200 x Vultee aircraft arrive Malaya, June 1941

The Vengeance had one severe flying problem in having no visibility straight ahead, due to the wing incidence being set for vertical dives, and it had serviceability problems with both the airframe and the crap Wright R-2600 engines, built during the time when Wright had problems. British mechanics learned to deal with the problems in time, but the French couldn't be bothered. Although it might be faster than the A5M, it was slower than the Ki-27.
I don't think fighters armed with 2 .303 (7.7mm) are going to worry crews flying a rugged machine like the Vengeance too much, for one thing it out guns the Nate and Claud by 3 to 1.
 
I don't think fighters armed with 2 .303 (7.7mm) are going to worry crews flying a rugged machine like the Vengeance too much, for one thing it out guns the Nate and Claud by 3 to 1.

The Vengeance was operated in a theater with very spotty enemy fighter action, and encounters were rare. On the other hand, an Oscar did shoot down a Mosquito so stuff happens. The fact that an Oscar can attack a Vengeance in a head-on pass unseen could be a shortcoming.
 
The Oscar was a little better armed and faster than the earlier Nate and Claude, though was still under armed with only 2 machineguns firing the underpowered .50 Vickers round. Still any round if it hits the right spot will bring an aircraft down, as you say S*** happens. The real danger to a Vengeance would be the Zero with its 200 cannon, though these would be a rare sight over Malaya or Burma.
 
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