I discovered the Total Simulation Series Warbirds II (and later Warbirds III) flight simulator and online game several years ago while researching a series of articles about World War II fighter planes. The TotalSims ( http://www.totalsims.com/ ) people have compiled a most impressive and extensive set of performance parameters for WW II aircraft and I used some of their data in my articles. I am not a "gamer," but it seemed only fair, having benefited from their extensive research database, to purchase their Warbirds CD, which I did.

It took a long time, but I have finally explored the Warbirds III simulations of a large number of WW I and WW II aircraft. In addition to a wonderful educational experience, it has been a lot of fun and I thought that other amateur WW I and WW II aviation historians, and novice Warbird pilots in general, might profit from my take on test flying many of the various historical aircraft in the Warbirds III computer simulation.

My actual, hands-on piloting experience is limited to flying light and ultra-light aircraft along the lines of the QuickSilver MX-L II, Aeronca Champ, Cessna 152 and Grumman Cheetah as a student pilot. This is certainly not any sort of qualification for taking real, high performance WW II fighters aloft for test flights, but I found that my actual stick time (although limited) was an asset, as at least I understood from practical experience the interaction of ailerons, rudder, elevators and throttle in the three dimensional world of flight.

Warbirds is compatible with inexpensive "twist for rudder" joysticks, which is what I used, as well as more sophisticated joystick + rudder pedals controls. In most cases, the Warbirds program will "recognize" your choice of joystick and adapt to its use without requiring any operator action. I used the Warbirds III "Default" settings for my Saitek ST290 Pro joystick controller. (Basically, push forward or pull back to deflect the elevators, push to either side to control the ailerons and twist the stick to the right for right rudder and left for left rudder.) The throttle lever is on the base of my controller. If applicable, the "trigger" at the front of my joystick typically fires the airplane's forward machine guns and the center button at the back of the stick fires the cannons.

In Warbirds III your computer's keyboard is used to operate some important features. Here is a synopsis of some of the most commonly used key strokes:

• Q = Lower flaps one increment (if available)
• Shift + Q = Deploy full flaps
• W = Raise flaps one increment (if available)
• Shift + W = Fully retract flaps
• Space Bar = Applies wheel brakes
• E = Start/Stop engine
• G = Raise or Lower landing gear
• X = Autopilot and auto trim
• F12 (Function Key #12) = Center joystick
• O = Open/close bomb bay doors
• B = Drop bomb
• Enter = Bail out

Once I understood the basic Warbirds keyboard, mouse and joystick controller inputs, I went through the Warbirds Instruction program. When I felt that I had gotten about as much from the Instruction phase as I was going to get, I moved on to "Free Flight" to get some simulation time on the easier to fly aircraft. (My suggestion is to start by flying the Ju-87 Stuka dive-bomber; it is about as easy to takeoff, fly and land as it gets). As I gained confidence, I began trying other, higher performance aircraft and eventually moved on to a more structured flight testing regimen.

My aircraft testing was done in the Warbirds III "Instant Action" mode with "Free Flight" selected for basic aircraft flight testing and "Target Drones" selected for aerial gunnery practice. I found that the easiest and most versatile way to access the mode desired was to click "Instant Action" on the Warbirds main (opening) page, then close the "Instant Action" instant start menu (click the little "X" at the top right corner) and select my operating options from the main menu beneath.

British and Japanese WW II fighters usually have only two flaps settings, fully down and fully up. American and German fighters tend to have much more flexible flaps with four settings. My usual flight test routine was to take off using no flaps with British and Japanese fighters, or the first flap setting (maybe 10 degrees?) with German or American fighters. I retract the landing gear immediately after takeoff and flaps ASAP, then climb to approximately 5000 feet (or 1500 meters as the case may be). I found 5000 feet to be high enough to give me adequate room to recover from my (inevitable) flying errors.

Once at my target altitude I executed a low speed/power-off stall, to get an idea of the airplane's stall characteristics. I did this by reducing the throttle to idle and then pulling back on the stick until the airplane stalled and dropped its nose. (Push the stick forward and gradually add power as needed to recover from the stall and get the airplane into a controlled dive, then pull out.) I did coordinated standard rate turns at about 75% power. I also did steep right and left 360-degree turns with the airplane's wings approximately perpendicular to the ground. I did right and left aileron rolls. Then I attempted a full inside loop. The latter maneuver is at the edge of my novice skill level, so I frequently blacked-out or stalled-out (often both) at the top and had to recover. With fighters, sometimes I did a split-S and transitioned into a loop, a good way to build up plenty of speed for the loop.

With WW I aircraft only, I executed steep, full power dives to test their structural integrity--most will shed their fabric covering or entire wings in short order. In the course of that test I gained a more complete understanding of why the average operational lifespan of a WW I fighter pilot was only six weeks! In the main, those were poorly designed, inherently dangerous flying machines, enemy action aside.

In any event, after completing the flying part of my flight test, I returned to the airfield and landed. (Well, okay, sometimes I crash-landed. In which case, I did it over until I got it right.) On landing I normally used full flaps, if available.

Having gotten some feel for the airplane in question, I then moved on to "Target Drones" for some basic interception and gunnery practice. Target Drones are not towed targets, but a random variety of authentic aircraft "flown" by the computer at relatively easy intercept angles. These "drones" will use moderate defensive maneuvers, such as turns and course reversals, to throw off your gunnery, but they do not use high G evasive maneuvers such as snap rolls, tight turns, spins and power dives to escape and they never shoot back. Target Drones is, after all, supposed to be gunnery practice, not an air combat simulation. The latter are available on the Warbirds III CD, including 1v1, 2v2 and general melee dogfights, bomber intercepts, ground and maritime attack and a myriad of other scenarios, but they are beyond the scope of this article.

I did my Free Flight and Target Drone testing in all aircraft with a full load of ammunition, 50% fuel at start and no bombs, rockets or other external stores. (This specifically includes bombers, which were all flown "light"; I jettisoned all bombs as soon as I leveled off after takeoff.) The cockpit configuration of all aircraft was set to be accurate for the type. Other Warbirds settings in my Free Flight and Target Drone testing included "Veteran" pilot and "Ack off."

