Bf-109 g/k vs FW-190 A/D-9

[Preuss]

I figured I'd start a new thread to the 109 vs 190 discussion...since ya' all missed some things that happened historically

1. When yer fighting a war...ya can't just go dumping your most quickly produced fighter...retooling the lines would have caused a disastrous lack of aircraft.

2. Horsepower. The FW 190 wasn't light...it's earliest engines turned out 1,700 hp while their contemporary Bf-109s were running of the 1,400 HP Db-601N.
Even the later G and K models ran off a motor that produced 1,650 HP
The in-line Engined FW-190D-9 ran off a Junkers Jumo engine which produced a lot more HP.

3. High Altitude performance. The FW-190 A-series became sluggish on the controls and was no match for Allied fighters at the altitudes that the US bomber boxes unloaded their ordinance.

During the Battle of Britain, in many cases the Brits would send the slower Hurricanes to deal with the bombers while the nimble spitfires tangled with the German escorts. Late in the war, the German's tried the same tactic. Specail high-altitude interceptor squadrons were utilized to tangle with the American escorts while the Wurgers went after the bombers. These high altitude squadrons flew the bf-109 g-10 or the k-4. mighta worked had not the German fighters been so terribly outnumbered.

Old but reliable...swift though not particularly agile...The Bf-109 still had work to do.

Best Wishes,

Gary

[Ed Cogburn]

Originally posted by Preuss
3. High Altitude performance. The FW-190 A-series became sluggish on the controls and was no match for Allied fighters at the altitudes that the US bomber boxes unloaded their ordinance.

Good point. This is another thing the WIR engine doesn't take into account. Was there any significant high altitude combat on the Eastern Front? I seem to remember reading the Soviet Air Force was focused on low altitude ground support.

[Preuss]

Hi,
The Russians developed some high altitude versions of the PE-2 and Yak fighters, but I've not heard much of their use in combat.
Like the Germans, the Soviet air forces were used more to support the ground forces than any kind of strategic bombing.

Best Wishes,

Gary

[Possum]

Hello All
IIRC pretty much most of the Air to Air combat on the Eastern front occurred below 10,000 Ft.
This was why the excellent Mig-3 was dropped in favor of the LAGG-3 and the Yak series fighters.
(The Mig-3 performed badly below 10,000 ft)
And also why the Soviets were the only people to actually like the Airacobra, and to have any notable success with it. (The Airacobra only performed well when operated below 5,000 ft)