Quote:
Originally Posted by Pursuivant
Ah, that I don't know. I naively assumed that the Hawk-81 in the game was based on historical evidence. Perhaps a modder or a DT member who's seen the FM code for the model could tell us.
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I can't tell you about the FM code, but when I originally built the H81-A2 pits (along with the P-40B/C and Tomahawk IIB/IIC pits) for PacFi, the idea was to depict the AVG's aircraft specifically.
My research indicated a few things:
- the AVG's aircraft were transitionals that didn't fit the exact technical order of any of the contemporary USAAC or RAF P-40 models.
- They arrived in Rangoon without wing guns. The AVG scrounged two squadrons worth of either .303 or .30 cal Brownings, and one squadron's worth of 7.92 guns; I believe (it's been 8 years, pardon my memory) that they arrived with the .50 cal nose guns, as Chuck Baidsen recalls working with .50 cal ammo and having to link much of it manually
- Because the aircraft, and their engines, were unusual diversions from the hectic war production lines, Curtis was short on engines to equip the aircraft. As a result, they hand-fitted rejected parts together until they had enough functioning engines. Because those engines were literally hand-fitted, the tolerances were much closer than most and the engines resultingly produced more power than production line V1710s. This is corroborated by experiences of the pilots, ground crew... and the IJA.
Some reports put the resulting HP figure north of 1200, and several points in my research mentioned 50" or more of manifold pressure.
- The aircraft also arrived without proper reflex gunsights and the AVG field-fabricated their own reflectors to make due. That is what led to the unique hanging sight in the H81-A2 pit model, and it was modeled based off photos of the actual AVG sights (which were VERY hard to come by, especially in 2004!)
- My photographs did NOT show angled cockpit armor glass like the plate in the Flying Heritage Collection's restored P-40C.
- There were conflicting reports about the AVG aircraft's capabilities to carry bombs (there were some field experiments to try and add that option, but the "how" is lost to history), but all my sources concluded they could NOT carry drop tanks.
- They also lacked the self-sealing fuel tanks of P-40Cs
- They featured earlier control-stick mounted hydraulic actuator switches, which I missed when I built them.
- Dan Ford's research, and Erik Shilling's notes, indicate they had earlier foot treadle starters. I couldn't, and still can't, find a photograph or diagram or anything except brief mentions of this system, versus the later toggle switch starter. That feature, though, indicates the aircraft significantly preceded the P-40C production span, as it was eliminated early in the H81 model line.
- The FM (hopefully) also reflects the droop (less than an inch) that was added by the AVG to the ailerons which benefited handling.