For Free Flight of both WW I and WW II aircraft, I take off and land in the "Midway" terrain setting using the following parameters:

• My country = Red
• My field = Midway
• Field filter = All
• Starting Altitude = 0
• Invulnerable = Off
• Unlimited ammunition = Off
• Black outs/Red outs = On
• Structural Airspeed limits = On
• Cockpit = On
• HUD = On
• Wingmen = 0
• Flight mode = Realistic Flight

I selected the airfield at Midway for its flat terrain, easy final approaches (which are over water) and long, wide runways without trees and other obstructions to worry about.

In Target Drone mode, I also use the "Midway" terrain setting for all WW II aircraft, regardless of national origin, with basically the same parameters. This time I start at 5000 feet to save the time otherwise required for takeoff and climb out. (Remember, Warbirds is a real time simulation, so if your SE5a fighter takes an hour to climb to 20,000 feet and you feel the need to go that high, you are going to spend the next hour in a very long, boring, climb.) After exhausting my supply of ammunition on the Target Drones, I return to my airfield, which (if I remember my history correctly) is actually on Sand Island in the Midway Archipelago, and land.

For all WW I aircraft in the Target Drone mode, I used the "Fanders" terrain setting with the same parameters as above. In "Flanders," for Allied planes: My country = Green and My field = Field 1. For German planes: My country = Red and My field = Field 12.

Having gained valuable insights about "flying" of a wide variety of WW I and WW II war birds and amassing a considerable amount of subjective data, here are my impressions of a variety of WW I and WW II combat aircraft from a novice pilot's perspective. The WW I and WW II aircraft below are presented and rated separately, as the two are vastly different and not directly comparable. Likewise, and for much the same reason, I have separated bombers from fighters. My "Novice Pilot Ratings" are just that, an evaluation of each particular airplane's suitability for the novice Warbirds simulation pilot. They should NOT be construed to represent, in any way, the airplane's performance in the hands of an accomplished ("Ace") pilot or its intrinsic combat potential.

WORLD WAR I FIGHTERS

• Albatross D-Va - German single seat, single engine fighter. Handled gently the Albatross is reasonably stable, turns well and is stable in a loop. Roll response is slow, but satisfactory. Limited visibility forward, but very good visibility upward, to the sides and aft. Prone to structural failure at high speed, but stronger than Fokker Dr. I. Reduce speed immediately if you hear a sound like a flag flapping in a stiff wind. Equipped with the usual five German metric instruments, including a tach and an altimeter. (This is lavish instrumentation for a WW I fighter.) Armament is 2-8mm MG's. This is an easy airplane to stall and it should be flown with engine power on (not idling) all the way to touch-down. Easy to takeoff, but beware of stalling on climb out. Novice Pilot Rating = C-

• Bristol F.2b - This is a two man, tandem seat fighter armed with one forward firing .303 MG for the pilot and a single .303 MG for the observer/rear gunner. The F.2b is fairly fast in level flight, dives well, and the airframe seems to be adequately strong for a WW I airplane. The Bristol two seater is not a good "turn and burn" fighter, being slow to respond to both aileron and rudder inputs. Standard rate turns can be smooth, but she wants to spin out of tight turns. The roll rate is slow and I could not get the F.2b through a 360 degree tight turn without dropping into a fatal spin. (Spins seem to be unrecoverable.) Keep the nose up in turns and rolls, as this puppy has an affinity for the ground. When you hear the wind rustling over the wings, or the nose starts to drop in a turn, flatten out immediately. Power-off stalls at high angles of attack are gentle, but recover immediately to avoid a spin. Pilot visibility is poor to the front and upward due to the low top wing. Visibility to the sides and down is good.

  Takeoffs are simple, since there are no flaps or retractable landing gear to deal with and speeds are fairly low. The Bristol is easy to land if you use a little throttle on final and keep some throttle on almost until touchdown. The roll-out after landing is short. Other than being easy to takeoff and land, this is a dangerous warbird for the novice pilot to fly. WW I Novice Pilot Rating = D-

• Fokker D-VII - German single seat, single engine fighter. Good speed, but very slow aileron (roll) response and rather insensitive rudder response. Adequate turning rate, poor roll rate. This is a very tricky airplane to fly. It is very easy to stall the D-VII and fall into an unrecoverable flat spin. Poor forward visibility, poor upward visibility, very good visibility to sides and astern. Structural failure possible at high speed. Reduce speed if you hear a sound like a flag flapping in a stiff wind. 2-MG mounted on front cowl, the optimum WW I armament. Substantial torque steer on takeoff. Tends to stall and roll at low speed, so must be flown under power (not idle) all the way to touchdown when landing. WW I Novice Pilot Rating = D-
• Fokker DR-1 Triplane - German single seat, single engine fighter. A highly maneuverable fighter offering fast turns, precise rolls and a good climb rate. Very light wing loading. Stable in a loop if it stays together, which is problematical. An excellent "turn and burn" fighter. Carries 2-8mm MG mounted on front cowl, the optimum WW I armament. Each gun has its own metal ring/crosshair sight! I found that to shoot at a target dead ahead it was best to aim between the two sights. Strangely, this is not particularly difficult to do. TheThe famous German aces Werner Voss and Manfred von Richthofen liked it and both were killed by enemy action while flying Fokker Triplanes.

