Plane Ratings

[dannyAtown]

I know it would take a LOT of time and effort for someone to do - but it would be great if someone posted up a list of all the planes and their strengths/weaknesses or pros/cons.

This would be a great help to those of us who have no idea what the differences are between planes. I know playing through the single player campaign will give you some idea, but not much.

I love this game and will be spending a lot of time with it - however, i couldn't tell ye (for example) if the spitfire is better/worse than the ju-87 (which is faster? which has a better turning radius? better weapons? etc...)

Thanks peeps! :grin:

[H Lecter]

however, i couldn't tell ye (for example) if the spitfire is better/worse than the ju-87 (which is faster? which has a better turning radius? better weapons? etc...)

The Spitfire is superior in every regard except bombing for obvious reasons. It's faster, accelerates better, turns tighter and has better guns. The JU-87 needed fighter escorts to be kept alive.

But a comparison between all the planes would be great for sure!

[dannyAtown]

Thanks lecter, but that was only an example i was giving. I have little to no knowledge of ww2 planes - so a guide/comparison of each of the planes would be a god-send!!

(thanks though!) ;)

[King Jareth]

Given the popularity of WWII sims on PC I'm sure someone could google up a list of "vital statistics" (but not me I'm at work and shouldnt even be on here....).

[dannyAtown]

bump

(i won't rest till someone does this!)

[mondo]

Probably easiest to go here and look up the plane you want to know about:
http://www.spitfireperformance.co.uk/
Be sure to look for the exact version, a Spitfire MkIA is completely different to a MkIX for instance. Combat reports are also interesting to read as they compare to the nearest competitor. Reading the Tempest V trials report against a P51B shows exactly why your question is so hard to answer.

What your asking is hard to quantify easily as an early war plane, even a good one is massivly eclipsed by later war planes or top speed, top turning circle, roll rates, ROC etc are all subject to altitude or speed.

[mondo]

The Spitfire is superior in every regard except bombing for obvious reasons. It's faster, accelerates better, turns tighter and has better guns.

Almost all the Spits were actually quite slow (at all heights as well) compared with what they fought and quite poor accelerators. The P51D and the 190's have much better acceleration and top speed at all heights.

You'd probably be also shocked that the main ground attack aircraft used by the RAF in 1944/45 was the Spitfire IX. ;)

[H Lecter]

Almost all the Spits were actually quite slow (at all heights as well) compared with what they fought and quite poor accelerators. The P51D and the 190's have much better acceleration and top speed at all heights.

You'd probably be also shocked that the main ground attack aircraft used by the RAF in 1944/45 was the Spitfire IX. ;)

Slower and worse accelerating than a JU-87? I only referred to this comparison and I know that the Spit is not really fast.

I'm not shocked at all, and you will agree that a JU-87 is a better bomber than a Spitfire ;)

[dannyAtown]

I know i'm asking a lot for someone to type up a full guide to the planes - but something like this (in the game) would have worked well;

Acceleration: ***
Top Speed: ****
Turning: **
Weapons: *****

Ye get the idea!

[David603]

Almost all the Spits were actually quite slow (at all heights as well) compared with what they fought and quite poor accelerators. The P51D and the 190's have much better acceleration and top speed at all heights.
Not true. Take a typical late model merlin Spitfire such as the MkVIII or MkIX and you will find it is roughly as fast as a Fw190A5 at all altitudes, though around 25-30mph slower than a P51D at any altitude. However acceleration is better than either fighter, considerably so in the case of the P51D, and a VIII or IX will outclimb a P51D by more than 1000ft per min starting at sea level, and can maintain this kind of advantage up to around 20,000ft, where the climb rates start to become more even and the Spitfire only has a 500ft per min advantage. The Spit can outclimb a Fw190A5 by about 500ft per min at sea level and once over 20,000ft the gap just gets bigger. Compared to a Fw190D9 the Spit will have a similar climb rate and acceleration advantage as over the Fw190A5 but without the D9 falling away so much in climb rate above 20,000ft, and the D9 will be around 30mph faster low down, this advantage dropping to around 15mph at 20,000ft.
You'd probably be also shocked that the main ground attack aircraft used by the RAF in 1944/45 was the Spitfire IX. ;)
This was not because the Spitfire was considered a poor fighter at this point but because the Spitfire lacked the range to be a long range escort, an given its good performance low down and availability in numbers this was the obvious choice for the ground attack/low level intruder role.

[haitch40]

u love ur spitfire man why dont u buy 1
12 and a half grand (in 1940)

[David603]

u love ur spitfire man why dont u buy 1
12 and a half grand (in 1940)
and about 2 million now........

[haitch40]

and about 2 million now........

ahh thats worth my 2 bugati veyrons lol
im not that rich so dont send hate male or ask me for money (although i ordered a taxi today and got a merc for no extra)

[Chips86]

Probably easiest to go here and look up the plane you want to know about:
http://www.spitfireperformance.co.uk/
.

Dont know about anyone else, but this just took me to a car tuning website? Is this the right website?

