Slitherine

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ORIGINAL: Nikademus

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ORIGINAL: Mike Scholl

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ORIGINAL: tigercub

The ME109F could be turned so tight you could tear the wing off and some ACES did do this killing them self's.

Tiger!

Most people would say that proves they COULDN'T be turned that tightly...

109 could not outturn Hurricane/Spit or P40 (low/med alt) under normal circumstances. 109 experten quickly learned that attempts to match these planes in turning fights were non-habit forming. Some of the best Experten could briefly get away with it, such as Marssialles but these were exceptions vs. the rule. Another experten got away with it from time to time vs. I-16's, a plane which could turn on a dime and was way more nimble in this way vs. the 109.

109 was a nimble design (less so as you progress from E to G) but it's primary strength lay in vertical maneuvers vs. these planes. The Russians made similar note regarding P40 as with Commonwealth exp in the desert. UK veteran pilots, being used to having the edge in turning fights was part of the reason why they preformed poorly initially when facing the JNAF and JAAF for the first time in Asia. Situaiton was reversed there.

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