  This is an easy plane to fly once it is airborne. DR-1 is prone to structural failure at high speed and in high G maneuvers. Reduce speed and or load immediately if you hear a sound like a flag flapping in a stiff wind. Very poor visibility forward and downward, poor visibility upward, good visibility to the sides and downward behind the wings as well as astern (credit the open cockpit). The lack of forward visibility is especially noticed when taking off and landing, since you cannot see the ground to the front or below. Powered by a rotary engine, there is no throttle; cut the engine to slow down. Glide in for a landing with the engine off. (The DR-1 glides well.) WW I Novice Pilot Rating = C

• Nieuport 17 - French single seat, single engine fighter. Somewhat underpowered, but maneuverable and easy to fly. Armed with only 1-MG and prone to structural failure in dives and high G maneuvers. Reduce speed if you hear a sound like a flag flapping in a stiff wind. Easy to loop. Poor visibility forward, but good visibility upward and excellent visibility to sides and rearward due to the open cockpit. The single instrument is an altimeter, calibration unknown. Easy to takeoff and land. Largely replaced in French service by the Spad, which was faster, stronger and better armed, although many of the best French pilots continued to prefer the Nieuport. WW I Novice Pilot Rating = B
• SE5a - British single seat, single engine fighter. The SE5a lacks a gun sight in my version of Warbirds, but is otherwise probably the best of the WW I fighters from the standpoint of the novice fly boy. Fast, handles predictably in all three dimensions and stays together. Easy to turn and roll. Can be looped. Moveable machine gun mounted on top of wing + machine gun on cowl makes armament a bit odd. Easy to takeoff and land. WW I Novice Pilot Rating = A
• Sopwith Camel - British single seat, single engine fighter. Very maneuverable in all three dimensions, reasonably fast, handles well, easy to loop. 2-MG's mounted on front cowl, the optimum WW I armament and easy to use gun sight. The rotary engine lacks a throttle, so it is always full on. Slow down by cutting engine. Land dead-stick (engine off), otherwise easy to land. Do not pin knot meter or may suffer structural failure, otherwise satisfactory structural strength. Reduce speed if you hear a sound like a flag flapping in a stiff wind. WW I Novice Pilot Rating = B+
• Spad XIII - French single seat, single engine fighter. The Spad XIII is fast in level flight, but slow in a climb. Good acceleration in a dive. Not very maneuverable, it is okay in gentle turns, but slow and prone to spin out of tight turns. Use full power in tight turns. Sluggish aileron response but good rudder response. Very poor visibility to the front and downward, marginal visibility to the sides, good visibility upward and aft. Armed with 2-.303 cal. MG's. Not nearly as fragile as the Nieuport 17 that it largely replaced. The Spad XIII has a lot of torque steer on takeoff, which is unfortunate since you cannot see where you are going. It is dangerous for the novice pilot to land because it doesn't handle very well at low speed and your view of the runway ahead and below is totally obscured. The Spad was flown by American WW I "ace of aces" Eddie Rickenbacker, for whom my respect markedly increased after flying this dog in Warbirds. WW I Novice Pilot Rating = D

WORLD WAR II FIGHTERS

• A6M5 Zero - The Zero, Allied code name "Zeke," was a Japanese Navy single seat, single engine, carrier-borne fighter. It is one of the great early war fighters and deserving of its reputation. Light wing loading. Responsive to control inputs, very maneuverable, yet stable and easy to fly. Rolls nicely, turns great and easy to loop. Easy to recover from controlled stall. No vices. An excellent plane in a turn and burn fight. Very good all around pilot visibility beneath greenhouse canopy. Average armament of 2-.303 MG + 2-20mm cannons. The Japanese instruments are complete, but hard to decipher. Easy to takeoff and land, as befits a carrier-based plane with wide track landing gear. Do not use flaps on takeoff. Novice Pilot Rating = A
• A-36A Apache - USAAF single seat, single engine fighter-bomber and ground attack aircraft. The A-36 is essentially a Mustang I airframe powered by an Allison V-12 motor. It is armed with 6-.50 cal. wing mounted MG's and can carry 2-500 pound bombs under its wings. The A-36 offers good level speed, good stick response, a good roll rate and adequate turning ability. Initial climb at low altitude also seems good. The Apache is relatively easy to loop. The instruments are easy to understand. Pilot visibility is good above, but only fair to the front, side and rearward. The canopy is cluttered by too many wide braces, especially in front and directly to the side. The A-36's predictable handling qualities make it less difficult to takeoff and land than many other planes with comparable performance. Its wide track landing gear and good flaps help, but its restricted forward visibility make maneuvering close to the ground more difficult than it needs to be. Novice Pilot Rating = C
• Bf 109E-4 - German single seat, single engine fighter. The Messerschmitt Bf 109 series was popularly known as the "ME-109" and this is the "Emil" version famous for its role in the Battle of Britain. Good overall performance; fast with a high rate of climb. Rolls well, dives well, adequate in tight turns. Can be looped. The armament (1-cannon + 2-8mm MG's) is only adequate and the 109's carry a limited supply of ammunition. Metric instruments. Pilot visibility is good forward, very good to sides, down and upward, but restricted aft. Torque steer on takeoff must be corrected by rudder pressure. Get the speed up before attempting to climb out after takeoff or the ME-109 will stall and crash. Two stage flaps and good forward visibility help on final landing approach. Steer gently on the ground to avoid tipping a wing into the dirt, the 109 has low wings and a narrow track landing gear. Novice Pilot Rating = C+
• Bf 109F-1 and F-4 - German single seat, single engine fighter. The Bf 109F series provides very good overall performance. They are fast, maneuverable and offer a high rate of climb with good high altitude performance. Rolls and turns well. Can loop without losing control. The armament (1-cannon + 2-8mm MG's) is only adequate and all 109's carry a limited supply of ammunition. A good suite of Metric instruments. The "F" series was probably the design peak of the ME-109 series. I especially like the "F" because, although it dates to early 1942, it is surprisingly competitive with both the later high energy fighters and the earlier, highly maneuverable fighters. Pilot visibility is good forward, very good to sides, down and upward, but restricted aft. Good forward visibility on final landing approach. Two stage flaps. Steer gently on the ground to avoid tipping a wing into the dirt, the 109 has a narrow track landing gear. Novice Pilot Rating = B

• Bf 109G-6 - German single seat, single engine fighter. The "G" (Gustav) was the most numerous of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 variants. This is the principal model that Luftwaffe pilots flew when they took on the American daylight bomber raids and their accompanying fighter escort. It came with a more powerful motor that had a bigger supercharger than the Bf 109F . The armament was improved by replacing the 8mm Mg's with 13mm MG's, for a total of 1- 20mm cannon + 2-13mm MG's. Like all ME-109's, the Gustav carries a rather limited supply of ammunition. The breeches of the big 13mm MG's caused large fairings to appear on both sides of the engine cowling, giving the "G" its nickname, "the Bulge."

