WesWorld

Is this the historical F4U-1? And it entered service in February 39 already?

To be precise, it's actually the FG-1 version (without the folding wings), because the USN is not yet convinced about it's carrier suitability in February 1939. First mention of it's development is way back in WW 1935 news, and it's mentioned as being under development in the 1937 USN Aviation thread in the US Encyclopedia. The USMC, though, operating from land bases, has no issues with it's landing abilities.

Frankly, I'll be surprised if it does really well: it's a big plane with a lot of power, but there are other planes with similar amounts of power that are more aerodynamic and are likely to fit the Talons rules better.

Quoted

Originally posted by Hrolf Hakonson
Frankly, I'll be surprised if it does really well: it's a big plane with a lot of power, but there are other planes with similar amounts of power that are more aerodynamic and are likely to fit the Talons rules better.

Is the R-2800 putting out 2000hp already? It took a while of development at 1850hp before increasing power. The version on the F4U with the hellishly complicated two stage supercharger taking longer.

The R-2800 in the F4U is the R-2800-5, not the -8 of the F4U-1, so it doesn't have water injection and produces up to 1850 hp. The F4U-1 will probably be available in 1940, but not WW 1939.

The F AB (Força Aérea Brasileira ) will be sending the following aircraft and pilots to Talons 39.

Capitão Nero Moura, flew at Talons 34, took part in the Bolivian War with 2 kills, survived the SA War and the Brazilian Civil War with 9 kills to his total. He will be flying Brazil's newest fighter, the EMBRAER EMB-39.

Lieutenenat Guilherme Marx-Niemier, currently serving in 1 Grupo aboard the Chilean carrier Mapuche. He will be flying Brazil's carrier fighter, the Sienar V-31

EMBRAER EMB-39

MODEL EMBRAER EMB-39
CREW 1
ENGINE 1 x Pratt-Whitney R-1830-47, 1167kW
WEIGHTS
Take-off weight 3600 kg 7937 lb
Empty weight 2565 kg 5655 lb
DIMENSIONS
Wingspan 10.97 m 36 ft 0 in
Length 8.69 m 29 ft 6 in
Height 4.27 m 14 ft 0 in
Wing area 20.72 m2 223.03 sq ft
PERFORMANCE
Max. speed 562 km/h 349 mph
Ceiling 11580 m 38000 ft
Range 1287 km 800 miles
ARMAMENT 2 x 12.7mm machine-guns, 2 x 7.62mm machine-guns

Sienar V-31

MODEL Sienar V-31
CREW 1
ENGINE 1 x Wright R-1820-40 Cyclone, 895kW
WEIGHTS
Take-off weight 3247 kg 7158 lb
Empty weight 2146 kg 4731 lb
DIMENSIONS
Wingspan 10.67 m 35 ft 0 in
Length 8.03 m 26 ft 4 in
Height 3.68 m 12 ft 1 in
Wing area 19.41 m2 208.93 sq ft
PERFORMANCE
Max. speed 517 km/h 321 mph
Cruise speed 415 km/h 258 mph
Ceiling 10120 m 33200 ft
Range 1550 km 963 miles
ARMAMENT 4 x 12.7mm machine-guns, 2 x 45-kg bombs

I kinda feel sorry for Marx-Niemier trying to compete with the V-31.

Yeah I know what you mean, I was going to see if I could maybe give it a power upgrade, but I think what it has is all the poor Buffalo can take. Sienar might have to move to producing a licence copy of someone elses plane once the carrier arrives in 1941. Im not expecting big things out of the P-43 either though.

Romania might do better this year though. The IAR 80 is getting a power boost, and I am sending a Gothia this time so Vuk should be happy.

Talons ´39 will be a weird place with very different competitors. The F4U surely ranks among the best and most powerful while the V-31 probably will stand no chance. However, Brazil is not alone in sending stuff that will have little chance most likely. Even big SAE is in a similar situation. That 6 month rule makes it impossible to send the F-6H, leaving "only" the known F-6E. There is little option as the RSAF is in som ekind of change from one to the next generation aircraft and only prototypes or pre-production aircraft of the new types are available.

