Games PC COMBAT FLIGHT SIMULATOR 3-MACHINES OF WAR User Manual
Microsoft® Combat Flight Simulator 3.0
MACHINES OF WAR
handbook
1
Subject: CONTENTS
Authorized licensees of this game may print
(or have printed at their expense) a single
copy of this manual for their personal home
use in conjunction with the play and use of
the game on this CD.
CO NT EN TS
Aircraft
U.S. aircraft .................. 3
British aircraft .............. 14
German aircraft ............... 23
Vehicles and Weapons
Vehicles ...................... 35
Weapons ....................... 43
Ships ......................... 45
Aircraft Armaments
Rie-caliber machine guns ..... 48
Heavy machine guns ............ 49
Automatic cannon .............. 50
Heavy cannon .................. 52
Torpedoes ..................... 53
Rockets ....................... 54
The Aircraft of CFS3
A NOTE TO THE PILOT: You’ve got
a tough job ahead of you, but you
can select the right plane for each
mission from an impressive stable
of aircraft. You can choose from a
variety of single-seaters, including
some hot piston-and-propeller ghters
and some up-to-the minute jet-
propelled jobs. Need a twin-engine
aircraft to get the job done? Take
your pick. With a war on, aviation
technology is moving fast. Here’s
your chance to y the best planes
in the arsenal.
- 2 -
2
Subject: U.S. AIRCRAFT
Curtiss P-55 Ascender
This futuristic bird’s swept wing, canard eleva-
P-55
tors, rear engine, and pusher propeller gave it a
look like no other ghter. However, the experimental
24-cylinder liquid-cooled at-H engine originally
intended for the Ascender never reached production.
Its 2,200 horsepower might have provided a top speed
over 500 mph. The Allison V-12 that replaced the
proposed Pratt & Whitney engine reduced the plane’s
performance from stellar to average. Low-speed
handling problems, including a vicious stall with
little or no warning, were partially addressed by
modications to the prototype’s wings and vertical
surfaces, but with jet aircraft already under development, the Ascender project was abandoned after
the third prototype. For a fascinating “what-if”
scenario and a unique piloting experience, try the
Ascender as it might have been, with 75 percent more
power and improved handling.
- 3 -
3
Subject: U.S. AIRCRAFT
P-55 SPECIFICATIONS
(the aircraft in CFS3, as originally designed)
WEIGHT: 6,354/7,929 lb. (2,888/3,604 kg)
SPAN: 41' 0.5" (12.5 m) LENGTH: 29' 7" (9 m)
ENGINE: One Pratt & Whitney H-2600 24-cyl. liquid-
cooled at-H with 2,200 hp
ARMAMENT: Two 0.5-in. Browning machine guns with
200 r.p.g. on nose, plus two 20-mm Hispano M2 cannon
with 150 r.p.g. in nose
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 507 mph (815 km/h) @ 20,000 ft
(6,096 m)
CEILING: 36,000 ft (10,973 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 3,500 ft/min (1,066 m/min)
RANGE: 1,000 mi (1,610 km)
* * *
STRENGTHS
- With proposed Pratt & Whitney engine, excellent
speed.
- Excellent forward visibility.
- Two .50s and two 20-mm cannon in nose concentrate
heavy repower.
- Improved control surfaces make for nimble
handling.
- Tricycle landing gear enhances forward visibility,
makes landings less risky.
WEAKNESSES
- Unique prole makes it easy for enemies to identify.
- Poor rearward visibility.
XP-55 SPECIFICATIONS
(the prototype aircraft actually built in 1943-1944)
WEIGHT: 6,354/7,929 lb. (2,888/3,604 kg)
SPAN: 41' 0.5" (12.5 m) LENGTH: 29' 7" (9 m)
ENGINE: One Allison V-1710-95 liquid-cooled V-12
with 1,275 hp
ARMAMENT: Four 0.5-in. Browning machine guns in nose
with 200 r.p.g.
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 390 mph (628 km/h) @ 19,300 ft
(5,882 m)
CEILING: 34,600 ft (10,546 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 2,800 ft/min (853 m/min)
RANGE: “Normal” 635 mi (1,021 km); “maximum” 1,440
mi (2,316 km)
* * *
STRENGTHS (PROTOTYPE AS BUILT)
- Good level and climbing ight characteristics.
- Excellent forward visibility.
- Four .50s in nose concentrate repower.
- Tricycle landing gear enhances forward visibility,
makes landings less risky.
WEAKNESSES (PROTOTYPE AS BUILT)
- Unique prole makes it easy for enemies to identify.