  The Gustav is fast, offers a high rate of climb and is a good performer at high altitude. It rolls quickly and turns well, but not spectacularly. In a low speed stall the nose drops abruptly and she wants to snap into a roll. Can loop without losing control. Handle with a light touch on the controls; the "G" seems to be trickier to fly than the "F." Good metric instruments. Pilot visibility is satisfactory forward, very good to sides and upward, but restricted aft. Considerable torque steer on takeoff, counter with rudder. The gun bulges on the upper sides of the front cowl restrict the pilot's view during takeoff and landing. Four stage flaps. Steer gently on the ground to avoid tipping a wing into the dirt, the 109 has a narrow track landing gear. Novice Pilot Rating = C

• Bf 109K-4 - German single seat, single engine fighter. The final development of the ME-109 series with a terrific power to weight ratio, accelleration and climb rate. An excellent high altitude fighter and probably the ultimate vertical fighter in Warbirds. This is an expert's fighter and a match for the other top prop fighters, such as the Spit XIV, FW 190D, Ki-84, P-38L and P-51D. Very responsive to control inputs; easy to red-out or black-out with abrupt control movements or during high speed maneuvers. Tricky to loop and more difficult to fly than the Bf 109F series. Improved armament includes 2-13mm [about .50 cal.] MG's + 1-30mm rapid fire cannon, but the ammunition supply is very limited. Pilot visibility is good forward, very good to sides, down and upward, but restricted aft. Metric instruments. The hot "K" is a little harder to land than the more forgiving "F." Steer gently on the ground to avoid tipping a wing into the dirt, the 109 has a narrow track landing gear. Novice Pilot Rating = C+

• Bf 110 C-4 - German single engine, tandem two seat fighter. This is the day fighter version of the ME-110 that served in the Battle of Britain. As a long range bomber escort it proved to be less than entirely satisfactory. Its overall fighter vs. fighter performance was found to be inferior to the Hurricane and Spitfire interceptor fighters that it faced over England. The Bf-110 is fast at sea level and it can out run most of the single seat fighters of its day on the deck, but at high altitude its speed is inferior to the Spitfire. This big, twin engine fighter later proved to be an excellent ground attack plane and a fine night fighter.

  The 110 turns smoothly, but not very quickly. Aileron rolls are slow. Loops are possible. Armament is excellent, comprising 4-8mm MG's and 2-20mm cannons in the nose. There is a rear gunner behind the pilot to help protect the 110's tail with a single 8mm MG. The greenhouse canopy provides good views in all directions except downward to the side, where a good part of the view is obstructed by the engines and wings. Metric instruments. Good flaps, a wide landing gear track and excellent forward visibility (there is no engine in front of the pilot) make takeoffs and landings relatively easy. There is a lot of torque steer on takeoff, since both props turn in the same direction. Novice Pilot Rating = B

• C.202 Series VII - Italian single seat, single engine fighter. Macchi's fighter built around the same Daimler-Benz inverted "V" 12 engine visually resembles the Bf 109F. It offers smooth and easy roll, adequate climb and speed. Very quick rudder response; go easy on the rudder in turns. Rather easy to spin out in tight turns and loops, so pay attention to the stall warning horn. Light armament of only 2-.30 + 2-.50 MG's. Good metric instruments. Pilot visibility good except for heavy bracing, particularly around front windscreen. Performance comparable to the Bf-109E and Spitfire Ia. Good flaps and decent forward visibility make the C.202 comparatively easy to takeoff and land. Novice Pilot Rating = C
• C.205 Veltro - Italian single seat, single engine fighter. An improved version of the C.202, which it strongly resembles. More horsepower makes this a better all around fighter. Good speed, good climb, smooth roll. Rather easy to spin out in tight turns and loops. Very quick rudder response; go easy on the rudder in turns. Good metric instruments. Pilot visibility like C.202, which is generally good except for the large areas blocked by the canopy bracing. Performance is comparable to the Ki-61-Ic and Bf-109F. Good flaps and decent forward visibility make the C.205 relatively easy to land, about like the Bf-109F in that regard. Novice Pilot Rating = C+
• D.H. 98 Mosquito VI - British twin engine, two seat fighter-bomber. (Also see below under "Bombers.") Wooden construction and side by side crew seating. Very fast with excellent armament. Stable in turns and rolls and can be looped, but lacks quick control response of single seat fighters; don't get into a turning fight. Excellent armament of 4-20mm nose mounted cannons. Nice, clear, easy to read instruments. Command Pilot sits on left side of cockpit. Pilot visibility is poor to right rear, good to left rear, poor to sides and not that great to the front. Both props rotate in the same direction, making for lots of torque steer on takeoff. A fine night fighter, light bomber and high altitude photo reconnaissance plane, but an inferior day fighter and it makes a big target for the smaller, more nimble single seat fighters. Novice Pilot Rating = C
• F4F-3, F4F-4 Wildcat - Single seat, single engine US Navy carrier-borne fighter. Maneuverable, but rather slow and a poor climber. Inferior in most respects to the best early war fighters, including P-40, Bf-109, C.202, Hurricane and Zero. Not difficult to fly, responsive and predictable in steep turns and rolls. Controllable stall. Handles well at low speeds. The F4F-3 is armed with 4-.50 MG's and the F4F-4 carries a very good armament of 6-.50 MG's. Pilot visibility good to front, upward and sides, below average view aft and downward. There are, however, too many metal braces in the pilot's sight lines. Radial engine restricts visibility forward at high angles of attack, but otherwise the Wildcat is relatively easy to takeoff and land despite its narrow track landing gear. Novice Pilot Rating = C
• FM2 Wildcat - Single seat, single engine US Navy carrier-borne fighter. This version of the Wildcat features a more powerful engine, which improves top speed, acceleration and climb, although not enough to put the FM2 ahead of its contemporaries. Makes it easier to loop, though. Turns and rolls well. Overall good maneuverability, much like F4F above, but a little better all around. The FM2 is armed with 4-.50 MG's. The pilot can see well to the front, upward and sides, but visibility is below average aft and downward. There are too many metal braces in the pilot's sight lines. Easy to takeoff and land. Novice Pilot Rating = C+
• F4U-1D Corsair - Single seat, single engine US Navy carrier-borne fighter. Powerful, fast, good roll rate, but somewhat tricky to fly. Does not like sustained tight turns and prone to spin out of loops. Fortunately, its stall is reasonably gentle. Very good all around visibility except directly to rear. Very good armament (6-.50 cal. MG). Good, easy to read and understand instruments. Pronounce torque effect on takeoff. Not too difficult to land due to good flaps and wide track landing gear; fly it all the way to touch-down. The Corsair was rated as the best all-around American fighter by the Japanese pilots who faced it, but I consider it a better fighter for experts than for beginners. Novice Pilot Rating = D+
• F6F-4 Hellcat - Single seat, single engine US Navy carrier-borne fighter. The successor to the Wildcat. Maneuverable, rolls easily and turns well, mediocre climb rate. The American standard of 6-.50 cal. MG gives it very good firepower. Not, however, particularly easy to fly. Bf-109F and Spitfire V offer equal or better performance and are easier to fly. Restricted pilot visibility, especially aft. Radial engine cowling restricts visibility forward on takeoff and landing. Novice Pilot Rating = D
• FW 190A-4 and FW 190A-8 - German single seat, single engine fighter. Good performance, very good firepower. The A-8 has a particularly heavy and effective armament of 2-MG's and 4-20mm cannon, while the A-4 carries 2- MG's and 2-20mm cannon. Essentially, these are high energy fighters and they are more difficult to fly than the Bf-109's. Rapid roll, good acceleration in a dive, turns pretty well, but not as tight as the Bf-109's and C.202/C.205 and cannot match the likes of the Zero, Hurricane and Spitfire in a turning fight. When handled well, the FW 190 was competitive with the Spitfire, P-38, P-47 and P-51 models that were its primary foes. Metric instruments. Radial engine restricts visibility forward on takeoff and landing, otherwise good all around visibility. Novice Pilot Rating = C-

