Bf109E vs A6M2?

Ah, got him. Robert Diemert was the restorer and he sold the Zero to the USMC museum, not the Confederate Airforce.

Robert-Diemert-81-47-021-640x250.jpg

This is him in (I think) the cockpit of a Val he restored.
 
It wasn't. Althought the whole "burns well" was caused more by the utter lack of armour than by the alloy, it did contain some magnesium from the start. It was called Duralumin.

It's possible that the Japanese were using a higher proportion of magnesium due to a shortage of aluminium. Not that it would have made much difference. Aluminium also burns, as the Royal Navy found to its cost in the Falklands.
 
It's possible that the Japanese were using a higher proportion of magnesium due to a shortage of aluminium. Not that it would have made much difference. Aluminium also burns, as the Royal Navy found to its cost in the Falklands.

True. Then again, what else could they use, back then, but aluminium?...
 
Found it. The Zero restoration bit starts at 25.00 more or less, and the magnesium reference is at 27.53. The .50 calibre bullet hole reference is at 31.10. It's a fascinating film, but Mr Diemert is fairly obviously crazy. Witness the joy of trying to get the Zero out of the barn.

 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_A6M_Zero#Design_and_development
Seems you're right, they used a super light aluminum alloy. I must have fallen for old History Channel 'wisdom'.
I'm surprised that you of all people would!

The Japanese, for all their resource shortages and relatively good number of skilled woodworkers, didn't really bother with wood construction, though they did build a few prototypes of a wooden version of Nakajima's Ki-84. This obscure plane, called the ki-106 and built by Tachikawa, managed to retain respectable performance. I doubt that a significant number could ever have been made.
 

Deleted member 1487

I'm surprised that you of all people would!

The Japanese, for all their resource shortages and relatively good number of skilled woodworkers, didn't really bother with wood construction, though they did build a few prototypes of a wooden version of Nakajima's Ki-84. This obscure plane, called the ki-106 and built by Tachikawa, managed to retain respectable performance. I doubt that a significant number could ever have been made.
Sometimes you just hold on to information you got as a kid and don't really think about it.
 
The Extra Super Duralumin used in the A6M Zero was Aluminium 76.5%, Copper 2.5%, Zinc 20%, Manganese 0.5%, Magnesium 0.5%. I dont think 0.5% Mg would make much difference to flammability.

Standard Duralumin was 95% aluminium, 4% copper, 0.5% magnesium, and 0.5% manganese.
 
French Hawk 75s were competitive with the 109 in 1940, and the Hawk was a slightly overweight Zero with fewer guns and better diving+ruggedness, with worse supercharging above 15000 feet.

Zeros could be based anywhere in the UK and be able to escort bombers to Berlin and back. Long range like that was unheard of in Europe at the time. That's a huge advantage
 

Deleted member 1487

French Hawk 75s were competitive with the 109 in 1940, and the Hawk was a slightly overweight Zero with fewer guns and better diving+ruggedness, with worse supercharging above 15000 feet.

Zeros could be based anywhere in the UK and be able to escort bombers to Berlin and back. Long range like that was unheard of in Europe at the time. That's a huge advantage
Much slower than the Bf109E and even Hurricane II. Dog meat.
 

Deleted member 1487

Yet the Hawk 75s were the most successful type the French used. 109 drivers had trouble with the Hawks that they didn't with the other fighters
Did they try and turn and burn them? That would be a mistake that rookies would make, which is what most of the Jagdwaffe was in 1940, but learned enough from so that they fought the RAF differently.
Also if you look at the wikipedia link the kill ratio is only for claimed kills, which we all know should never be trusted. Also given the French situation the Hawks were a disproportionately operational fighter class compared to all the others on hand, so got better use than the other types. It's hard to say that they were better based on that.
 
Did they try and turn and burn them? That would be a mistake that rookies would make, which is what most of the Jagdwaffe was in 1940, but learned enough from so that they fought the RAF differently.
Also if you look at the wikipedia link the kill ratio is only for claimed kills, which we all know should never be trusted. Also given the French situation the Hawks were a disproportionately operational fighter class compared to all the others on hand, so got better use than the other types. It's hard to say that they were better based on that.

So only French Pilots in the 75 overclaimed?

Why didn't the other Pilots do the same for the other types, make the 406 the best fighter?

You have cite that the 75 Pilots were the best liars of the Armee de l'Air?

Luftwaffe ran into the 75s from the start of the war, yet didn't lear to zoom&boom them in over a year?
 

Deleted member 1487

So only French Pilots in the 75 overclaimed?

Why didn't the other Pilots do the same for the other types, make the 406 the best fighter?

You have cite that the 75 Pilots were the best liars of the Armee de l'Air?

Luftwaffe ran into the 75s from the start of the war, yet didn't lear to zoom&boom them in over a year?
All pilots in all services in all fighters overclaim. There was very little air combat prior to the German invasion in May 1940. Both sides avoided it, the French out of fear of provoking bombing of their cities. They called it the Phony War for a reason.
 

FBKampfer

Banned
The Bf 109E is really an interesting match up. The 109E actually doesn't have a significant advantage in a dive due to heavy controls. The elevators will be too heavy for most pilots to recover with starting around 450mph.

However it's faster and can hold in a climb, and is more maneuverable than the P-40's.

Overall it would have a wider range of options, but less of an overwhelming advantage to milk.
 
Top