Subject:
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Re: Comparing Starfighter Speeds
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.starwars
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Date:
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Mon, 27 Jan 2003 17:24:16 GMT
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Viewed:
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883 times
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In lugnet.starwars, Jeff Jardine writes:
> In lugnet.starwars, Lindsay Frederick Braun writes:
>
> > In dogfighting, the ability to
> > attain a high absolute speed is secondary to the
> > ability to maneuver. For example, in WWII (always
> > a popular referent!) Me-262 pilots, capable of
> > travelling much faster than any of their opponents,
> > were routinely shot down by piston-engined P-47s and
> > P-51s because they were not as capable of maneuver.
> > The German jets did best when they "lanced through"
> > a formation of bombers and rapidly shot out of range.
>
>
> In this example, there are a lot more factors than just speed vs.
> manoeuvrability:
> - Many of those 262s that were shot down were jumped during take-off or
> landing, when their speed couldn't help them.
> - That late in the war there were very few experienced German pilots.
> - The Me-262s that saw action performed roles that did not allow them to
> engage allied fighters, such as bombing and intercepting bombers.
>
> Just because a fast craft is less manoeuvrable doesn't mean it is less
> effective. It helps if you can lure a slower-turning opponent into a
> turning fight. Slashing attacks were the norm for P-47s, as well as
> American fighters in the Pacific. If it were all about manoeuvrability,
> P-51s should still be in service because they can turn inside an F-16.
>
> Jeff J
One of the neatest scenes in a movie was in 'The Final Countdown' (Kirk Douglas)
When a modern day aircraft carrier (Nimitz if I recall) gets sucked back in
tome to Dec 5, 1941.
There, Douglas has to wrestle with the decision to engage the Japanese
battlefleet, which was at that time steaming to Pearl Harbour...
Anyway, one scene a couple of Zeros are flying unawares towards the aircraft
carrier, so Douglas orders a couple of F-14's to intercept and stop the Zeros.
The F14 flyby you see the Zeros fumbling in the wake of the jetstream...
F14's taking on Zeros--yeah, not much of a chance, though if I recall, the
Zeros did get a couple of hits on one of the F14's
A pretty good movie all around--the sci-fi wasn't that far fetched (time
travel--happens all the time! ;) )
Anyway, my $.02
Dave K
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Comparing Starfighter Speeds
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| (...) There was a neat SF short story I read once about a modern fighter winding up in WW I. The pilot quickly determined that the only way his aircraft was effective was to create a sonic boom shock wave as he passed the enemy fighters. I forget if (...) (22 years ago, 30-Jan-03, to lugnet.starwars)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Comparing Starfighter Speeds
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| (...) In this example, there are a lot more factors than just speed vs. manoeuvrability: - Many of those 262s that were shot down were jumped during take-off or landing, when their speed couldn't help them. - That late in the war there were very few (...) (22 years ago, 27-Jan-03, to lugnet.starwars)
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