- Poor rearward visibility.
- Minimal stall warning.
- Some lateral instability, common in tailless
aircraft.
- With Allison engine, mediocre speed.
- Lack of elevator “feel” can lead to pilot overcontrol on landing.
- 4 -
4
Subject: U.S. AIRCRAFT
Lockheed P-38J & P-38L Lightning
When the P-38 Lightning rst ew in 1939,
P-38
its striking appearance and high performance made
a powerful rst impression, but it took several
design changes to realize the potential of this
radical brainchild of design genius Kelly Johnson.
Its twin-engine reliability and long range were
signicant assets, its counter-rotating propellers neutralized torque effects and made the P-38
a smooth aircraft to y, and its heavy repower and
modern tricycle landing gear made it popular with
pilots. While the big, fast, and heavy Lightning was
slower-turning and less maneuverable than singleengine ghters, it could outdive any ghter except
the P-47 Thunderbolt. Late-model P-38s, particularly the almost identical J and L models, came into
their own in Europe serving the Ninth Air Force in
the ground-attack role. The electric dive aps and
power-boosted ailerons of the late production P-38Js
and all P-38Ls increased stability and tamed the
compressibility problems in steep dives that had
dogged early Lightnings. The L model of this big,
fast, heavily armed ghter featured more powerful
engines for superior acceleration and added bombs
and rockets to its cannon and guns to devastate
enemy targets.
- 5 -
5
Subject: U.S. AIRCRAFT
P-38J SPECIFICATIONS
WEIGHT: 12,780/21,600 lb. (5,806/9,798 kg)
SPAN: 52' (15.85 m) LENGTH: 37' 10" (11.52 m)
ENGINE: Two Allison V-1710-89/91 liquid-cooled V-12s
with 1,425 hp each
ARMAMENT: One 20-mm Hispano M2 cannon with 150
rounds, plus four 0.5-in. machine guns with 500
r.p.g., plus up to 3,200 lb. of bombs
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 414 mph (666 km/h) @ 25,000 ft
(7,620 m)
CEILING: 44,000 ft (13,410 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 2,850 ft/min (870 m/min)
RANGE: 450 mi (724 km)
* * *
P-38L SPECIFICATIONS
WEIGHT: 12,800/21,600 lb. (5,806/9,798 kg)
SPAN: 52' (15.85 m) LENGTH: 37' 10" (11.52 m)
ENGINE: Two Allison V-1710-111/ 113 liquid-cooled
V-12s with 1,475 hp each (1,600 hp each at war emergency power)
ARMAMENT: One 20-mm Hispano M2 cannon with 150
rounds, plus four 0.5-in. machine guns with 500
r.p.g., plus either two 4,000-lb. bombs or ten 5-in.
rockets
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 414 mph (666 km/h) @ 25,000 ft
(7,620 m)
CEILING: 44,000 ft (13,410 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 2,850 ft/min (870 m/min)
RANGE: 450 mi (724 km)
* * *
STRENGTHS (ALL P-38 VARIANTS)
- Fast, good climb rate, and, except for the P-47,
unbeatable in a dive.
- Supplements heavy armament with bombs and rockets.
- Counter-rotating props eliminate torque effects.
- Twin-engine reliability.
- Nose-mounted guns concentrate repower and
decrease convergence errors.
- Excellent forward visibility.
WEAKNESSES (ALL P-38 VARIANTS)
- Not as maneuverable as smaller, lighter singleengine ghters.
- Unique prole makes it easy for enemies to identify.
- Liquid cooling increases engine vulnerability to
damage from ak and small arms re.
- 6 -
6
Subject: U.S. AIRCRAFT
Lockheed P-80A Shooting Star
P-80A
P-80A SPECIFICATIONS
WEIGHT: 7,920/14,000 lb. (3,600/6,364 kg)
SPAN: 38' 10.5" (11.84 m) LENGTH: 34' 6" (10.5 m)
ENGINE: One General Electric J-33-GE-9 turbojet with
3,850-lb. thrust
ARMAMENT: Six 0.5-in. Browning machine guns with
300 r.p.g., plus two 500-lb. or 1,000-lb. bombs or
(on F-80C) ten 5-in. rockets
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 558 mph (898 km/h) @ sea
level; 533 mph (858 km/h) @ 20,000 ft (6,096 m)
CEILING: 45,000 ft (13,716 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 4,166 ft/min (1,270 m/min)
RANGE: 780 mi (1,255 km); 1,100 mi (1,770 km) with
two 165-gal. drop tanks
* * *
First own as a prototype in January 1944,
the P-80 became the rst jet aircraft adopted for
service by the USAAF, but production models became
available just weeks too late to serve in WWII. The
Shooting Star was another brainchild of the Lockheed
design team headed by Clarence “Kelly” Johnson,
whose work also included the exotic P-38 Lightning
and the SR-71 “Blackbird.” Its clean design, relatively powerful turbojet engine, and thin unswept
laminar-ow wing made the P-80 an excellent
performer for the time. Its speed, maneuverability,
and armament qualied it as both an excellent
ghter and ghter-bomber. The Shooting Star development project took an unexpected toll on August
6, 1945--the day the atom bomb was dropped on
Hiroshima. Richard Bong, America’s top-scoring WWII
ace, died on a test ight in California when his
P-80 amed out and stalled on takeoff.
