The Aircraft of

Favourite Aircraft

WB 1.06 Bf109G2 Flight Model Prior to WB 1.03 I used to fly the 109 a lot. Since then one major change to the flight model has put me off flying the 109, more about that later. The 109 climbs extremely well (managing 4000+ fpm even at 150 MPH), turns well at low speeds and packs a propeller shaft mounted 20mm cannon and two engine cowling mounted MGs. However, top speed and acceleration although good are not enough with FWs, P38s and P51Ds around and turns bleed energy very quickly (hence the tight turns). The pre 1.03 model handled quite well at high speeds but started to compress at about 450-500 IAS which varies depending on the trim....during which it will have an uncontrollable roll to the right...one notch of flaps will cure this problem. The 1.03+ versions compress at much lower speeds (350-400) and only min throttle and full flaps keeps the 109 controllable in sustained dives. This is the main reason why I don't fly the 109 much nowdays. The centrally mounted armament make convergence settings unnecessary and gunnery is much easier. Overall until 1.03 the 109 was a fantastic aircraft to fly and was a great all-rounder. Now the low speed compression makes it an aircraft you need to fly carefully.
109 over CV Group

A BF109G2 about to make a bombing run against a carrier group.

BF109G2 Damage Model

The 109 is an extremely tough and can take a lot of punishment and still fly. I have managed to land a 109 after having the centre fuselage shot away (obviously a bug) ! There are no outstanding weaknesses.
The Aviation Enthusiast Corner at Brooklyn College has specifications of the BF-109G.

The Other Planes :)

(The ones I don't fly much)

Spitfire Mark IX

The Aviation Enthusiast Corner at Brooklyn College has severely limited specifications on the Spitfire IX.

CK 0.93 Lockheed P38J Lightning

I normally fly the P38 (2 bombs and 10 rockets can't be bad) for air-to-mud missions. The P38 rolls very well at all speeds, a heck of a lot better than I've been lead to believe. If it weren't for the cockpit art, I'd think I was flying a FW ! Until we get bombers in CK, the P38 currently has the heaviest ordnance load and the speed to deliver its load....so far no CAP has stopped me delivering my bombs although the Death Rays have since the CK93 P38 has lost the toughness it had in CK 91 making it unsafe for low level field attacks. Also the current P38 model doesn't have dive brakes and at the speeds needed to evade the CAP, the P38 compresses and becomes uncontrollable. What I used to do to counter this is to cut throttle to minimum just before my dive...even then if I don't watch it the P38 will compress. I have developed a technique that almost guarantees success which maintains the 38s handling accuracy and controllability in a high speed pass needed to evade the AAA. What I don't understand is that even when compressed the P38 rolls very well ! Looks like the current model only locks up the elevators when compressed while the ailerons work fine 8-). The greatest strength of the current P38 is its unrealistically high sustained climb rate. It is currently the best climber in CK and can manage 4000 feet/min at 150 IAS, fully loaded with 4 bombs and 20 rockets.The current CK P38 also exhibits an unrealistically high sustained turn rate. The historical 38 had a very high instantaneous turn rate but sustained turn performance was much poorer. The P38 is CK 93's best all round aircraft and a good P38 driver has only to fear another good P38 driver.

P38J Damage Model

The CK P38 tends to lose wings, engines and the rear fuselage most often. Being such a big target, it is relatively easy to hit. The nose gunner also gets killed occasionally :).
The Aviation Enthusiast Corner at Brooklyn College has specifications of the P-38J.

CK 93 North American P51-D Mustang Flight Model

The P51D Mustang, famed for high altitude performance, speed, and long range. It was at the request of Pate, famed, CK 51 driver that I took up a Mustang a few times to check it out. The current flight model has a few problems, the nose waggles in level flight with auto trim on but this is not really a problem. The CK 51 retains is high speed and is easily the fastest fighter in CK. It has only the FW 190 and P38 to fear as these two accelerate slightly faster but once the 51 gets going, nothing can catch it, earning 51 drivers the derogatory nickname "Runstang". Turn performance is slightly better than the FW but the difference is small enough that pilot ability matters more...anyway neither of these fighters were designed to turn anyway ! Both FW and 51 are classic Boom-and-Zoom fighters, the dive from higher altitude onto a target, high speed slashing attack and a zoom climb back to the safety of altitude. FW and 51 pilots must be patient, impatience in both fighters usually result in a quick death. If in trouble in a 51 (as in the FW) dive, capable of maintaining controllable flight at 600 IAS (off the speed scale in CK !) the 51 will outdive anything. Climb rate is also similar to the FW, with the FW having a speed advantage in the climb. However the P51 has one major weakness, the six 50 caliber machine guns do not have the raw firepower of the FW's four 20mm cannons and kills of tough fighters are very expensive on ammo. Pate managed to shoot down my BF109G by destroying the vertical stabiliser at the cost of expending half the substantial ammo load of the 51. Up to the point of my 109 losing the VS and becoming uncontrollable, there was no serious damage. The 51 is itself extremely tough and takes a lot of punishment, which gave me an idea....its fast, tough and maintains control in high speed dives, what better platform for bombing ? So I took one up for 3 bombing runs and for the first time in CK 93, survived the deathrays and flew my 51 home, trailing smoke all the way :). Unfortunately, the AG ordnance load of 2 bombs and 10 rockets is far short of the 4 bombs and 20 rockets of the F4U and P38J.

P51D Damage Model

The P51D has no major weak points except for its elevators. Easiest way to kill a P51 is to blow away its elevators and watch it smash into the ground. Apart from that, it is extremely tough and will take substantial punishment before giving up, making in a good candidate for surviving the AAA during field attacks.
The Aviation Enthusiast Corner at Brooklyn College has specifications of the P-51D.

Boeing B17 Flying Fortress

This page was created on Friday, August 25, 1995 and last updated on Tuesday, November 25, 1997

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The Aircraft of

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