Quote:
Originally Posted by Ernst
Yes, but the companies wants to sell the aircrafts. That tests were made with unique prepared aircrafts for sure. A front line fighter would perform different. Some aircraft were easier to maintain and repair and were most of time more "combat ready" and "trimmed" than others, or even the perfomance downgrade by wearing should be much less. Even the way the aircraft is painted or waxed made a big difference in performance. Do you think 30km/h or 60 km/h should be a great difference? An 110 nightfighter with 52 victories, named Martin Drewes, stated that it was possible to fly 30km/h faster if they do not wax their aircraft or even removing the camouflage. He says: Better to fly faster than have a better looking aircraft.
Conclusion: There are many variables in the performance showed in this tests. For sure that aircraft were prepared or used advantageous methods of analysis to match the performance requiriments in the contracts. Problaby if an aircraft had more difficult mainentance in front line it ll be most of time deviated from that "original" performance.
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Most of the tests were undertaken by the RAE, the bona fide testing organisation for the British Airforce testing on behalf of the government, these were not "manufacturer's tests". Manufacturer's test results were not the way aircraft gained approval. The RAF would not have accepted aircraft designs without the RAE's input and it was not in the RAF/Air Ministry's interest to generate false results when they were trying to determine the capabilities of their fighters to defend the country. These were production standard aircraft. Yes they may have been fairly new but where would you like them to have started? With clapped out front line aircraft?
As for wax/no wax/wear/trimmed etc., how would you like 1C to set up the Spitfires and Hurricanes, oh, and of course, the 109s? Worn/degraded to 90% performance? Or do you want 100% condition 109s and 85% condition RAF aircraft?
1C can only begin by assuming production standard aircraft, take data from genuine contemporary tests and use that. If they want to model in wear thats fine. For Axis aircraft too of course.
Some of these arguments are becoming ridiculous.