Interview with Finnish Top Ace Ilmari Juutilainen 94 victories

[Swagger7]

Originally Posted by mattmanB182

Close? lol Well I guess we should give the Zero a fighting chance.

I think the Zero would score a big "Zero" on this one.

If the Wildcat held its own against the Zero, the 109 would demolish it.

Here is a match up for you: Erich against Sakai. They would probably meet head-on. With Erich knowing he has the edge on firepower and armor. The Zero turns into a fireball and plummets to earth.

Ok OK I MAAAAY be a little biased here.

Well, since I believe Hartmann was the one who preferred to make hit & run attacks & never turn with his opponent, I think poor Sakai would be pretty screwed. (and if anything, I'm naturally biased in favor of Sakai, since I've read "Samurai!" 3-4 times.) The zero was really a crappy little plane. It had maneuverability & nothing else. It's too easy for a decently trained pilot in a faster, better climbing plane to use simple tactics to overcome a maneuverability disadvantage. There's a reason that Japan is the only major wartime power where just about all of their high scoring aces died early in the war. Sakai probably only survived because injuries from Guadalcanal forced him to sit out most of the war.

[FOZ_1983]

towards the end of the war wasnt sakai sent on a kamikaze mission with some other zero pilots to attack a convoy? but bad weather stopped it and they also ran into US fighters?

like hartmann sakai never lost a wingman either i do believe. Dont quote me though. I really know nothing at all when it comes to the pacific theatre and also the eastern front

back on topic....

remember 20 miles isnt all that far, hartmann like hit and run, sakai likes to use his turning ability and to also come from underneath. If hartmann goes for height and sakai stays low... it would make or a good duel because one of them has to buckle sooner or later.

[Swagger7]

Originally Posted by FOZ_1983

towards the end of the war wasnt sakai sent on a kamikaze mission with some other zero pilots to attack a convoy? but bad weather stopped it and they also ran into US fighters?

like hartmann sakai never lost a wingman either i do believe. Dont quote me though. I really know nothing at all when it comes to the pacific theatre and also the eastern front

back on topic....

remember 20 miles isnt all that far, hartmann like hit and run, sakai likes to use his turning ability and to also come from underneath. If hartmann goes for height and sakai stays low... it would make or a good duel because one of them has to buckle sooner or later.

Yeah, he did go on a kamikaze mission, but turned his squadron around because he realized it was futile (because of the weather and the fighters like you said).