P-40 do you use it for dogfights?

[il2crashesnfails]

I just got the P-40 recently and I think its great for taking on bombers. The 50 cals seem to be as effective as cannon! In addition as some members here have pointed out the chances of setting target on fire increases! The landing gear seems stout aswell.

 

However, what I haven't used the P-40 for much if any yet is dog fighting. Do any members here use it in that role? 

 

 

[Reggie_Mental]

I don't like it much. It has a wheezy and asthmatic powerplant and manoeuvrability is poor because of it.

 

It does have some plus points. Good cockpit, armament, and able to absorb a lot of damage and carry on.

 

Maybe I'm flying it all wrong, but that engine is useless.  

Edited March 3, 2020 by Reggie_Mental
oops

[TheOldCrow]

59 minutes ago, Reggie_Mental said:

I don't like it much. It has a wheezy and asthmatic powerplant and manoeuvrability is poor because of it.

 

It does have some plus points. Good cockpit, armament, and able to absorb a lot of damage and carry on.

 

Maybe I'm flying it all wrong, but that engine is useless.  

 

You're definitely not wrong it is a pain to fly...but I love it. Equal advantage with a good opponent will 75% of the time get you killed.

 

I primarily use it for bouncing and hunting. stay up high and use your dive speed to make a good first pass. I can usually get 2 passes before I start to run out of steam. Plus it ahs excellent maneuverability in a dive and with speed. I find it very easy to stay behind a fleeing 109 which makes them an easy kill for my .50 cals 

[il2crashesnfails]

6 minutes ago, TheOldCrow said:

 

You're definitely not wrong it is a pain to fly...but I love it. Equal advantage with a good opponent will 75% of the time get you killed.

 

I primarily use it for bouncing and hunting. stay up high and use your dive speed to make a good first pass. I can usually get 2 passes before I start to run out of steam. Plus it ahs excellent maneuverability in a dive and with speed. I find it very easy to stay behind a fleeing 109 which makes them an easy kill for my .50 cals 

 

What if you were in a 1v1 against a 109? and it was a head on pass at same altitude? would you engage or try and flee?

[TheOldCrow]

1 hour ago, il2crashesnfails said:

 

What if you were in a 1v1 against a 109? and it was a head on pass at same altitude? would you engage or try and flee?

 

Depends on a number of factors,

 

What's my airspeed? Over 250 I may contemplate, but 200 or less I'd just dive away. Turning in would dump too much speed. Especially since the 109 rate fights better than the P-40.

 

How much fuel do I have? Less weight can give me more speed for an actual fight (this also goes for ammo I've used). 

 

What did the bandit do after the merge? If he dove I'd follow but if I'm facing an F-4 and they go vertical I know I can't follow.

 

Surprise and speed are your friends fighting in the P-40. Energy fighting keeps you in the fight longer but once you reach the deck you almost have to run.

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by TheOldCrow

[KG_S_Kalle_Kalutz82]

@il2crashesnfails

I LOVE this plane!

P-40 is always fun to fly and once you get to know it better, it becomes pretty natural aka it is not that difficult as often portrait - engine wise.

 

As mentioned from others above - its more or less a fighter which relies on energy dives and altitude.

Also it is very heavy cause of the amount of fuel you can take, but it is not a bad thing for longer missions I guess?

If you fly with only 4x MG's and additional ammo, than you can pull the trigger 48 seconds (!) ! and the caliber makes certainly damage !

 

The P-40 can also take quiet a punch to its wings and fuselage and for multirole missions you are able to arm you up for ground attack --> 500kg Bomb

[jasta11ace]

Not exactly the best sales pitch for the Curtis Aircraft company.

 

[Reggie_Mental]

Oops!

 

In light of this conversation I had another go. I don't remember ever key-mapping RPM limiter, but it must have been over-written in the last patch/upgrade/version. 

 

So SHIFT+N gives me another 25% RPM. Still not impressed much, but it is a little better. Flown carefully and smoothly it isn't so bad, and head-on attacks are fun because with 6x50s you can put a cloud of .50AP/API in front of the enemy to fly through and ruin his day.

 

Not so bad after all. 

[69th_Mobile_BBQ]

Diving bounces In single player and ground attacking are the best I can get out of it.  

Some months ago, I did try it in multiplayer.  I got a 190 A3 on my tail that tried to match energy with me.  I found that rocking side to side and not letting the wings bank too much forced an overshoot more easily than expected.   He couldn't afford to slow down any more and couldn't accelerate fast enough or climb steep enough to get away from my guns. 

I also managed to give a half-second burst into another plane for a PK as we passed 1 o'clock-to-1 o'clock.  It certainly feels like a very stable gun platform when it has enough speed.  

I don't feel uncomfortable mowing the grass to Professional Golf Association putting green regulation height when ground pounding with it either.   

LOL!  Did your chute knock down a tree?  

[il2crashesnfails]

1 hour ago, Mobile_BBQ said:

Diving bounces In single player and ground attacking are the best I can get out of it.  

Some months ago, I did try it in multiplayer.  I got a 190 A3 on my tail that tried to match energy with me.  I found that rocking side to side and not letting the wings bank too much forced an overshoot more easily than expected.   He couldn't afford to slow down any more and couldn't accelerate fast enough or climb steep enough to get away from my guns. 

I also managed to give a half-second burst into another plane for a PK as we passed 1 o'clock-to-1 o'clock.  It certainly feels like a very stable gun platform when it has enough speed.  

I don't feel uncomfortable mowing the grass to Professional Golf Association putting green regulation height when ground pounding with it either.   

LOL!  Did your chute knock down a tree?  

 

Yes I think ground attacks and slow bombers is the best fit for the p-40 now.

yep the chute knocked that big tree down!