* * *
STRENGTHS
- High speed.
- Excellent climb and maneuverability.
- Well-armed gunghter can also deliver ordnance.
- Nose-mounted guns concentrate repower and
decrease convergence errors.
WEAKNESSES
- Slow engine spool-up and acceleration.
- Poor engine reliability.
- 7 -
7
Subject: U.S. AIRCRAFT
Martin B-26C & B-26G Marauder
The Marauder’s greatest success as a workhorse
B-26
of the U.S. Ninth Air Force came in the tactical air
support role before, during, and after the Allied
invasion of Europe in 1944. Heavy armament and a big
bomb load made the B-26 devastatingly effective in
this role. Its highly loaded wing made the Marauder
a “hot” plane with a high landing speed, a characteristic that cost some early crews their lives.
Wing and n modications, and an aggressive training
program, decreased operational accidents and helped
get the best out of this capable aircraft. The C
model increased the wing’s span by six feet; the
later F and G models increased the wing’s angle of
incidence by 3.5 degrees to shorten takeoff distance
and decrease landing speed. By the end of the war,
the B-26 had the lowest loss rate of all of the
American bombers in the European Theater.
- 8 -
8
Subject: U.S. AIRCRAFT
B-26C SPECIFICATIONS
WEIGHT: 23,800/38,200 lb. (10,818/17,363 kg)
SPAN: 71' (21.6 m) LENGTH: 56' 1" (17 m)
ENGINE: Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-43 18-cyl. air-
cooled radials with 2,000 hp each
ARMAMENT: Twelve 0.5-in. Browning machine guns--
one exible and one xed gun in the nose (xed gun
later omitted), four xed-package guns on the sides,
two in the top turret, two in the lower waist, and
two in the tail--plus 3,000 lb. of bombs. Optional:
Fourteen 5-in. rockets
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 283 mph (455 km/h) @ 5,000 ft
(1,524 m)
CEILING: 19,800 ft (6,035 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 1000 ft/min (305 m/min)
RANGE: 1,150 mi (1,850 km)
* * *
B-26G SPECIFICATIONS
WEIGHT: 23,800/38,200 lb. (10,818/17,363 kg)
SPAN: 71' (21.6 m) LENGTH: 56' 1" (17 m)
ENGINE: Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-43 18-cyl.
air-cooled radials with 2,000 hp each
ARMAMENT: Twelve 0.5-in. Browning machine guns (as
above, but without xed nose gun), plus 4,000-lb. of
bombs Optional: Fourteen 5-in. rockets
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 283 mph (455 km/h) @ 5,000 ft
(1,524 m)
CEILING: 19,800 ft (6,035 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 1000 ft/min (305 m/min)
RANGE: 1,150 mi (1,850 km)
* * *
STRENGTHS (ALL B-26 VARIANTS)
- High-speed cruise.
- Heavy armament and bomb load.
WEAKNESSES (ALL B-26 VARIANTS)
- High landing speed dangerous for unwary pilots.
- Vulnerable to ghters, requires escort.
- 9 -
9
Subject: U.S. AIRCRAFT
North American P-51B and P-51D Mustang
P-51B
Once the Mustang got Rolls-Royce Merlin power
in the P-51B, it excelled in every role, including
tactical ghter-bomber. The bubble canopy of the D
model added superior visibility. Fast and agile as
an interceptor, the P-51 gave Allied forces excellent tactical support in the ground attack role.
Its heavy gun armament, combined with bombs and
rockets, helped the Ninth Air Force suppress enemy
ground forces and transport, speeding the advance of
Patton’s Third Army across France and into Germany.
