Quote:
Originally Posted by Kurfürst
Sustained turn is just the maximum g-load at which drag = thrust. Maximum sustained turn (i.e. the number usually quoted for turn times) is always achieved at lower speeds, but that doesn't mean the trends continue to high speeds and may be reversed.
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Very true, but this has nothing to do with a sustained turn time. Say you're attacking a Spitfire in a Fw 190. You're much faster, he breaks and at that speed difference (him slowish, you very fast), you can turn inside him for long enough to place a burst in front of him. You lose some speed, he loses a wing if you hit, but that's not a sustained turn competitiion. You would never ever even at this theoretical advantage at this particular speeds enter a turn and burn fight and remain in that turn because you would lose the fight.
Not to mention G-load and blackout. Or if you're in a 109 the elevator stiffness at high speed would be (and is) a massive issue, too. In a sustained turn entered from higher speed, you happen to slow down anyway and the best you can do as a pilot is keep your speed at optimum (not to slow down too much) and watch the G load because if you can't see you can't shoot. We're talking pure TnB fight where the sustained turn rate plays a huge role (and pilot's skill is another 50% because). Obviously, this rarely happens in RL (or virtual skies) because you don't want to burn all your Es in a sustained turn, especially so in a 109.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kurfürst
I am not sure if there is much to it - it can be well true that both aircraft can only turn so slowly in a sustained fashion that there is no tactical point in it.
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You would be surprised how many 109 pilots still enter TnB fight vs. Spitfires. And they will almost always lose because (surprise surprise) the Spit has got much better sustained turn.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kurfürst
Bottom line, a faster aircraft will always outturn a slower aircraft at high speeds, the question is not really wheter this happens or not, but: by how much?
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In theory. I would really like to see how a Me 262 outturns a P-51 in a sustained turn even at very high speeds.
