All Panzer really said was that a modern jet could never really win a dogfight with a prop plane. He didn't say that the prop plane would win that said dogfight.
Simply, the turn rates of modern jets are far better than that of prop planes, but prop planes physically turn in such a tiny radius that it would be nigh impossible for a jet to touch a say a P-51 in a turning dogfight.
Of course though, air-air battles aren't won by just turning (which really is the definition of a digfight - a turning and spiralling battle). It's won by energy states. The pilot with more energy - potential (altitude) or kinetic (speed) or a combo of both - is the one to dictate the fight. And, if anything, the pilot who dictates when to engage/disengage is the likliest to win the fight.
Hence, there should be no insinuation that a Spitfire will destroy an F-22. The F-22 will destroy a Spitfire with a 20mm, IF and only if the Raptor can hit the the Spitfire. Of course, the lead necessary for a Spitfire to hit a Raptor flying even the smallest deviation from the Spitfire's flight path vector is so huge because of the Rap's speed.
|
11-28-2009, 03:39 AM
Threaded Mode