• FW 190D-9 - German single seat, single engine fighter. Introduced near the end of the war, the "long nose" 190D traded the A-8's radial engine for a more powerful liquid-cooled Jumo 213A-1 V-12 motor. The FW 190A-8 fuselage was lengthened at both ends to accommodate the new power plant. The result was a substantial jump in speed and climb performance, particularly at high altitude, without much loss in the areas of handling and maneuverability. The "Dora" has an effective armament of 2-13mm MG's and 2-20mm cannon. This a very high performance late war fighter and, like most of its kind, it was intended to fight in the vertical ("boom and zoom"). It is a good match in combat for the other late war fighters such as the Ki-84, Spit XIV, Bf 109K and P-51D.

  The FW 190D retains the light ailerons of its predecessors and boasts a rapid roll rate and good acceleration. It turns well, but not particularly tight. Metric instruments. Pilot visibility through a clear view canopy is very good in all directions in level flight, but the long nose restricts visibility forward on takeoff and landing. Like most other very high performance fighters, the Dora's landing speed is rather high. Roll out after touchdown is extended and that needs to be taken into consideration by the pilot. Novice Pilot Rating = C-

• Hurricane I, Hurricane IIc - British single seat, single engine fighters. The Mark I had fabric covered wings, while the Mark IIc had metal wings, a more powerful version of the Merlin engine and an improved armament. The Hurricane is an easy airplane to fly with good control in all dimensions. Not particularly fast, but an effective fighter against its contemporaries. The climb rate is about average for an early war fighter. The Hurricane rolls smoothly and turns well. Can be looped. Low speed stall is predictable and it is relatively easy to recover. Nice, clear, easy to read instruments. Easy to land and take-off; the Hurricane's wide track gear gives it an advantage over the Spitfire and ME-109 in this critical area. Pilot visibility good upward, good to the front and sides, average to the rear. The armament of the Mark I is average (8-.303 MG's), while the Mark IIc is well armed with 4-20mm cannons. Novice Pilot Rating = A-
• JM-2, JM-3 Raiden - Single seat, single engine fighter. The Raiden (Thunderbolt) was a land based Japanese Navy fighter. The JM-3 is an improved version of the JM-2 with heavier armament, but lower overall performance due to increased weight and wing loading. These are tricky, high energy fighters for the novice pilot to fly, somewhat along the lines of the Russian La-7. Raiden's have poor visibility to the rear in flight and poor visibility to the front on takeoff and landing due to radial engine cowling and rearward cockpit position. Lots of torque steer on takeoff. Novice Pilot Rating = D
• Ki-43-II Hayabusa - Japanese single seat, single engine fighter. One of the Japanese Army's early war fighters that served throughout. The Ki-43 (Allied code name "Oscar") was sort of the Japanese Army's counterpart to the Zero. Easy to fly, very maneuverable, stable and easy to control in all dimensions, easy to loop, but not very fast. No vices. An excellent fighter in a turn and burn fight. Outstanding all around pilot visibility, including directly to the rear. The Ki-43's big drawback was its light armament, which consisted of only 2-.50 cowl mounted MG's. Japanese instrumentation is complete, but hard to decipher. Comparatively easy to takeoff and land. Novice Pilot Rating = B+
• Ki-44-II - Japanese Army single engine, single seat fighter with the Allied code name " Tojo." Unlike the Ki-43 and Zero, this is a more powerful, faster, high altitude fighter. It rolls quickly, accelerates well in a dive and climbs well. It is maneuverable, but can't turn with the Ki-43 and Zero. It also stalls harder and has more tendency to roll when stalled. Flying the Ki-44 made me wonder how it stacks-up against the FW-190 and P-47 in Warbirds combat. The Ki-44's moderate armament is 4-.50 cal. MG's. Very good all around visibility except to the front at high angles of attack, where the big radial engine obscures the pilot's view. This becomes apparent during takeoff and especially when landing. It also lands at higher speeds than the Ki-43. For all of that, it is only of about average difficulty to land. Novice Pilot Rating = C

• Ki-61-Ic Hien - The Hien (flying swallow), Allied code name "Tony," is a single seat, single engine Japanese Army fighter that was powered by a Japanese built version of the German D-B inverted V-12 engine that powered the Bf 109E. The Japanese designed airframe built around this liquid cooled engine, intended as an improvement over the Bf 109E, visually resembles Messerschmitt's own improved Bf 109F. The Bf 109F, C.205 and Ki-61-Ic are all excellent fighters built around the same type of engine in different countries and make an interesting comparison. The Ki-61-Ic is well armed with 2-.50 cal. MG's and 2-20mm cannons.