The Mustang’s only aw as a ghter-bomber was its
liquid-cooled engine, a liability it shared with
other front-line aircraft, including the Spitre,
Typhoon, Tempest, and Bf 109. A piece of ak or a
small-arms round in the coolant system could turn
this otherwise potent attack aircraft into a very
short-range glider.
- 10 -
10
Subject: U.S. AIRCRAFT
P-51D
P-51B SPECIFICATIONS
WEIGHT: 7,125/11,600 lb. (3,230/5,206 kg)
SPAN: 37' 0.25" (11.29 m) LENGTH: 32' 2.5" (9.81 m)
ENGINE: One Rolls-Royce/Packard V-1650-3 liquid-
cooled V-12 with 1,380 hp
ARMAMENT: Four 0.5-in. Browning machine guns with
400 r.p.g., plus two 500-lb. or 1000-lb. bombs
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 440 mph (708 km/h) @ 30,000 ft
(7,620 m)
CEILING: 41,800 ft (12,740 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 2,780 ft/min (847 m/min)
RANGE: 1,300 mi (2,092 km); 2,080 mi (3,347 km) with
drop tanks
* * *
P-51D SPECIFICATIONS
WEIGHT: 7,125/11,600 lb. (3,230/5,206 kg)
SPAN: 37' 0.25" (11.29 m) LENGTH: 32' 2.5" (9.81 m)
ENGINE: One Rolls-Royce/ Packard V-1650-7 liquid-
cooled V-12 with 1,490 hp
ARMAMENT: Six 0.5-in. Browning machine guns with
270 r.p.g. (outboard & center pairs) & 400 r.p.g.
(inboard pair), plus two 500-lb. or 1000-lb. bombs
or six 5-in. rockets
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 437 mph (703 km/h) @ 25,000 ft
(9,144 m)
CEILING: 41,900 ft (12,780 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 3,125 ft/min (952 m/min)
RANGE: 1,300 mi (2,092 km); 2,080 mi (3,347 km) with
drop tanks
* * *
STRENGTHS (ALL P-51 VARIANTS)
- Excellent acceleration, speed, handling, and
maneuverability.
- Enormous range.
- Heavy repower from six .50-inch guns.
- Excellent pilot visibility.
WEAKNESSES (ALL P-51 VARIANTS)
- Very sensitive to sudden throttle application,
which can cause severe swing or rollover and crash
on takeoff.
- Treacherous handling with aft fuselage tank full.
- Liquid cooling increases engine vulnerability to
damage from ak and small arms re.
- 11 -
11
Subject: U.S. AIRCRAFT
Republic P-47D (early models) & P-47D-25 Thunderbolt
P-47D
The biggest, heaviest ghter of the war, the
Thunderbolt was also the most successful American
ghter-bomber of WWII. Nicknamed the “Jug” either
because it resembled a squat milk jug or as an
abbreviation of “Juggernaut,” it was ruggedly built
and powered by a massive and durable air-cooled
radial engine. The Thunderbolt could absorb damage
that would knock other ghters down and still keep
ying. It was also easy to y with light stick
forces, and very forgiving. Commencing with the P47D-25 production block, the ungainly “Jug” became
more sleek and provided better visibility with its
bubble canopy and slimmed-down aft fuselage. U.S.
Ninth Air Force Thunderbolts joined British Typhoons
and Tempests as a devastating tactical air support
weapon. It combined high performance with heavy repower and a big ordnance load to become the American
aircraft of choice in the ground attack role.
- 12 -
12
Subject: U.S. AIRCRAFT
P-47D-25
P-47D SPECIFICATIONS
(Early models)
WEIGHT: 9,900/14,925 lb. (4,500/6,784 kg)
SPAN: 40' 9.25" (12.4 m) LENGTH: 36' 1.25" (11.03 m)
ENGINE: One Pratt & Whitney R-2800-21 Double Wasp
18-cyl. air-cooled radial with 2,000 hp
ARMAMENT: Eight 0.5-in. Browning machine guns
with 267 or 425 r.p.g., plus two 1000-lb. or three
500-lb. bombs or ten 5-in. rockets
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 428 mph (689 km/h) @ 30,000 ft
(9,150 m)
CEILING: 42,000 ft (12,810 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 3,120 ft/min (950 m/min)
RANGE: 1,000 mi (1,610 km); 1,900 mi (3,057 km) with
drop tanks
* * *
- 13 -
P-47D-25 SPECIFICATIONS
WEIGHT: 10,300/19,400 lb. (4,545/8.818 kg)
SPAN: 40' 9.25" (12.4 m) LENGTH: 36' 1.25" (11.03 m)
ENGINE: One Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59 Double Wasp
18-cyl. air-cooled radial with 2,000 hp (2,300 hp
with water injection for war emergency power)
ARMAMENT: Eight 0.5-in. Browning machine guns
with 267 or 425 r.p.g., plus two 1000-lb. or three
500-lb. bombs or ten 5-in. rockets
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 428 mph (689 km/h) @ 30,000 ft
(9,150 m)
CEILING: 42,000 ft (12,810 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 3,120 ft/min (950 m/min)
RANGE: 1,000 mi (1,610 km); 1,900 mi (3,057 km) with
drop tanks
* * *
STRENGTHS (ALL P-47 VARIANTS)
- Fast, stable, easy to y, forgiving; a condence-
builder for novice pilots.
