Comparison Tables

I tried to run each test a couple of times and take the average. Each aircraft was loaded with the standard fighter loadout (no bombs). Each aircraft was also weighted with a fuel load to give a similar duration of flight in each test.

Remember that these figures are only a guideline as to how the aircraft perform in relation to each other. The figures are there to help you decide at a glance if the Spad is really faster than the Camel and at what altitude.. this helps if you are chasing one, no?

Below is a list of each test and an explanation on the methods used.

Maximum Level Speed

Each aircraft was loaded with 10 minutes worth of fuel and air starts were used in each test at a variety of altitudes. The aircraft were allowed to accelerate on auto level and continue level flight for 2 minutes at which time the speed was recorded.

Climb Rate

Each aircraft was loaded with 10 minutes worth of fuel and an air start at 500 feet was used. The aircraft were allowed to accelerate on auto level to 100mph then auto climb, on the default setting, was applied, The aircraft were allowed to continue climbing for 10 minutes. Times were recorded as they passed through each 1,000 foot barrier. The tests were canceled at 10 minutes.

Most aircraft could not make it to 10,000 feet in the 10 minutes... some never made it through 8,000 feet

30 Minute Climb

Each aircraft was loaded with 30 minutes worth of fuel and an air start at 500 feet was used. The aircraft were allowed to accelerate on auto level to 100mph then auto climb, on the default setting, was applied. The aircraft were allowed to continue climbing for 30 minutes. The altitudes reached after 15, 20, 25, and 30 minutes were recorded.

Altitude units are given in feet for all aircraft.

Maximum Dive Speed

Each aircraft was loaded with 10 minutes worth of fuel and an air start at 10000 feet was used. The aircraft were allowed to dive on auto speed to ground. The figures below are the speeds at which each aircraft can dive to the ground without any structural failure occurring.

The Halberstadt CLII experiences an auto speed trim "cut out" at 145mph. The aircraft will not dive at a steeper angle on auto speed trim.

Roll Rate

Each aircraft was loaded with 10 minutes worth of fuel and air starts at various altitude were used. The aircraft were allowed to reach 100mph and were then rolled left and right.

Each test was run twice or three times and an average was taken. A 360 roll in these aircraft is dangerous at low altitude. The gunsight was kept on the horizon as much as possible in these tests... but it was difficult.

Most aircraft start out rolling slow at low altitudes, roll better around 5,000 feet and then roll rate drops off again. The Spad VII has a well above performance average at 5,000 feet. The Albatros D.Va is erratic when compared to the others. The Spad XIII starts out below average, gets worse, and then picks up above 5,000 feet. The only tri-plane in the set (Fokker Dr.1) has the best roll rate by far, beating it's closet rival, the Sopwith F.1 Camel, by more than two seconds across all altitudes.

Turn Rate

Each aircraft was loaded with 10 minutes worth of fuel and air starts at various altitude were used. The aircraft were allowed to reach 100mph, and were then turned left. The sustained turn rate was recorded.

Each test was run twice. The aircraft were turned for at least two 360 degree turns until the speed stabilised. An average of the next two or three turns was taken. The speed at which the aircraft stabilised was a few miles per hour above stall speed in a turn. That speed:

A) is "right at the edge" with the stall "flutter" sounding.

B) varied with altitude and will vary with fuel loads "in the field".

Acceleration

Each aircraft was loaded with 10 minutes worth of fuel and an air start at various altitudes was used. The aircraft slowed to stall speed then auto level trim was applied. The time to 100mph was recorded as well as the time to maximum level speed

While the maximum level speed of each aircraft is different these figures will help you judge if you can catch an enemy aircraft before it gets a good head of steam up... even if it's maximum level speed is higher that the aircraft you are in.

Zoom Climb

Each aircraft was loaded with 10 minutes worth of fuel and an air start at various altitudes was used. The aircraft were allowed to accelerate to 100mph and were then smoothly pulled up into the vertical until they stalled out and toppled over. The altitude at the top of this zoom climb was recorded.

Lethality

How to test the lethality offline? The red-shaded headquarters building beside the Zeppelin hangar at F20 in the "daawf1.trn" terrain was chosen as a target. Each aircraft was started on the ground and then taxied to a stop in front of the building. Those inside were given 60 seconds to evacuate. The gunsight was placed between the first floor windows and the trigger(s) held down until the building exploded (or not).

The first figure is the ammunition load of each weapon "system", given in number of rounds. The second figure is the duration of a sustained burst, until empty, in each weapon "system". The third figure (Time To...) is the time it took to destroy the building with a sustained burst.

Figures are given for single and paired weapons in both standard fighter and "balloon busting" incendiary loads. These figures are then applied to the aircraft in question.

Tail gunner/observer weapons were not tested as they cannot fire while on the ground and are marked with the "CNFOG" note.

Bombs were not tested.

Note: The Allied and Axis aircraft have equal lethality in these tests. The Spandau pairs are equal to the Vickers pairs. The Spandau singles are equal to the Vickers singles...

Note2: The single .303 Lewis Gun on the SE5a just failed the test by half a second. Firing both the Lewis and Vickers together gave the SE5a a score of 19 seconds on the "Armament Standard Load" test.