  The Hien is fast, rolls quickly, accelerates quickly in a dive and climbs well. It is maneuverable, able to turn quickly in both directions and is very easy to loop. It is a hard airplane to stall, even with the engine idling, as it will hang by its propeller for a long time. Very good all around visibility, better than the Bf 109F, especially forward and down as well as aft. This improved forward visibility, along with its wide track landing gear, makes the Hien a little easier to takeoff and land than the Bf 109F. Novice Pilot Rating = B

• Ki-84-Ia Hayate - Single seat, single engine fighter. The Hayate, Allied code name "Frank," was a late war (1944-1945) Japanese Army fighter intended to compete with the latest generation of Allied fighters, particularly the Corsair, P-38, P-47 and P-51. It was effective both as an energy fighter and in a dogfight. It was powered by a powerful radial engine and was almost as fast in level flight as its Allied competition. Armament consists of two cowl mounted .50 caliber machine guns and two wing mounted 20mm cannons.

  The Hayate's aileron response is a bit slow, but it can hold a turn well. It is very good in a sustained climb, so good that low speed, high angle of attack stalls are difficult to achieve. When it does stall, it tends to roll and dive. Precise rolls are easy, if a bit slow and loops are very easy in this plane, even starting in horizontal flight. In level flight it is a stable platform. Pilot visibility is very good in all directions, including to the rear. The big radial engine blocks forward vision on takeoff and landing, but the Hayate is stable and easy to control at low speed. Landing speed is similar to other good energy fighters, which is to say higher than a Spit or Zero. Novice Pilot Rating = B-

• La5-F, La7 - This pair of Russian single seat, single engine fighters were well thought of by the Soviet Air Force. The La7 is an improved version of the La5. Good speed and climb, sensitive ailerons and a fast roll rate. Can easily hold a steep turn in either direction for a full 360 degrees and beyond. Loops smoothly. Falls off on one wing in a low speed stall, but not hard to recover as long as you have sufficient altitude. Good all around visibility except directly aft, but too many heavy braces over the canopy block out parts of the view. Standard armament of 2-20m cannon. A scoop on top of the large radial engine cowling blocks the lower part of the reflector gun sight, so you are aiming just over the cowling with a poor view of the target. Good, reasonably easy to understand instruments. The La5-F and La7 are not particularly difficult to fly, but they are hard to takeoff and harder to land. Both have a lot of torque steer on takeoff and very limited forward visibility on takeoff and landing due to a very tall engine cowling, so you can't see the runway on final approach. Novice Pilot Rating = D-
• ME-262 - The ultimate energy fighter and a pleasant surprise. This German single seat, twin engine jet has outstanding armament (4-30mm cannon), but closing speed is so high that the time available to line up on target and shoot is very brief. Easier to fly than anticipated. The ME-262 rolls well and turns adequately, but be careful not to over control with the rudder in turns. Can be looped. Pilot has excellent all around visibility, particularly forward for take-off and landing. Metric instruments. The engines are fragile, so keep the needles out of the red. 75% or less is usually plenty of power. (By the way, the plane flies well on one engine.) A tricycle landing gear, good flaps and excellent forward vision make the 262 surprisingly easy to land. No torque effect on takeoff, of course. If the Germans could have gotten enough of these fighters into squadron service by late 1943 they could have regained control of the skies over Western Europe. Novice Pilot Rating = C

• P-38J, P-38L Lightning - These are the late model versions of the USAAF's single seat, twin engine Lightning. High speed and a fast climb are available on demand. The P-38L, in particular, is known in Warbirds as the "Super Fighter." The very effective armament includes 1-20mm cannon and 4-.50 cal. MG's, all in the nose, eliminating convergence problems. However, the P-38 is not really a great plane for the novice Warbirds pilot. Like the other energy fighters, it is really too much of a good thing.

  In a post-war survey, Japanese fighter pilots rated the P-38 the best high altitude fighter plane that they faced. It is an energy fighter that is also reasonably maneuverable, capable of smooth 360 degree turns and rolls in either direction. Easy does it in tight turns, it is easy to over control and stall if the stick is pulled back too aggressively. Low speed, level stall characteristics are mild. Build up speed in a dive and the P-38 can be looped smoothly. The counter rotating props eliminate torque steer. The pilot has an excellent view to the front, unobstructed by an engine in front of the canopy. The view to the rear is also very good, but the pilot's view to the sides below his horizon is almost entirely blocked by the wide wings, engines and twin tail booms. The canopy also has too many braces that impede the pilot's view to the side and upward. The unimpeded forward view, probably the best of any Warbirds fighter, is a big asset for takeoffs and landings, as is the lack of torque steer, the (rare) tricycle landing gear and excellent flaps. Use a little power on the final approach and until just before touch-down to avoid stalling. Novice Pilot Rating = C

• P-39D - American single seat, single engine fighter. Bell's odd fighter with the engine mounted in the fuselage behind the pilot, tricycle landing gear and a 37mm nose cannon. Overall handling about average, but inferior in turning speed and radius. Poor climb rate. Inferior to most contemporary fighters including the C.202, P-40, Zero, Bf-109E and Hurricane. Novice Pilot Rating = C
• P-40 E Warhawk- American single seat, single engine fighter. Contemporary to the Spitfire, Hurricane and ME 109, this is the best of the American WW II fighters for the novice pilot. Easy to control, good maneuverability in all dimensions, adequate speed, very good armament, fairly easy to loop. No vices. Good instruments. Pilot visibility is better than average. Performance superior to the Hurricane and comparable to the Bf-109E at low levels (below 10,000 feet). After WW II, despite their extensive experience against the later Hellcat, Corsair, P-38, P-47 and P-51, Japanese pilots rated the P-40 the best American fighter at low altitude. Relatively easy to takeoff and land despite a narrow track landing gear, but beware of over braking after touch-down on landing, as you can easily stand the P-40 on its nose. Novice Pilot Rating = B+

