Quote:
Originally Posted by Igo kyu
Why would you think that?
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The Me-262's swept wing design made it the superior aircraft at higher speeds. Top speed for the Me-262 is nearly 70 mph (~115 kph) faster than the Gloster Meteor Mk. III at at altitude and probably at sea level as well. That gives the Me-262 the advantage since it can choose to fight or run away. Huge advantage: Me-262.
At a glance, it also appears that the Me-262's "weight of fire" is vastly superior - 4 x 30 mm cannons vs. 4 x 20 mm cannons for the Meteor. But, both planes pack enough of a punch that victory will (usually) go to the pilot who draws first blood. Slight advantage: Me-262.
Range/Loiter Time is about 30% better for the Messerschmitt. That means more time to patrol and less chance of running short of fuel in a dogfight. Advantage: Me-262
But, looking more carefully at the numbers the Meteor has some significant advantages as well.
Wing-loading (i.e., manueverability) is 38.2 lb/sq ft for the Meteor, but a whopping 61 lb/sq ft for the Me-262. There are bombers with better performance. Unquestionably, the Meteor will be the more agile aircraft. Big advantage: Meteor.
Rate of Climb is slightly better in the Gloster Meteor, but only marginally so. Slight advantage: Meteor.
Maximum altitude is far higher for the Gloster Meteor: 46,000 ft vs. ~37,600 ft for the Me-262. That's a decisive advantage since the Meteor can choose when and where to engage by flying at altitudes well above the Me-262's service ceiling. It's also likely that the Meteor's comparative performance will be much better at high altitude. Big advantage: Meteor.
Hypothetically, Meteor pilots should fly their planes against the Me-262 like Zero pilots did against early war US aircraft - use altitude advantage set the terms of the engagement, then use maneuver fighting to get the kill. If they get into trouble, turn hard to break contact, try to extend range while the Me-262 is turning back into the fight, then use the slight climb advantage and superior service ceiling to get out of danger.
At low to medium altitudes where the Me-262 has the edge in speed, Meteor pilots will need to use team tactics to neutralize their opponent's advantage.
On the other side, Me-262 pilots should use their considerable speed advantage to refuse unequal fights. When the odds are on their side, they should use energy fighting tactics and team tactics at low to medium altitudes to get the kill. If they get into trouble, open the throttle and/or dive away.
So, both planes have some big advantages which allow the one to easily beat the other when fighting on their own terms. In that case, all things being equal, it comes down to pilot skill - in particular the ability to set up a fight on your terms and not get sucked into a fight where you're at a disadvantage.