Pick your wings

[+Erik 1,812]

This is a hypothetical question but I'm curious about your opinions.

All things being equal you are an experienced aviator who's flown all the aircraft listed below, all the aircraft were available to you, and you found yourself thrust into WWI at the young age of 19. Which aircraft and version (produced between Jul 28, 1914 – Nov 11, 1918) would you chose / want to fly and why?

Bristol Type 22

Sopwith Camel

Fokker Eindecker

Siemens Schuckert

 

 

[+Gepard 11,289]

From the list, none.

I would take the Fokker D.VIIF. It was an outstanding plane which could be flown even by mediocre pilots very well and successfully.

[Burning Beard 14]

My plane is not on the list either, I would most likely pick the SE5a.  It doesn't have any bad habits, is fast and can dive out of just about any situation.

Beard

[Heck 496]

Siemens Schuckert D-IV. One of the original European style interceptors. Smallest airframe wrapped around the biggest engine possible. Besides, I like the thought of flying a beer keg with wings. Snoopy. Watch out. Your doghouse is no match for that.

[+Nightshade/PR 7,929]

Of the choices; Sopwith Camel.

While it may not have been the best at any single thing, it had the best all around performance. With experience gained, could hold it's own in any fight.

[+Erik 1,812]

I forgot about the S.E.5 made right in the middle of the war by the Brits.

[+Erik 1,812]

The Fokker D VIIF was delivered so close to the end of the war that's also an easily overlooked aircraft, as noteworthy as it is. I wonder how many actually made to the flight line that made some sort of difference?

[33LIMA 972]

Never heard of a Bristol Type 22 but Wikipedia tells me it was a never-built radial-engined Bristol F2B Fighter, with the designation later used for the Bristol Badger, a different machine that didn't fly until late 1919. The F2B would be a worthy contender.

Fokker Monoplane is not much use except for beating up BEs or pushers.

Provided the SSW type we are talking about is the D.III or D.IV and not the Nieuport 16 copy D.I, I would take the word of the RAF aircrew who wrote this, at the time (quoted from memory from 'The First of the Many', the story of the RAF's 'Independent Force'):

It's not the Pfalz or the Fokker Scout

It's the Siemens Schuckert we worry about!

They do fly high, with the beaucoup speed,

We can thank our stars it's the pilots they need!

 

 

[+VonS 1,424]

Hello gents,

If I'm limited to the choices in the list, I'd go - for an early war scenario - with the E.II variant of the Eindecker - similar hp engine to the E.III variant but more maneuverable with its slightly shorter wingspan. And preferably I'd go with the Parabellum MG on it - higher rate of fire than the Spandau. A great advantage over the Entente types from about the summer of '15 to the summer of '16 - Be2 types are useless against it, and even the DH.2, if you fly the Eindecker well, is not that difficult an opponent either. The only thing to worry about is the Morane Bullet but those are as rare as hen's teeth fortunately.

For later war scenarios, I'd pick the 130 hp Clerget-powered Camel, best handling of the Camel types (the 110 hp variant is underpowered, the 150-160 hp Gnome variant is too quirky) - and it also has a top speed about 10 kph higher than the D.III variant of the Schuckert (the Schuckert is around 180 kph or thereabouts). The better, D.IV variant showed up quite late in the war to make much of a difference...plus there are fuel rations for the Germans starting around July or August of 1918...something like 20% for elite units and 10% for other airfields...which cuts down flying time to about half an hour, one hour tops, etc. (can't remember the specific info. now but it was discussed on The Aerodrome yrs. ago).

In terms of the Fokk. D.VIIf variant, more were built than the D.III or D.IV Schuckert types, so they would have made more of an impact - although the most common engine for the D.VII was the engined-up D.III Mercedes (au) around 180-200 hp depending on what stats. are pulled up on it (still a fine aircraft...top speed in the mid 190s kph...but not as impressive as the VII f variant...the VII f can be pushed to about 210 kph near sea level if you go into the over-compressed throttle range...not recommended but it's there to use - at any rate a faster aircraft, theoretically, than the Schuckert types).

If I can pick any WWI aircraft...then see the pic. below  - better rate of climb than the Fokk. Dr.1 and with the over-compressed variant of the Siemens-Halske engine, you get a top speed close to 200 kph (although not too many of these were made, the lovely Pfalz triplane).

Von S 

 

Edited April 21, 2019 by VonS
Added info.

[33LIMA 972]

Been there, done that :)

[33LIMA 972]

...so I'm sticking with my SSW, even if it is reportedly the angular-tired model inherited from Wings of War. Victor Yeates's descriptions of Camels being looked down on by Dolphins and Fokkers, let alone Snipes, put me right off going for one of them.

 

 

 

[jeanba 1,920]

On 21/04/2019 at 2:17 AM, Erik said:

This is a hypothetical question but I'm curious about your opinions.

All things being equal you are an experienced aviator who's flown all the aircraft listed below, all the aircraft were available to you, and you found yourself thrust into WWI at the young age of 19. Which aircraft and version (produced between Jul 28, 1914 – Nov 11, 1918) would you chose / want to fly and why?

Bristol Type 22

Sopwith Camel

Fokker Eindecker

Siemens Schuckert

 

 

None

I would go for a Nieuport 11 / 16 at early war

Spad 7 180hp middle war

Spad13 235hp late war

 

Spads are my type of plane : fast for Boom & Zoom.

[+VonS 1,424]

1 hour ago, jeanba said:

None

I would go for a Nieuport 11 / 16 at early war

Spad 7 180hp middle war

Spad13 235hp late war

 

Spads are my type of plane : fast for Boom & Zoom.

Hopefully I will soon have time to do FM tweaks for a 200, 220 and 235 hp Spad 13 for WOFF....and will also comb over the early Nieups. (10, 11, and especially the 16 that should have a higher wing loading than it currently does in WOFFue...also they are currently too fast in the mid 170s kph, getting the same speed as the Nieup. 17).

Von S

[Hauksbee 103]

Given the list presented, I'd have to choose the Camel. It was the top performer in its day. I've never flown it in WOFF; it's a very squirrelly airplane, but it shot down more Huns than any other plane. I'd just hope and pray to get out of Flying School alive and take my chances  with the Germans.

Since Erik amended the list, I'd definitely take the SE-5. When I first started with OFF/Phase 4, the SE-5 was the only plane I could keep in the air.  Everything else stalled, stalled again, stalled again...but the SE-5 was a very forgiving airplane.

[TROOPER117 146]

Camel... not the fastest of aeroplanes but highly manoeuvrable with good firepower.

[Pips 5]

Of the list I too would select the Camel. Strong airframe, extremely manoeuvrable and stronger fire power than any Entente fighter except the Spad XIII and Sopwith Dolphin.

Now if I had my choice of any Entente fighter I would choose the ..........Sopwith Dolphin. Only slightly slower than the Se.5, yet far more manoeuvrable, better altitude performance and had two Vickers MG's. Imho the best Allied fighter of the war. Greatly underrated

Edited April 30, 2021 by Pips