• P-47C, P-47D Thunderbolt - The USAAF's P-47 is a single seat energy fighter. Powered by a single, massive Pratt & Whitney 2000 HP twin-row radial engine, it is very speedy at high altitude and has a higher service ceiling than most WW II fighters. This is not a "turn and burn" dogfighter, its forte' is "boom and zoom." Excellent firepower is provided by 8-.50 cal. wing mounted MG's. The later P-47D is most easily distinguished from the "C" and earlier models by its all around vision bubble canopy. Although the "C" model had decent pilot visibility in most directions except to the extreme rear, the "D" model bubble canopy provides excellent visibility in all directions, including to the rear.

  The P-47 is fast in level flight and has excellent aileron response and a high roll rate. It accelerates very rapidly in a dive and can zoom climb to regain lost altitude, although its sustained climb rate is not as high as some of its contemporaries. The P-47 tends to roll when stalled at low speed, so be prepared. Apply power to dive and then pull out to get the plane flying again. Unfortunately, the one direction that the Thunderbolt pilot cannot see on takeoff and landing is directly ahead. The view forward is blocked by the cowl of the huge radial motor and its extended cooling flaps at low speeds and high angles of attack when the wing flaps and landing gear are lowered. This makes the P-47, although reasonably stable, one of the more difficult WW II fighters to land. The plane's heavy weight and high wing loading mean a relatively fast landing speed, so it is easy to overshoot the intended landing area and once on the ground stopping distances are long. Like practically all of the high speed, high energy fighters, the P47 is a better choice for the expert pilot than for the novice. Novice Pilot Rating = D

• P-51B Mustang - USAAF single seat, single engine fighter. The P-51B has the Packard built Merlin engine that gave the type its world beating performance and turned it into a long range, high altitude escort fighter. Its armament of 4-.50 cal. wing mounted MG's, however, is only fair. The type features good maneuverability in all dimensions, high speed and fast climb. The P-51 responds quickly and predictably to all control inputs. It rolls quickly and easily and turns well. The powerful Mustang is relatively easy to loop and it has no obvious vices. The instruments are easy to understand. However, the "B" model lacks the bubble canopy of the "D" and subsequent models. Consequently, pilot visibility in the "B" is good above, but only fair to the front, side and rearward. The canopy is cluttered by too many wide braces, especially in front. The P-51's basically good handling characteristics make it less of a handful to takeoff and land than most very high performance fighters and its wide track landing gear and good flaps help, but the "B" model's restricted front visibility make maneuvering close to or on the ground more difficult and dangerous than it needs to be. Novice Pilot Rating = C+
• P-51D Mustang - USAAF single seat, single engine fighter. This is the model that brought the Mustang to fruition. Many experts consider the P-51D to be the best all around fighter of the war. To all of the "B" model's assets, the "D" model adds a bubble canopy that gives the pilot excellent vision in all directions, including rearward. Substandard fire power was corrected by the addition of two more .50 caliber guns, for a total of 6-.50 cal. MG's, and the ammunition supply is generous. Performance in flight is essentially the same, which is to say excellent. The P-51 is faster in most situations than the other WW II fighters and can often use that speed to escape from an unfavorable tactical situation; I understand that it is often referred to as the "Runstang" by frustrated opponents in the online version of Warbirds. Next to the Spitfire XIV, this is probably the easiest of the very high performance, late WW II fighters to fly. Novice Pilot Rating = B-

• Spitfire 1a - British single seat, single engine fighter. Very fast for its time, highly maneuverable, handles well in all dimensions. Light wing loading. Easy and predictable tight turns and rolls; can be looped starting from level flight. Good all-around pilot visibility. The engine cuts out when inverted due to primitive carburetor, so don't spend a lot of time upside down or in negative G maneuvers. The 8-.303 MG armament is about average in effect on other fighters. The Spitfire is a classic "turn and burn" fighter.

  Do not use flaps on takeoff in any Spitfire. The takeoff run in all Spitfire models is very short without flaps. Spitfires are relatively easy to takeoff and land if handled gently, but do not attempt to hold the nose down on takeoff or they will nose into the ground. Keep the elevators neutral on takeoff and let her leave the ground when she wants to, using the rudder to counter torque steer. Steer gently on the ground to avoid tipping a wing into the dirt, the Spitfire has low wings and a narrow track landing gear. Novice Pilot Rating = A-

