Fw-190 vs A6M2 Zero

I know this duel never happened but who would win?

 

The F-W should (in my opinion) with comparable pilots win; it was faster in straight level flight, more robust, more heavily armed, and the Zeke could only excel in one area outside of low speed maneuverability and climbing rate, it's range. It might be able to out turn the 190 using one-direction torque steer, and run-away to fight another day.

Just my opinion of course.

 

I go with your opinion, Clint!

 

The Fw190 hands down, it can outrun outdive and outshoot the Zero, IIRC the long nosed ones could even outclimb it, and it will not disintegrate at it's opponent's first burst.
However good the Japanese designers were you can only do that much with 1000 Hp, the Germans had nearly twice that power to play around with and that means more of everything (unfortunately also fuel consumpuion), a fairer comparison would be the similarly powered early 109s. BTW at least pick the A6M5, more or less a contemporary of the FW190A4 not the M2.

 

Well, IMO, FW-190 can, to a certain degree, be compared with F6F - some characteristics are quite close (like power/mass ratio), some differ not very significantly (the greatest difference IIRC was in wing loading). And we all know the results of F6F vs. A6M fights. So, I'll also bet on FW-190 (of course, if A6M is not piloted by someone like Sakai Saburo or Iwamoto Tetsuzo ).

Regards,

 

I'd compare the -190 more to the Corsair.

But lets keep one thing firmly in mind; the Zero was more of an armed advanced trainer that was quickly obsolescent by the end of 1942.

You dont get into a turning fight with the Zero and keep your speed up; then you're going to shoot it down.

 

That would not be a duel but an execution!

Technically the Fw-190 is superior in any aspect that counts and tactically the LW had adopted energy tactics(hit&run) and the finger-four formation before 1939. Even "green" German pilots would hardly enter a dogfight. Unless the Shrikes get ambushed the Zeros loose and loose big.

 

as many a allied bomber streams found out with the 190.

 

Of course the "Butcher Bird" against the heavy bombers was never the question now was it.

 

Be carefuk guys remember some considered the Spitfire V be quite superior to the Zero and look what happened over Darwin. I realise there might have been more to it but the setting can matter alot too.

 

I think thats a little unfair on the Spit...Those Darwin Spits were tired birds...plenty of glycol left in the engine making it run hot, then seize...An unfair comparison to be sure.

 

I would rather say armed advanced aerobatics plane.

Regards,

 

May I ask where that info comes from??? Just wondering never heard of their engines siezing up.

 

Hey,
Just about any literature regarding The Spits in Darwin...Unlike the P-40s which came brand new out of the box, the Spit Vs were second (sometimes third hand from training units) hand from the European theatre...Britain had to upgrade their spits to keep up with the FW-190s...and we (Australia) needed fighters badly...so they (eventually) sent the Vs to us. More Vs seized than were actually shot down...if those blades suddenly stopped turning at altitude, the pilot was able to glide back to Darwin and land usually on a stretch of beach...or out in the scrub.

 

Sounds to me that what CAC is describing is the failure of the Spitfire's CSU(Constant Speed Unit), and not that the engine had "seized up".

Some stats for CSU failures can be found here: Appendix 7 - Spitfire CSU failures | Darwin Spitfires, the real battle for Australia -

and a good description of the problem was posted by "Merlin", not to mention a very good thread discussing the Spitfire vs. Zero, can be found here: Spitfires vs Zeros; the Darwin debacle - Page 6 - The Great Planes and warbirds Community

 

You post ever there??? What name do you go by????/ Anyways myself I feel like it was more that the 202nd Kentai was a very,very crack outfit more then anything. In other words I feel the Japanese pilots involved had something to do with it not saying the RAAF pilots weren't good just they were up against a crack unit furthermore it seems that campaign showed that all the good IJN pilots weren't gone by early-mid 1943 not by a long shot.

 

Interesting...If you are right then the pilots didnt realise that themselves...they reckoned it seized! And plenty of good spit pilots in Darwin...Mr Clive "KILLER" Caldwell was one of them. The CO whos name escapes me at the moment was also i highly decorated pilot who went on to fly in Korea.
Dick Creswell.

 

I posted an article by Richard Dunn in the same thread on the same forum that Takao linked to.Spitfires vs Zeros; the Darwin debacle - Page 7 - The Great Planes and warbirds Community

 

Thanks for the post mate....Interesting reading....and some new info for me!

 

Just unbelievable! They did it again. First they dumped Buffaloes on the Far East. When the Far East fell apart they send used Hurricanes from the Med as reinforcements and finally used Spitfires. No wonder the Australians were "unimpressed" by the effort the motherland made to defend them.