continous power for some minutes.

 

Overall, it's a pretty bad performer though. The climbrate is particularly bad and you basically can't catch anything (yet).

 

I was not that thrilled with the Mc.202 and only really like the I-16 for ground attacks, but the P-40 feels great to fly, despite it's lack in performance and i might fly it a lot in singleplayer. It's definately my favorite BoM plane so far.

[Reflected]

Oh boy, I had to go back to basic training! I couldn't land the damned thing! :D

 

Then I realized that the 3 point attitude is a lot higher than I thought, and you have to come in with a little throttle. After touchdown you shouldn't cut the throttle to keep the plane straight. Kinda like the N17 in RoF

 

What is the official approach speed? 120-130 mph?

 

In combat it seems terribly underpowered compared to 109-s and 190-s.

 

The only thing I'm disappointed about are the gun sounds.

[IIN8II]

[Y-29.Silky]

Got to 260mph at 6000m, thought the turn rate was decent especially when using flaps. I was able to cut into a 109's turn a few times which is easy to do coming out of a dive. The roll is great to the left, not so much to the right. Acceleration isn't great so you have to be at level flight for a while before you arrive at an AO to have energy. The damage structure is an effin tank. Rudder is sensitive, trimming it out helps. With that said I flew it in the WoL server, mixed it up with a 109, got on his 6, landed a few hits, lost ALL my energy and.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He ran away.

Edited September 29, 2015 by Y-29.Silky

[-TBC-AeroAce]

One little thing I have noticed is that you have to be very proactive with all of the trims that are available. If you do this then you will get the most out of it and not completely over stress your hand holding the stick right all the time

[=362nd_FS=Hiromachi]

 With that said I flew it in the WoL server, mixed it up with a 109, got on his 6, landed a few hits, lost ALL my energy and.......

 

He ran away.

It was either F-4 or G-2, in any case you could as well be happy to be alive. P-40 burns energy quick and than its much easier target. 

[System87]

I think the fuel gauge is not working. Can anyone confirm?

[Chuck_Owl]

I might have to update BoS after all... Who knows? Maybe the Warhawk will get me back in this sim.

 

I really love the engine sounds btw.

[LukeFF]

I think the fuel gauge is not working. Can anyone confirm?

 

All three are working.