[haitch40]

Dont know about anyone else, but this just took me to a car tuning website? Is this the right website?

your on the right page 2 cars donuting and guns =dogfight lol :D :P
btw i got it too

[towman]

@dannyAtown
I know i'm asking a lot for someone to type up a full guide to the planes - but something like this (in the game) would have worked well;

Acceleration: ***
Top Speed: ****
Turning: **
Weapons: *****

Ye get the idea!

How about you do this yourself, obviously you have internet access, you can get the list of the planes in the game in this forum. Go to wikipedia (mostly accurate data can be found there) and read upon the subject, you'll learn so much, and not just about engineering and technology of ww2 planes, but history as well. Believe me it is a fun subject.

Ok, father speech mode off, but seriously...

[dannyAtown]

Well i would do it myself - but i thought it was pretty obvious that i'm bone-lazy... :rolleyes:

Only kidding. Though i thought that someone, who already has a good knowledge of ww2 planes would enjoy an excercise like this and wouldn't mind doing it! ;)

Child-like rant over...

[mondo]

Not true. Take a typical late model merlin Spitfire such as the MkVIII or MkIX and you will find it is roughly as fast as a Fw190A5 at all altitudes, though around 25-30mph slower than a P51D at any altitude. However acceleration is better than either fighter, considerably so in the case of the P51D, and a VIII or IX will outclimb a P51D by more than 1000ft per min starting at sea level, and can maintain this kind of advantage up to around 20,000ft, where the climb rates start to become more even and the Spitfire only has a 500ft per min advantage. The Spit can outclimb a Fw190A5 by about 500ft per min at sea level and once over 20,000ft the gap just gets bigger. Compared to a Fw190D9 the Spit will have a similar climb rate and acceleration advantage as over the Fw190A5 but without the D9 falling away so much in climb rate above 20,000ft, and the D9 will be around 30mph faster low down, this advantage dropping to around 15mph at 20,000ft.


Where did I say climb rate? ;) I said speed and acceleration, not climb rate.

I'm just stating what the RAE's own performance and test data states. You can dispute it but the data is there and publically available.


This was not because the Spitfire was considered a poor fighter at this point but because the Spitfire lacked the range to be a long range escort, an given its good performance low down and availability in numbers this was the obvious choice for the ground attack/low level intruder role.

Availability in numbers yes, its low altitude performance against A6's and A8's which it went up against (JG2 and JG26 who guarded Northern France were mainly armed with 190 A6's and A8's at the time of invasion) was quite poor! Its why a 150 grade octane and 25lbs boost was pushed through despite the problems associated with it. Even then they still were just about level with an A6 at low and medium altitude but no where near close A8's and D9's at any altitude.

When it was used in that role it was also used as an escort as the forward 2nd TAF bases allowed Spits to escort bomber command and 2nd TAF's own twins over Germany in daylight. I recommend getting the 2nd TAF volumes 2 and 3 ;)

[sniperpride]

The planes in real life have different abilities then in the game. Sorry to say. The game does not do justice to several planes in the game. Therefore its pointless to say, hey the P-51 kicked ass in ww2 it must be awesome in the game as an example...

[David603]

The planes in real life have different abilities then in the game. Sorry to say. The game does not do justice to several planes in the game. Therefore its pointless to say, hey the P-51 kicked ass in ww2 it must be awesome in the game as an example...
Are you going to provide any examples of the flight models differing from their real counterparts? To me at least the fight models seem very accurate.

[Soviet Ace]

I-16 I give a 9.4/10

La-5FN 9.7/10

La-7 9.5/10

Yak-3 10/10 Besides the canopy, they really hit the spot with accuracy on this plane.

[trk29]

I-16 I give a 9.4/10

La-5FN 9.7/10

La-7 9.5/10

Yak-3 10/10 Besides the canopy, they really hit the spot with accuracy on this plane.

I haven't gotten it yet but what is wrong with the canopy?

[Soviet Ace]

I haven't gotten it yet but what is wrong with the canopy?

Well, it has a Yak-1 canopy. Now I know they couldn't make every canopy etc. but it's just kinda sad because they added the cockpit which is on every Yak besides the Yak-3. The Yak-1,7, and 9 all had a mullion, which is the metal strips in the canopy in front. The Yak-3 didn't have that, which increased the forward visibility for the pilot. I'm sure they could easily put the Yak-3 canopy in a DLC!!

Yak-1B Mullion
http://www.jdburgessonline.com/images/boxart/yak1_mastercraft.jpg

Yak-3 No Mullion
http://www.redstarrc.com/Pictures/Yak-3/Yak-3_1.jpg

As you can see, the Yak-3 pilot has nothing obstructing his forward view.

[sniperpride]

Are you going to provide any examples of the flight models differing from their real counterparts? To me at least the fight models seem very accurate.

The planes look accurate. But what the heck is wrong with the Me-262. I know it wasnt the most nimble of birds but really.... its worthless in the game.

[Swagger7]

The planes look accurate. But what the heck is wrong with the Me-262. I know it wasnt the most nimble of birds but really.... its worthless in the game.

It really was that junky. Speed was pretty much its only asset. (Which is good for us, otherwise the MP would turn into "262s of Prey") ;)