- Impressive roll rate.
- Nothing outdives a Jug.
- Extremely rugged construction.
- Massive repower from eight 0.5-in. guns.
- Heavy ordnance load.
- Bubble canopy provides excellent visibility.
- Air-cooled radial engine shields pilot and can
sustain major damage yet keep running.
WEAKNESSES (ALL P-47 VARIANTS)
- Tends to “mush” in a dive, losing altitude
rapidly; pull out in time or dig a big hole.
- Not as maneuverable as smaller, lighter ghters.
- Mediocre turn radius and rate.
- Poor zoom climb; loses energy rapidly.
13
Mosquito
Subject: BRITISH AIRCRAFT
de Havilland Mosquito B. IV, F.B. VI, and F.B. XVIII
Affectionately known as the “Wooden Wonder”
or the “Mossie,” the fast and versatile Mosquito
served rst as a light, unarmed bomber, and then
as Britain’s most successful night ghter. In mid1943 its most numerous variant, the F.B. VI ghterbomber, appeared. Designed from the start to use
nonstrategic materials, its molded plywood construction made the Mosquito light and strong. Its twin
Merlin V-12s gave it sufcient speed to outrun
most ghters at low to medium altitudes, and its
heavy armament and bomb load made it a formidable
ghter-bomber. The F.B. XVIII, a variant of the
F.B. VI, was armed with a 57-mm antitank cannon.
Its bigger bite earned it the nickname “Tse Tse.”
The RAF’s Second Tactical Air Force demonstrated
the Mosquito’s effectiveness against ground targets,
while Coastal Command showed what its guns and
rocket salvos could do against enemy shipping.
- 14 -
14
Subject: BRITISH AIRCRAFT
MOSQUITO B. IV SPECIFICATIONS
WEIGHT: 14,100/22,500 lb. (6,409/10,227 kg)
SPAN: 54' 2" (16.5 m) LENGTH: 40' 9" (12.4 m)
ENGINE: Two Rolls-Royce Merlin 21 liquid-cooled
V-12s with 1,230 hp each
ARMAMENT: No defensive armament; 2,000-lb. of bombs
(four 500-lb. bombs in internal bomb bay)
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 380 mph (611 km/h) @ 17,000 ft
(5,182 m)
CEILING: 28,800 ft (8,778 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 1,700 ft/min (518 m/min)
RANGE: 1,860 mi (2,992 km) with maximum bomb load
* * *
MOSQUITO F.B. VI SPECIFICATIONS
WEIGHT: 14,100/22,500 lb. (6,409/10,227 kg)
SPAN: 54' 2" (16.5 m) LENGTH: 40' 6" (12.3 m)
ENGINE: Two Rolls-Royce Merlin 25 liquid-cooled
V-12s with 1,635 hp each
ARMAMENT: Four 20-mm Hispano cannon in belly under
nose with 150 r.p.g., plus four 0.303-in. Browning
machine guns on nose with 500 r.p.g., plus 2,000 lb.
