Gambit21

Ahh…OK. Well one one hand poo - on the other I guess then I have a surprise in store. Looking forward to finding out. DCS really does helos well.

If you read my posts you’ll see the context - it’s pretty straightforward. Yes late war it was as you say - however in 1943 while the initial cadre of pilots were still around in numbers - 1:1 Again…as per operations/loss records/latest research.

Interesting...to ED, the team making the map and therefore the arbiters of what Early Access is "supposed to be", early access is a way for you to access a product before it's finished. The End. What you describe has no relevance to how a map or aircraft is built...that's just not how development works/progresses. So again, you have the option to wait until later and experience the completed product, or access early and complain that you're experiencing it early...as that seems to be how some of you operate.

Aye...he also mentioned the Whiskey. We'll just have to wait and see. Either as the next helo would be fantastic, and I think it's safe to say both are coming at some point.

My compliments to ED and the map team...beautiful! Just a great job all around. Delivered as promised. Can't wait to build a CAS template on this map at some point.

This would be great...we need more Marine aircraft. 99.9% sure the next one is the AH-1W...which is also a great way to go. Will support whatever though.

Some additional perspective relating specifically to the Hellcat - this is the article I referenced above. https://rldunn.com/grumman-hellcat/ Essentially corroborates what Claringbould puts forth in his recent work.

Please contact me via PM if you're a native Japanese speaker and willing to help record a handful of voice comms.

His Corsair vs Hellcat book is interesting and he gets into the 1943 1:1 kill ratio there. BTW his Solomons Air War series, and New Guinea books are top drawer, latest research etc.

Corsairs we’re in service in enough numbers to draw conclusions, as was the Hellcat (though fewer/land based units) There were enough confrontations in 1943 to ascertain where the aircraft stood in relation to each other once silly over-claiming is dismissed and actual loss records for both sides examined. The later war scewed kill ratios were a result of decimated (experienced) Japanese pilot ranks as the war progressed. A 1:1 kill ratio does, precisely illustrate the efficacy of the Zero against the other 2 types, there’s no debate to be had there unless one is hanging on to out-dated data, “winner gets to write the history” prophoganda and / or a bit of nationalism. Which…I get. I grew up watching Blacksheep Squadron with my Dad in the 70’s. and hearing/reading about how dominant the Corsair was. In combat, on equal terms, …It’s the later scewed ratio that does not reflect the efficacy of the Zero due to unskilled Japanese pilots later in the war. That’s just how it happened - I commented on this in the “paging Nick Grey” thread already. Again I’d encourage examining more recent work.

I am very well educated on the history of the war, the Zero, it’s design, the philosophy behind it, it’s weaknesses, and how it relates to other aircraft in the war and the philosophy behind those aircraft etc. The fact of the matter is that the Corsair and the Hellcat were contemporaries in the skies regardless of when the Zero first started flying (or hit the drawing table). When the Zero was designed is moot. All aircraft in the pacific were the product of mid to late 30's design. The fact and the latest information / research indicates that the actual kill ratio in the war in 1943 (when skilled pilots were still around) was 1:1. Dive speed numbers, lack of self-sealing tanks, somewhat inferior cannons notwithstanding. Where the rubber meets the road (in actual combat/kill ratio) it was the equal of both the Corsair and the Hellcat…it’s contemporaries in combat. Internet information on this subject is hugely out of date. I found one article with correct/ up to date info the other day but can't locate it now. I'd suggest looking at Claringbould's recent work...all of his books are excellent, very well researched, worth reading for anyone interested in aviation in the PTO.

Nope...Zero is equal to it's contemporaries. You can toss all the 'on paper' numbers, dive speeds etc into the debate that you want to, but the historical fact is that the Zero had a 1 to 1 kill ratio until experienced Japanese pilots were exhausted later in the war. Also what an online pilot "understands" and what he actually does in the moment are usually 2 different things.

Not a surprise in the least - I told you guys it was coming. Nothing else made sense and more than a foregone conclusion frankly. That said I’m happy to see the forum/announcement etc. My favorite war bird - bring it on.

To further expand on this. The superiority of the Hellcat and Corsair is largely myth. Victors get to write the history…all that. In reality the actual kill ratios / loss records between both the Corsair and Hellcat vs the Zero earlier in the war during 1943 where experienced Japanese pilots were still present in numbers ( vs later in the war when they were not) indicates parity between the two types and the Zero. Japanese pilots didn’t get leave, R&R, nor rotated home at the end of a tour. They flew until odds caught up with them or they were so battle-fatigued that they had to be shipped home. Late war results where essentially only barely-qualified pilots were flying on the Japanese side essentially indicate nothing more than pilot disparity. Not to mention cartoonish over-claiming of kills. These results might indicate a certain amount of real world Hellcat pilots getting pulled into fight that they should have passed on, just as we know happens online. Turning vs diving away for example. Given faithful representation of both aircraft in DCS - one should do very well in the Zeke.

Yep - and when flown by one of the remaining experienced / initial cadre of pilots the zero gave as good as it got there as well. Zero vs F6F-3 is actually a pretty even fight even on paper. The F6F-5 has more of numbers advantage, but above caveats still apply.