A preview of the 2012 models

[bobbysocks]

we got a glimpse of some of the planes Birds of Steel has roosting in its hen house. lets take a look at what we will get to fly very soon. the armament may vary but.... Oh feel free to contribute or tell me what you found and i will post it.

list of what we have thus far:

Allies
F2a Brewster Buffalo
F4f Wildcat
SBD Dauntless Dive Bomber
Grumman TBF Avenger
P39 Q-15
P38
PBY Catalina
BI-1 Jet ( USSR )
Gloster Meteor ( UK )
Beaufighter ( UK )

Axis

German
Me 109 F4/ Tropical paint
Me 109 G2
Me 109 G6
Me109 G10
Me 109 K4
Me 110 C4
Ta 152H1
Fw 190 A5
Fw 190 D12
Fw 190 F8
HS 129 B2
Me 262

Italian
Fiat CR.42
Fiat G.50 Series 2
Fiat G.50 Series 7AS
MC 200 Series 3
MC 200 Series 7
MC 202

Japanese
A6M Zero
B5N Kate
D3A1 Val
G4M Betty Bomber ( bama lam )


i will kick this off with...

The P 39Q-15 Airacobra

I have history with this one. before transitioning to mustangs my father's fighter group was a 39 outfit. she boosts a huge 37mm nose mounted gun and 4 50 cals. the fumes from the 37mm were so bad they could kill the pilot in the cockpit. so the RAF made it manditory to use the oxygen masks from gears up to gears down. the mid frame engine gave it some unsavory characteristics....like tumbling tail over nose. no matter what they tried, once it began tumbling you bailed to died. they even had a drinking song about it...

Don't give me a P-39 with an engine that's mounted behind
It will tumble and spin and soon auger in
Don't give me a P-39.

it will be interesting to fly and i am sure some of you will be very successful with it.

specs:

Primary Function: Patrol
Contractor: Bell Aircraft
Crew: one
Unit Cost: $46,000
Powerplant
Allison V-1710 rated at 1,200 hp
Dimensions
Length: 30 ft, 2 in
Wingspan: 34 ft
Height: 12 ft, 5 in
Weights
Empty: 5,610 lb
Max. Takeoff: 8,400 lb
Performance
Speed: 376 mph
Ceiling: 35,000 ft
Range: 650 miles
Armament
One 37mm T9, four .50-caliber machine guns (two in nose, two under wing), 500 lbs of bombs.

*The P-39 was the first instance where the aircraft was built around a gun.
*The tricycle landing gear on the P-39 was the first ever used on a production fighter.

[bobbysocks]

the Henschel HS 129B-2

Type: Close Support and ground attack aircraft
Origin: Henschel Flugwerke AG
Crew: One
Models: A & B
First Flight
Hs 129V-1: Early 1939
Hs 129B: October 1941
Service Delivery:
Hs 129A-0: Early 1941
Hs 129B: Late 1942
Final Delivery: N/A
Number Produced: 841 B-Series (879 total)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Engine:
Hs 129S Series:
Model: Argus As 410A-1
Type: Ari-Cooled inverted V12
Number: Two Horsepower: 495 hp

Hs 129B Series:
Model: Gnome-Rhône 14M 04/05
Type: 14-Cylinder two-row radials
Number: Two Horsepower: 690 hp

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dimensions:
Wing span: 46 ft. 7 in.(14.2m)
Length: 31 ft. 11¾ in. (9.75m)
Height: 10 ft. 8 in. (3.25m)
Wing Surface Area: 312.16 Sq. Ft. (29.00²)

Weights: Hs 129B-1, Typical
Empty: 8,940 lb. (4060 kg)
Loaded: 11,265 lb. (5110 kg)

Performance: Hs 129B-1, Typical
Maximum Speed: 253 mph (408 km/h)
Initial Climb: 1,390 ft/min (425 m/min)
Service Ceiling: 29,530 ft. (9000m)
Range: 547 miles (880km)

Hs 129B-2 Series:
Two 13mm MG 131 Machine Guns in nose.
Two 20mm MG 151/20 cannon in nose.
Various weapons were fitted inclusding 37mm BK 3.7 and 75mm BK 7.5. An interesting weapon was a battery of six 75mm smoothbore recoiless rifles that fired downawrds and to the rear. This system was fired by an automatic magnetic trigger that fired when the aircraft flew over metal objects. This system was reported to be quite successful.

I hope they have the version with the huge cannon! would make strafing in CTA a blast and would be useful when someone decides to bring a B17 to a dogfight.

note on the one pic the tank kills....