of bombs (in fuselage & under wings) or 1,000 lb. of
bombs and eight 60-lb. rocket projectiles
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 380 mph (611 km/h) @ 13,000 ft
(3,962 m)
CEILING: 36,000 ft (10,973 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 1,870 ft/min (570 m/min)
RANGE: 1,205 mi (1,938 km) with internal fuel; 1,705
mi (2,743 km) with full load and auxiliary tanks
* * *
MOSQUITO F.B. XVIII SPECIFICATIONS
WEIGHT: 14,100/22,500 lb. (6,409/10,227 kg)
SPAN: 54' 2" (16.5 m) LENGTH: 40' 6" (12.3 m)
ENGINE: Two Rolls-Royce Merlin 25 liquid-cooled
V-12s with 1,635 hp each
ARMAMENT: Four .303-in. Browning machine guns on
nose with 500 r.p.g., plus one 57-mm Molins cannon
with 25 rounds, plus 1,000 lb. of bombs and eight
60-lb. rocket projectiles
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 380 mph (611 km/h) @ 13,000 ft
(3,962 m)
CEILING: 36,000 ft (10,973 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 1,870 ft/min (570 m/min)
RANGE: 1,205 mi (1,938 km) with internal fuel;
1,705 mi (2,743 km) with full load and auxiliary
tanks
* * *
STRENGTHS (ALL VARIANTS)
- High speed, especially at lower altititudes.
- Heavy armament.
WEAKNESSES (ALL VARIANTS)
- Not as rugged as stressed aluminum aircraft.
- Easy for enemy pilots to identify.
- 15 -
15
Subject: BRITISH AIRCRAFT
de Havilland Vampire F.1
Vampire
VAMPIRE F.1 SPECIFICATIONS
WEIGHT: 6,372/10,480 lb. (2,896/4,764 kg)
SPAN: 40' (12.2 m) LENGTH: 30' 9" (9.4 m)
ENGINE: One de Havilland Goblin II turbojet with
3,100-lb. thrust
ARMAMENT: Four 20-mm Hispano cannon with 150 r.p.g.
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 540 mph (869 km/h) @ 20,000 ft
(6,096 m)
CEILING: 42,800 ft (13,045 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 4,200 ft/min (1,280 m/min)
RANGE: 730 mi (1,175 km)
* * *
The Vampire (Britain’s second jet ghter after
the Gloster Meteor) was just months too late for
service in WWII; the rst production aircraft took
to the air in April 1945. Its single-engine, twinboom design made it the rst Allied jet to match
the performance of the German Messerschmitt 262.
The Vampire served rst as a high-speed interceptor,
and later (under the designation F.B. 5) as a close
support ghter-bomber carrying 2,000 pounds of bombs
or rockets. It is tantalizing to imagine how encounters between the Vampire and the German jet ghters
might have gone. Do well enough in conventional
aircraft, and you may earn the opportunity to nd
out rsthand.
* * *
STRENGTHS
- Fast and maneuverable.
- Four 20-mm cannon deliver a massive punch.
WEAKNESSES
- Leisurely acceleration.
- Short engine life.
- 16 -
16
Subject: BRITISH AIRCRAFT
Hawker Typhoon IB
Typhoon
TYPHOON IB SPECIFICATIONS
WEIGHT: 8,800/11,400 lb. (4,000/5,182 kg)
SPAN: 41' 7" (12.7 m) LENGTH: 31' 10" (9.7 m)
ENGINE: One Napier Sabre IIA 24-cyl. liquid-cooled
at-H with 2,180 hp
ARMAMENT: Four 20-mm Hispano cannon with 140 r.p.g.,
plus two 1,000-lb. bombs or eight 60-lb. rocket projectiles
MAX SPEED @ ALTITUDE: 405 mph (652 km/h) @ 18,000 ft
(5,486 m)
CEILING: 34,000 ft (10,363 m)
INITIAL CLIMB RATE: 2,540 ft/min (774 m/min)
RANGE: 510 mi (820 km) with bombs; 980 mi (1,577 km)
without bombs and with drop tanks
* * *
The Typhoon was Hawker’s successor to the aging
Hurricane. Its big, ambitious design was based on
the massive 36-liter Napier Sabre at-H engine.
While the complex and maintenance-intensive Sabre
never provided outstanding reliability, it did
provide well over 2,000 horsepower, which gave the
Typhoon far greater performance than anything imagined when the Hurricane was new. The Typhoon was
rushed into service late in 1941, but some serious
shortcomings prevented it from fullling its
intended role of interceptor. Its thick wing made
for instability at high altitudes, and its poorly
designed aft fuselage caused the tail to break away
during fast, steep dives. By late 1942 its structural problems were worked out, and the Typhoon came
into its own as a powerful and heavily armed lowlevel ghter-bomber. After the Normandy invasion,
Typhoons of the Second Tactical Air Force destroyed
concentrations of German armor and made the roads of
France and Belgium unsafe for enemy troops or transport.
* * *
STRENGTHS
- High speed.
- Heavy armament and ordnance load.
WEAKNESSES
- Poor handling and performance above 20,000 feet.
- For its power, a relatively leisurely rate of
climb.
- Poor engine reliability.
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