Japanese Combat Experience

[FLYBOYJ]

Air International had a great article in the CW-21B and if I remember there was a claim that the CW-21B was able to out turn the Zero. It does seem that it was just numerically overwhelmed in the battles it participated in.

[kool kitty89]

That's not unbelievible.

But there were some other problems with the airframe (and unrelated engine problems that were most likely maintence related, possibly wear related if they were refurbished models for DC-3's) mostly some structural/construction problems, particularly with the skin, though this may have been due to hasty asembly/construction.

[renrich]

It wouldn't seem to be hard to overwhelm the Demon as my reference shows that only 17 were delivered to the Dutch East Indies.

[FLYBOYJ]

Yep!

[kool kitty89]

The Buffalo was less outnumberd. And lower performing... Better armament, armor, and fuel tank protection though. (tougher airframe than the light CW-21 too, pretty tough as long as it was constructed and assembled properly) And it managed to score roughly 1:1 with the commonwealth in Air to Air in Singapore, before evacuation. (a bit better with the Dutch)

[renrich]

The Demon was an interesting AC. I believe it was originally designed to be sold to China but then a modified version was sold to the Netherlands. I would like to hear the story about how they performed in combat or actually what happened to them from the factory on. Would make a good book.

[kool kitty89]

And I wonder why flush inward retracting gear wasn't adopted for the P-40 like the CW-21B had, the earlier models using the same system as the P-40 with the underwing fairings. The switch to the simpler flush inward retracting gear on the 21B added ~8 mph to the top speed at SL. It would also leave the normal airfoil shape (no longer obstructed by the fairings) on the wing which should allow a bit more lift.

[parsifal]

I heard, but cannot prove, that these little A/C suffered similar problems to the zero, namely they had insufficent fasteners in the airframe, that made them weak and vulnerable to failure due to combat damage

[kool kitty89]

It may have been due to hasy assembly of the already light airframe. iirc they also had similar structural problems to the Japanese planes in dives. (lower dive acceleration, naturally due to the light airframe, but more improtantly the areodynamic stresses put a relatively low redline speed, under 450 mph)