"Paper" Performance v's Pilot Accounts

[Pips 5]

There is often a wide discrepancy between the 'official' recorded performance figures of any one particular aircraft, and those reports by pilots on an aircraft's handling in combat. Often the rwo vies cannot be reconciled.

 

Stated performance figures are very useful, especially for those who use them to model aircraft for sims such as ours. But so too are pilots accounts, which should never be discounted simply because they don't agree with the supposedly 'hard facts' of officialdom.

 

A really good example of this variance of views is the Sopwith Snipe. On paper the Snipe offered little in the way of improvement over the Camel. Yet pilot accounts sing of it's virtues. The following link is rather old, but well argued between the follows of 'official' paper performance as opposes by those who prefer real pilots views.

 

Well worth a read. :)

 

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/2002/12547-sopwith-snipe.html

[Slartibartfast 153]

Remember that some planes after hard use would be unable to match the performance of a brand new plane... Also that the Paper plane sometimes had its performance figures when it was clean light on fuel and with favourable weather conditions... Where as operationally they would be used full ammo fuel etc...

 

As I can't think of a WW1 example I have a modern example. The Israeli F-16A's the very first one's that they purchased and used in the Raid on Osriak (Hit Saddam's Nuclear powerplant before it went operational back in 1980-82 I can't remember at present). Anyway General Dynamic's stated that there was no way the Aircraft could fly there and back with 2 2000lb freefall bombs, 3 Drop tanks, 2 sidewinders, full fuel and full gun... The Israel's managed to do this with a very low level out bound leg 100ft and below hit the target and then climbed and cruised back at 39000ft give or take... with no air to air refueling... 680 miles out and back... and the GD said it couldn't be done they even setup one of their pristine jets straight of the factory floor and couldn't get it to go that far even cruising at high altitude best speeds etc...