[bobbysocks]

FW 190 D-12

Fw 190 D-1117 Fw 190 D-11s were known to have been manufactured. This version was fitted with the uprated Jumo 213E series engine which was also used in the Ta-152 H series. Changes over the D-9 were the enlarged supercharger air intake on the starboard side cowling and the use of a wooden, broad-bladed VS 9 or 10 propeller unit utilizing three 9-27012 C-1 blades with a diameter of 3.6 m (11.8 ft). The 13 mm (.51 in) fuselage guns were removed, and the cowling redesigned by omitting the gun troughs and simplifying to a flat profile. Two 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannons were installed in the outer wings to complement the 20 mm MG 151s in the inboard positions. Of the 17 Dora-11s delivered, three can be accounted for. One, the best known, was Rote 4 (red 4) of JV 44's Platzschutz unit. Another, white chevron, was found at München-Riem, and may have served with JV 44 after serving at the Verbandsführerschule General der Jagdflieger (Training School for Unit Leaders) at Bad Wörishofen; it is not known if it was actually used operationally. A third, "white <61," was also found after the war at the Verbandsfuehrerschule General der Jagdflieger.[63]

While the D-11 was under manufacture, work started on the Fw 190 D-12 and D-13 models. The D-12 and D-13s were based on the D-11 design, however the D-12 and D-13 were fitted with Motorkanone nose cannons firing through the propeller hub (the D-12 would be fitted with a 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannon and the D-13 would be fitted with a 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon). There were three test aircraft built for the D-12 line, V63, V64 and V65 but no production aircraft were built.

specs:

Description
Manufacturer: Focke-Wulf
Base model: Fw 190
Designation: Fw 190
Version: D-12
Basic role: Fighter (Germany)


Specifications
Length: 33' 5" 10.1 m
Height: 11' 3.3 m
Wingspan: 34' 5" 10.4 m
Empty Weight: 10,670 lb 4,839 kg


Propulsion No. of Engines: 1
Powerplant: Junkers Jumo 213
Horsepower (each): 2240


Performance Range: 520 miles 837 km
Cruise Speed: 280 mph 450 km/h 243 kt
Max Speed: 426 mph 685 km/h 370 kt
Ceiling: 40,000 ft 12,191 m


Final variants included the Fw 190D-12, which was essentially a ground-attack aircraft with additional armour protection for the engine, and armed with two MG 151/20s in the wings and a single MK 108 cannon firing through the spinner; and the generally similar Fw 190D-13 which had the MK 108 replaced by an MG 151/20.

[bobbysocks]

a lot of new italian planes...

The Fiat CR.42 Falco

Fiat CR.42 Falco Specifications:

Crew: Pilot only
Length: 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Wingspan: 9.70 m (31 ft 10 in)
Height: 3.06 m (10 ft)
Maximum Weight: 2,295 kg (5,060 lb)
Engine: Single 840 hp (627 kW) Fiat A.74 RIC38 radial engine
Maximum speed: 274 mph (441 km/h )
Range: 780 km (420 nm, 485 mi)
Service Ceiling: 10,210 m (33,500 ft)
Fiat CR.42 Falco Armament:

Guns: Twin 12.7 mm (0.500 in) machine guns
Bombs: 200 kg (440 lb) of under-wing bombs


if they kept the I-153 we now have something for axis and allies bi-plane dogfights....ought to be fun!

[bobbysocks]

the Fiat G.50 Serie 2 Freccia ( serie 7.AS I cant find any specs for this one)


The Fiat G50 Freccia was Italy’s first all-metal monoplane fighter. As was the unfortunate case with many Italian fighters, it was underpowered and under-gunned. Designed by Giuseppe Gabrielli of the Fiat Company, it was a modern enough machine, with features like retractable landing gear and an enclosed cockpit, however, it had a radial engine and limited weaponry which made its usefulness questionable.

In 1938, twelve G50 were sent to fight in the Spanish Civil War. Pilots found it to be a maneuverable aircraft but disliked the canopy and so it was removed in successive models. The G 50 went into regular service with the Italian Regia Aeronautica as well as the Finnish air force in 1939. Italian production was slow however, and by the time Italy entered the war in June of 1940 only 97 Freccia – or Arrows – were combat ready.

When compared to the Me 109s of their German allies or the Spitfires and Hurricanes of the RAF, the Fiat G50 Freccia was not a competitor. In fact, when they were deployed in the Battle of Britain it was common for pilots of G50s to avoid direct combat whenever possible.

Strangely, the Fiat G50 Freccia design was kept and some improvements added – a larger fuel tank, re-designed tail and attachable bomb-rack – for a new version called the G 50 Bis. Ground-attack became a feature but the overall performance of the plane was not changed in a serious way.

Freccias were used to mediocre effect in campaigns over Greece and North Africa and were decommissioned almost immediately after Italy surrendered. Finland, surprisingly, was able to squeeze value out of the G 50, using it to good effect against the Soviets. It remained in front-line service until 1947.

774 Freccias were built.

Specifications
Type
Fighter

Power Plant
1 x 840-horsepower Fiat A74 RC38 radial engine

Max speed:
486 km/h ( 302 mph)

Ceiling:
10,750 m (35,269 ft.)

