Dogfights..... - Aircraft of World War II

Lucky13 · 06-22-2007, 02:58 AM

Just a wee question that just popped up in my head. When it comes to dogfights, is the strain the same for the pilot and aircraft if it takes place at low, medium or high altitude, or is there no difference?

timshatz · 06-22-2007, 10:15 AM

For the pilot, it would be worse in an unpressurized aircraft at altitude. More stresses on him (air pressure, temperature, ect). Probably the same problem exist (to some extent) with the aircraft. Not sure the airframe.

twoeagles · 06-22-2007, 10:24 AM

For the aircraft, it is all about load factors. 6 g's at 30k' is the same
as 6 g's at 10k'. As Tim said, for the pilot, the environmental factors
are pressure and temperature. In a modern pressurized fighter, it
would make little difference.

06-22-2007, 02:58 AM	#1
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 15,140	Dogfights..... Just a wee question that just popped up in my head. When it comes to dogfights, is the strain the same for the pilot and aircraft if it takes place at low, medium or high altitude, or is there no difference? __________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!" Last edited by Lucky13; 06-22-2007 at 10:26 AM.

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06-22-2007, 10:15 AM	#2
timshatz Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Phila, Pa Posts: 3,446	For the pilot, it would be worse in an unpressurized aircraft at altitude. More stresses on him (air pressure, temperature, ect). Probably the same problem exist (to some extent) with the aircraft. Not sure the airframe.

06-22-2007, 10:24 AM	#3
twoeagles Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Chambersburg Posts: 665	For the aircraft, it is all about load factors. 6 g's at 30k' is the same as 6 g's at 10k'. As Tim said, for the pilot, the environmental factors are pressure and temperature. In a modern pressurized fighter, it would make little difference.