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ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

I agree with all of that in terms of airpower, except for one thing.....

I don't see a big advantage to using the Helen over Sally. The capabilities are very similar, but Sally uses Mitsubishi engines, which you have plenty of, and the Helen uses Nakajima, which I prefer to use for fighters. I would like other thoughts, but I can't see a big difference between Sally and Helen.

Have others found the same thing?

I agree. For Japan this war is about economics. You have to save supplies and heavy industry to survive in later parts of the war. By using Sally through the war, you will save a lot of economic reserves, because you never run out of Mitsubishi engines. If you choose Helen, then you have to build more Nakajima engines, which you already have too few. Changing plants from Mitsubishi to Nakajima will eat too much supplies, HI and wasted production time.

The benefit of Helen is one maneuver or armor point stat. We all now that it's not enough against Corsairs (or any other high gun valued allied fighter). It's not worth it.

Well I convert two engine factories to Nakajimas at the start no matter what anyway. I use the Sallys and convert to Helens as I can.  Don't have any trouble with running low on Nakajimas.

God I hate using the silly Allied code names.

I mean, wouldn't you rather fly a "Raiden" rather than a..."Jack"?

Jesus, guys. We gotta leave a wartime code system from 1942 behind at some point! I mean, I'm *pretty sure* we got enough intel at this point to call 'em by their correct names.

[;)]

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Here ya go. From memory so I might miss a few.

Fighters:

A6M2, A6M3, A6M3a -- mainstay of the naval air arm. All decent until 43.
Claudes -- junk
Rufe -- Useful but don't build more than you need for your squadrons.
Nate -- Don't build any but use for trainers
Oscar Ib -- Use against Dutch and Chinese only. Otherwise use as trainers.
Oscar II -- junk when it arrives.
Tony -- good aircraft. Use as an interceptor.
Tojo -- good aircraft. Use as air superiority in Burma.
A6M5 -- Use and build.

Fighter-Bombers:
A6M5c -- Use and build. Good for kamikaze.
Nick -- Use and build enough for squadrons.

DB:
Val -- all you've got until Judy. Use on carriers.
Sonia -- Decent for ground attack and ASW in constricted areas.
Ann -- Don't use or build.
Mary -- Don't use or build

TB:
Kate -- Same as for the Val. Replace with the Jill then Grace.

LB:
Nell -- Use early but replace with Betty ASAP. Don't build.
Betty -- Mainstay of Naval LBA arm. Build heavily.
Sally -- Use up then replace with Helen. Don't build.
Helen -- Build and use for all LB missions.
Lily -- ASW only. Build enough for squadrons.
Peggy -- Use and build.
Frances -- Use and build.

RC:
Ida -- Don't use or build.
Babs -- Use but don't build.
Dinah -- Use and build.
Irving -- Use and build.
C5M -- Use and build.
C6N -- Use and build.

Transports:
Hickory -- Build enough to bring in squadrons. Don't use.
Theresa -- Don't use or build.
Thora -- junk
Tabby -- Use and build
Topsy -- Use but replace with Tabby.
Tina -- Use and build sparingly.
H6K2L -- Use and build.
MC-21 -- Use and build.

Patrol:
H6K4 -- Use don't build.
H8K -- Use and build.

Float Planes:
Alf -- Use and build.
Jake -- Use and build.
Pete -- Use for ASW (naval search) only. Don't build.
Dave -- Don't use or build.
Glen -- Use and build.

Use and build all the late war fighters like Jack, George and Frank.
[/quote]

Sure we do, but it's easier for us old guys to remember English names. [:D]

And Jesus ain't gonna help you either.[;)]

ORIGINAL: jwilkerson



BTW, in my book Nates are not useless ... I use them exclusively for training up in China at least in '42 !!! Now would I use them for fighting enemy aeroplanes .. nope! But as trainers, sure!

I get that--just like Wirraways; however, how do you then get all those trained Nate pilots into frontline fighter seats?

Ki27s (nates) are underated in the early months. A well trained Ki27 Sentai can do quite well against Buffalos and the Dutch in the DEI. I use them as trainers too, but in the opening months I use nates to cover less important convoys in the DEI and to cover less important bases. They usually do much better than expected (often in my hands they do better than Ki43s, which is strange. I've got at least one Nate ace right now and many more with 4-3 kills. I've even had some Ki27 take down Hurricanes.