Fighting in the P-40

[Cybermat47]

I was wondering, how do I fight other fighters in the P-40? I might be doing something wrong, but I find that the Kittyhawk slows down to stall speed while turning. I can see surprise diving attacks working, but fighting vertical seems to be suicide when facing 109s and 190s.

 

Is there something I'm missing, or is the P-40 best kept for destroying bombers, attackers, and ground targets?

[Thad]

Salutations,

 

No... I don't think there is anything you are missing. The P-40 is best used for bomber and ground target attacks. Unless you can sneak up on a enemy fighter and get the first volley in... you are probably going down in flames.

[Mad_Mikhael]

Speed is the key. It's great plane to fight against E-7s   So if you want to fly it as a fighter and have fun, join a TAW server. At the begining of campaing it's a P40 vs. E-7 and MC 202.

[Nic727]

P40 is a retard plane... Engine take 2 minutes to start and after that you have to figure how to be in "continuous" mode without overheating the plane and by changing RPM and Throttles constantly.

 

In most flight I have my RPM at 70% and Throttle 80% to have speed in continuous mode, but don't expect to fight... It still slow. The only time you can really fight is when you are above the enemies and go down (faster). I think it's a good fighter to destroy bombers since it has a good firepower, but don't expect to win easily against BF109 and FW190.

[=IL2AU=chappyj]

p40 is superiour in many ways to the early planes for the axis . e7s and f2s will struggle against it. 

dont listen to people that tell you its a bad plane, its not. and its not just a ground attacker either.  its just outperformed after the f4 arrives. 

 

what will it do well:

 

it dives like a banshee. its heavy and it keeps its roll at high speeds when the 109 doesnt. Start high. always. if the 109 tries to dive away and run, you will kill him because you will outdive him, retain manouevrability when he is locked up and catch him in the first minute or so at level on the deck as you retain that momentum. 

 

gunnery: it has 6 50s. they spew out heavy ap rounds that destroy things. Use long burst at medium ranges and walk your rounds onto your target if you have to. you have plenty of trigger time

 

 

it takes damage, you can survive a lot of hits, and your engine will often get you home despite smoking and damage. 

 

turning: it will out-turn an f2, but will be evenly matched vs the e7. Dont get into a slow horizontal ground turn fight though. use altitude to trade for speed in a turn fight in descending spiral if you have to. dont go near stall speed

 

finally; fly in pairs at least. goes for pretty much any fighter

 

donts:

 

dont try to sustain climb out of danger, nor should you chase a 109 in a sustained climb. 

 

 

defensively, if you are caught lower than a 109 and he attacks. split S as he comes down into gun range. he will be less manouevreable and will not be able to get a shot off. come back up and try a very short zoom or pull shot on him if he's zooming up but dont stall out. again you have lots of trigger time so walk some rounds up at him above and then get level before you get too close to stall.

 

play with your convergence settings. try 250 or 300m to assist with the longer and medium range kills 

Edited November 20, 2017 by =WFPK=chappyj

[lightswitch]

I love the P-40. I generally never follow the enemy into the vertical. If they try to pull me up I climb a little then level out into a level turn and watch the bandit. Once I figure out which direction he intends to come down I time my turn so that he overshoots and I can follow him down. You have to be careful to not get into a slow defensive fight. Once you get slow the plane gets really heavy and unresponsive, I’d say around 180 MPH. As stated earlier the engine mangement is quite complex. You really need to know how to operate the throttle and RPM so that you stay in continuous range. I usually use about 2600-2900 RPM and 36 inches manifold. You have to be careful because it does not have over boost protection, so in a dive your manifold pressure will increase past red line. There is a lot of throttle work in this aircraft.

Edited November 20, 2017 by lightswitch

[=IL2AU=chappyj]

you can run it for 30 mins at about 42 inch and 2600 rpm pretty reliably. just watch the overspeed on the dive

[Leon_Portier]

That thing does a barrel roll and stall every turn! Is it really combat able?

[lightswitch]

That thing does a barrel roll and stall every turn! Is it really combat able?

Sure is. Just have to keep that airspeed up. It needs speed to fight. If you get into a slow turning fight you’re dead.

[Leon_Portier]

Sure is. Just have to keep that airspeed up. It needs speed to fight. If you get into a slow turning fight you’re dead.

 

Hey thanks light! So the P40 is like an energy fighter, meaning you alwas have to go fast!

[lightswitch]

I find it’s best to climb up high and zoom fighters. Or I try and dive to gain a bit of energy and get on someone’s tail. This fighter loses energy as fast as it can gain it so you want to try and end fights quickly. Also, in any fight really, always keep the fight neutral if you can’t get an angle on the enemy. Leave yourself an escape if things go downhill.

[56RAF_Roblex]

Hey thanks light! So the P40 is like an energy fighter, meaning you alwas have to go fast!

 

Yes but don't think it is a Fw190.   It dives like one but does not climb like one :-)      The secret is to use those powerful guns to make sure of the kill first time.   If it looks like your victim has seen you coming and is going to evade you then abort straight away and climb back up to see if you can get another chance.  If an enemy climbs up to you then dive away in a shallow dive and keep going.