Hood - why not add a seperate category for pure race machines? There privateers could probably also participate (Gee Bees!). It would be a race only, no shooting contest etc....

Well Talons 40 should be abit better for Brazil, the P-47 knockoff should hopefully make it to the final round. But Talons 39, well I am not hoping for much out of either of my countries. The V-31 is outclassed by an IAR 80, and they didnt do that well last year. I am actually interested to see if France is entering, and if they are what they are sending, because Romania wishes to begin replacement of its interceptors, and British, German, and Italian kit is out for various reasons.

Quoted

Originally posted by HoOmAn
Talons ´39 will be a weird place with very different competitors. The F4U surely ranks among the best and most powerful while the V-31 probably will stand no chance.

Interesting. You never really hear the F4U talked that well about in the air-to-air role. Also quite a bit less power than historically with the current version, especially at altitude. It's pretty fast at sea level, but doesn't climb particularly well.

I like the G.55, but then I would say that.

Am I wrong on the F4U? I would think she surely is among the fastest - good for a race. And even though she might not outturn others, she could be used for dive attacks quite effectively using her high speed. Then, for bombing, she also might be a stable platform....

We´ll see what Hood's dice make of her but I would expect that bird to be among the best at Talons 39.

Quoted

Originally posted by HoOmAn
Am I wrong on the F4U? I would think she surely is among the fastest - good for a race. And even though she might not outturn others, she could be used for dive attacks quite effectively using her high speed. Then, for bombing, she also might be a stable platform....

We´ll see what Hood's dice make of her but I would expect that bird to be among the best at Talons 39.

Nah, she won't be amongst the fastest: the new Fiat, the He-100, possibly the Typhoon, and probably some others I don't know about or don't remember will all outrun it. Dive attacks, unless the rules have been changed, don't win the air combat part of the competition, because they take too long to set up and you don't end up with lots of film of enemy aircraft. Might be a competitor in the bombing competition.

However, the historical Corsair did rack up a 11-1 kill ratio, which isn't bad at all.

Well, SAE's F-8 fighter did not too bad with these tactics last time. Well, having a kick-ass fighter ace flying it probably helped a bit....

Quoted

However, the historical Corsair did rack up a 11-1 kill ratio, which isn't bad at all.

That's what happens when you operate in a target rich environment. Put pretty much any WWII fighter in the same position and you'll get similar results.

Speed isn't everything. Really you want a nice high sustained turn rate which means lots of power and a high roll rate to get out of trouble. Though with lots of planes flying around you need a lot of luck.

There is now just one slot left!

So far there are only two twin-engined fighters and we need six to make up a group. So really I need some folks to send twin-engined fighters.

Brock has suggested a French Arsenal VB10, that would give three and fill the remaining slot.

I'm hoping to revamp the duel scoring to take some account of firepower to perhaps make things a little more interesting. All that stuff is WIP so far.

I guess India for the first time will sent a pilot. Captain Subroko Mujerkee piloting a twin engine Garu interceptor.

Captain Mujerkee was commisioned in the BVS (Imperial Indian Air Corps) in 1932 and excelled since. Veteran of the Asir, Afghan Border Conflict and the Baluchistan Operation; have two confirmed combat kills during his career.

It'll be interesting to see an Indian plane at Talons.

One of the Mexican entries will be a twin. If need be, Australia can also send a twin.

Quoted

I'm hoping to revamp the duel scoring to take some account of firepower to perhaps make things a little more interesting.

In that case I'd be better of sending a Serie II Centauro with 4x20mm IFS cannon (which is the version pictures)...

Very early for the VB-10. Arsenal should be pretty much full up with work on the VG-30 series if they're going along historical lines.

VB-10 was designed and ordered in 1940 before the Armistice. If it hadn't been for Nazis meandering around France, I'm going to bet it could have flown by 1942, which would bring it under the three-year rule.