Range:
1,000 km ( 621 mi.)

Weight (empty):
2,015 kg ( 4,442 lb.)

Weight (loaded):
2,500 kg ( 5,511 lb.)

Wingspan:
11 m ( 36 ft. 1 in.)

Length:
8.28 m ( 27 ft. 2 in.)

Height:
3.57 m ( 11 ft. 9 in.)

Armament:
2 x 12.77 mm machine guns

Service
1938 - 1943

[bobbysocks]

Macchi MC 200 serie 3 and 7

(Macchi MC.200 Saetta "Lightning")

Type: Single Seat Fighter Interceptor

Design: Ingeniere Mario Casoldi of Aeronautica Macchi

Manufacturer: Aeronautica Macchi with plants in Varese-Schiranna and Lonate Pozzolo

Powerplant: One 870 hp (649 kw) Fiat A.74 RC.38 14-cylinder radial piston engine.

Performance: Maximum speed 312 mph (502 km/h) at 14,765 ft (4500 m); cruising speed 283 mph (455 km/h); service ceiling 29,200 ft (8900 m).

Range: 540 miles (870 km) with auxiliary tanks.

Weight: Empty 4,178 lbs (1895 kg) with a maximum take-off weight of 5,710 lbs (2590 kg).

Dimensions: Span 34 ft 8 1/2 in (10.58 m); length 26 ft 10 3/4 in (8.19 m); height 11 ft 5 3/4 in (3.50 m); wing area 180.84 sq ft
(16.80 sqm)

Armament: Two 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns in the upper cowling. Some later versions had two additional 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns mounted in the wings.

Macchi MC.200AS: Tropicalized model for service in Africa.3
Macchi MC.200bis: Had a Piaggio P.XIX engine (1,180 HP).3
Macchi MC.200CB: Field modified MC.200.3 Fitted with bomb shackles.1 Carried a maximum of 705 lb / 320 kg of bombs under the wings.3
Macchi MC.201: One prototype was constructed.1,3 It had a new engine and fuselage.1,3 The engine was a Fiat A.76 (1,000 HP). (one prototype which was abandoned in favour of the MC.202 Folgor).

[bobbysocks]

this one is seen in the video...

the F4F Wildcat

General

Length: 28 ft. 9 in.
Wingspan: 38 ft.
Height: 9 ft. 2.5 in.
Wing Area: 260 sq. ft.
Empty Weight: 5,760 lbs.
Loaded Weight: 7,950 lbs.
Crew: 1

Performance

Power Plant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-86 double-row radial engine, 1,200 hp
Range: 770 miles
Max Speed: 320 mph
Ceiling: 39,500 ft.

Armament

Guns: 6 x 0.50 in. M2 Browning machine guns
Bombs: 2 × 100 lb bombs and/or 2 × 58 gallon drop tanks

think this will be a fun little plane to fly..

[bobbysocks]

also seen in the video IIRC...

the SBD Dauntless dive bomber

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 33 ft 1¼ in (10.09 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 6⅜ in (12.66 m)
Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m)
Wing area: 325 ft² (30.19 m²)
Empty weight: 6,404 lb (2,905 kg)
Loaded weight: 9,359 lb (4,245 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 10,700 lb (4,853 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Wright R-1820-60 radial engine, 1,200 hp (895 kW)
Performance

Maximum speed: 255 mph (222 knots, 410 km/h) at 14,000 ft (4,265 m)
Cruise speed: 185 mph (161 knots, 298 km/h)
Range: 1,115 mi (970 nmi, 1,795 km)
Service ceiling: 25,530 ft (7,780 m)
Rate of climb: 1,700 ft/min (8.6 m/s)
Armament


Guns:

2 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) forward-firing Browning M2 machine guns in engine cowling
2 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) flexible-mounted Browning machine gun in rear
Bombs: 2,250 lb (1,020 kg) of bombs

[bobbysocks]

the Mitsubishi A6M Zero

its light, fast, and agile. but not much in protective armor and no self sealing fuel tanks.

Nicknames: Reisen ("Rei Shiko Sentoki" -- Japanese for "Type 0 Fighter"); Zeke (Allied reporting name); Zero.

Specifications (A6M5):
Engine: One 1130-hp Nakajima NK1C Sakae 21 radial piston engine.
Weight: Empty 4175 lbs., Max Takeoff 6504 lbs.
Wing Span: 36ft. 1in.
Length: 29ft. 9in.
Height: 11ft. 5.75in.
Performance:
Maximum Speed: 346mph
Ceiling: 35,100 ft.
Range: 1118 miles with internal fuel.
Armament: Two 20-mm cannon and two 7.7-mm machine guns.

Number Built: 10,500

Number Still Airworthy: Two

[FOZ_1983]

Nice info Bobby

I need to get hold of Anton though....... WHERE'S THE BLOODY HURRICANE!! No Hurricane then no sale to me Especially if the Shitfire is still in it haha.