P-40E first impressions

[Brano]

My feelings in few points.

1. It is slower then LaGG or Yak,particulary at altitude where they have the best performance (3800-4000m)

2. Climb rate is worse

3. Burns energy quickly in turns

4. Has poor acceleration comparing to LaGG,not mentioning the Yak.

 

To sum it up.LaGG or Yak can do everything better then P-40E.I dont say it is a crap fighter.It is just not suitable for eastern front environment.When I fly it,I feel like riding an old horse.No matter how hard I try to beat it,it wont run faster

In pacific it could do much more noise fighting nimble but not so fast japanese planes.

[BlitzPig_EL]

Indeed JtD.

 

The P 40 can roll that quickly at speeds that the I 16 can't even achieve.

 

What is the roll rate of the Yak 1 or Lagg 3 at various speeds?

 

I can see I may have to break down and purchase this thing and see what all the hubub is about.

Edited October 8, 2015 by BlitzPig_EL

[ShamrockOneFive]

I've been having a blast with the P-40E as a fighter-bomber in the offline scenarios. Its a lot of fun strafing vehicles and trains and shooting them up.

 

Its no doubt not as good as the Bf109F-4 or G-2... but I honestly don't think it would stop me from trying my luck with it. Its such a fun type to fly and the firepower makes for some snap shot possibilities that you may just not make in the Yak-1, LaGG-3, or La-5.

[Finkeren]

Last night, I did a series of quick missions in the LaGG-3 against different opponents (ace AI) and got absolutely slaughtered by all the fighters, because it's been quite a while since I last flew the LaGG. The only exception was when going up against the P-40. It felt so weird actually being able to energy fight another fighter to death in the LaGG. I massacred 5 ace Warhawks in a row and the moved on to be killed some more by the Macchi.

 

I know the AI propably isn't yet optimised for flying the P-40, but still it's saying something.

[andyw248]

Some anecdotal stuff about the P-40... excerpts from Eric Bergerud, "Fire in the Sky - The Air War in the South Pacific":

 

p. 243 (interview Joel Paris):

 

Stall and landing:

"It was an unforgiving airplane. If you stalled it more than two feet upside down it was liable to land more than two feet off the ground. It had vicious stall characteristics."

 

Against Zeroes:

"You could outturn him at high speed. When you got in a turning fight with him, you dropped your nose down so you kept your airspeed up, you could outturn him."

"If your speed was up over 275, you could outroll it."

"But if you kept it going up to 250 or more you could outclimb him."

 

He says this because the max speed of the Zero was lower than the max speed of the P-40 (which is not the case with its opponents in BoS or BoM).

[keeno]

Finkeren,

 

agreed, I get beaten by every fighter when I fly the P40 offline and Ai set to ace. Then I fly every fighter and destroy the P40 when Ai set to ace. I love it, but its a terrible fighter, I'm surprised how bad it is. Strictly a ground attack plane for me, I haven't tried it online but I bet its a death-trap!

 

Cheers.

[Eldur]

First impression: The RPM governor is broken. Switching Auto/Man does nothing as well as sliding the RPM handle back and forth. Hitting 4k RPM with less than 50% throttle, engine dying very quickly if not flown carefully (just gave it a try, I knew I'd blow it). What am I missing?

[Eldur]

 

Prop pitch does not respond any commands when cold start is selected from the option and starting point is parked. Levers move like they should but engine won´t take commands. Even when select AUTO/MANUAL. And after 5 minutes flying game crashes. (occured and tested once with cold start and parked) When choose option to start from the runway, everything works fine even when "cold start" is selected. Posted to technical page

In Expert mode or Custom mode you ave to use the same controls you assigned for your Bf109 and Fw190 prop pitch manual control - the prop rpm axis is not functional.

 

This doesn't work either... both the RPM axis which makes the lever move and the buttons used to change german Verstellpropeller pitch won't do anything to the engine. Max level speed ~ 200mph, 3000rpm @ 20 inches MP. My guess was already that this is related to some difficulty settings. I prefer to fly Expert - prewarmed engine + external views. No joy here.

[Wulf]

I'm starting to have second thoughts about the P 40.  I don't have it (yet) so I haven't flown it  - only against it, but there are signs that it may not be a complete dog after all.

 

If it's flown like the Russian machines so often are (500-1000 m off the deck) it appears to be a total death-trap.  Defensively it can be reasonably elusive for a time but eventually its lack of speed and acceleration mean it never seems able to go on the offensive.  Typically in these circumstances it just becomes a relatively easy target for sustained energy attacks.

 

However,  if like a 190, it is flown at speed (and that really means engaging with an initial altitude advantage - there's no way round that) I think it has the potential to be quite effective.  I don't think it will ever be as good as a Yak or La of course but if flown carefully and at speed, and using it's rolrate as it's primary means of maneuver, it may not be quite as bad as I initially thought. 

[BlitzPig_EL]

Welcome to the Flying Tigers.

[Reflected]

Greetings from the RAF museum!