• Spitfire Vb, Seafire II - British single seat, single engine fighters. The Seafire was the navalized version of the Spitfire, flown from Royal Navy aircraft carriers. These are perhaps the all around best fighters for the aspiring novice fighter pilot. Light wing loading, good speed and overall performance, excellent maneuverability in all dimensions and fairly easy to loop. Better sustained climb than Spitfire 1a, but not as good as Bf-109F. Handles predictably and without vices. Good all-around pilot visibility. Nice, clear, easy to read instruments. Armament is average (2-.303 MG's + 2-20mm cannons). The Spitfire's reputation as a pilot's airplane is well deserved. Takeoff and landing instructions as per Spitfire 1a. Novice Pilot Rating = A
• Spitfire IXe - British single seat, single engine fighter. Climb and speed are superior to the Spit Vb due to increased horsepower in same basic airframe, but also trickier to fly. Not quite as forgiving of pilot errors as the Vb, but it is still a Spitfire and you feel like you own the sky when you fly one. Armament above average (2-.50 MG + 2-20mm cannons), good all around pilot visibility. Nice, clear, easy to read instruments. Increased torque effect on take-off. Takeoff and landing instructions generally as per Spitfire 1a. Novice Pilot Rating = A-
• Spitfire XIV - British single seat, single engine fighter. Increased power from a RR Griffen engine on the superior Spit VIII airframe, this is the easiest of the high performance fighters to fly and fight. Very fast, terrific climb, maneuverable in all dimensions. Bubble canopy gives excellent all-around pilot visibility. Nice, clear, easy to read instruments. Competitive with any prop fighter in Warbirds and retains most of the Spit V's nice handling characteristics. Takeoff and landing instructions as per Spitfire 1a. My favorite of the high performance, late war fighters. Novice Pilot Rating = B+
• Yak-3 - Russian single seat, single engine fighter. The Yak's proved to be good low to medium altitude fighters on the Eastern Front. Good speed and initial climb rate. Fast aileron response, quick rolls. Turns pretty well. Wants to stall out at top of loops and spin. Excellent all around view, including astern. Adequate instruments. Armed with 1-20mm cannon and 2-.50 cal. MG's. Lots of torque steer on takeoff. Not too difficult to land if you stay on top of it. Novice Pilot Rating = C
• Yak-9D - Russian single seat, single engine fighter. Heavier, longer range, all metal successor to the Yak-3. It turns smoothly in either direction, but not particularly fast; try to push it and it wants to stall. Responsive ailerons, rolls well. Wants to stall at the top of loops and spin out. Adequate instruments. Armament of 1-20mm cannon and 1-.50 cal. MG is inferior to most contemporary fighters. Excellent all around view as per Yak-3, with which it apparently shares the same canopy. Controllable torque steer on takeoff. Not too hard to land as forward visibility is fairly good. Novice Pilot Rating = C

WORLD WAR II BOMBERS

• Aichi D3A ("Val") - Japanese single engine, carrier-borne, two man, tandem seating dive bomber with fixed landing gear. Armament is two fuselage mounted .303 MG's for the pilot and a single .303 MG for rear gunner. Bombs are carried externally; a typical load would include a 551 pound bomb under the fuselage and a 231 pound bomb under each wing. Sans bomb load it is very nice fly, but slow. Hard to stall and easy to recover. Turns and rolls smoothly and predictably and can be looped. Pilot visibility is satisfactory, but obstructed by too many wide canopy braces. Instruments are in Japanese. The D3A is easy to takeoff and land. At least you can't forget to lower the landing gear. Novice Pilot Rating = A

• B5N2 ("Kate") - Japanese single engine, carrier-borne, tandem seating torpedo and level bomber with retractable landing gear. Crew of two or three. Armament is limited to a single .303 MG for the rear gunner. No forward firing armament. Very easy to takeoff, fly and land, without a bomb load. Smooth and predictable rudder and aileron response. Stable and easy to loop. Forgiving stall characteristics and it is easy to recover from a power-off stall. Pilot visibility is very good in all directions under a greenhouse canopy. Instruments are in Japanese. The B5N2 is one of the easiest Warbirds aircraft to takeoff and land. Novice Pilot Rating = A-

• B-17G Flying Fortress - The USAAF's B-17 was a four-engine, heavy bomber operated by a 10 man crew. The B-17G introduced a remote controlled chin turret with twin .50 cal. MG's, lacking in previous models, to discourage head on attacks by German fighters. Total defensive armament of the "G" was 10 to 13-.50 cal. MG's. In addition to the chin turret there was a twin dorsal turret, twin ball (belly) turret, twin tail guns and single waist guns on the right and left sides of the fuselage. Sometimes there were flexible mounted "cheek" MG's on each side of the nose and some planes had a dorsal .50 cal. MG operated by the navigator. The normal internal bomb load was 6000 pounds and the range was about 2000 miles.

  Flying the B-17 is a slow and "easy does it" process. This is a big tail-dragger, but it is not particularly difficult to get off the ground if you have enough runway. Overall, it handles better than the B-24, but even without bombs on board the B-17 is slow in level flight and climbs slowly. It turns in wide arcs. Do not attempt 360 degree aileron rolls. Low speed, power off stalls are smooth, level and recoverable if you have enough altitude. Given adequate altitude, speed and momentum, the B-17 can be looped, although it is hard to see why anyone would want to do so. Pilot visibility to the front is only fair, good to both sides, poor above and nil to the rear. The B-17 is difficult to land because the pilot's forward visibility is limited, it is big, heavy, relatively slow to respond to control inputs and a tail dragger. That is not a recipe for easy, safe landings. Plan landings well in advance and leave plenty of room to line up with the runway before touchdown. While it is a little easier to control than the B-24, the Flying Fortress remains a boring, dangerous and generally unsuitable aircraft for the novice pilot. Novice Pilot Rating = D

• B-24D, B-242J Liberator - The USAAF's B-24 was a four-engine, heavy bomber with twin vertical stabilizers. The normal crew of the standard bomber versions was ten. The "D" and "J" versions are modeled in Warbirds. These are quite similar, with the most noticeable external difference being a nose turret with twin .50 cal. MG's replacing the single .50 cal. MG in the "D" model's glassed in nose. Total armament of the "D" was 9-.50 cal. MG's, while the "J" carried 10 MG's. In addition to the nose guns, there was a twin dorsal turret, twin ball (belly) turret, twin tail guns and single waist guns on the right and left sides of the fuselage. Until the entry of the B-29 late in the war, the B-24 was the fastest, longest range US heavy bomber and carried the heaviest payload (8000 pounds internally + two 4000 pound bombs on external hard points under the wings ).

  From the novice pilot's perspective, flying the B-24 goes downhill immediately after takeoff. (Takeoff is rather easy due to the plane's tricycle landing gear and adequate forward visibility.) Even when not burdened by a bomb load, the plane climbs lethargically, responds slowly to control inputs, is incapable of anything approaching a steep turn and cannot safely be aileron rolled through 360 degrees. Low speed, power off stalls are predictable and recoverable if you have enough altitude. Given enough altitude, speed and momentum, it can be looped, although it is hard to see why anyone would want to do so in real life. Pilot visibility ahead, right and left is good for a heavy bomber; there is no rear view, of course. The B-24 is a real handful to land because it is so heavy and slow to respond to the pilot's will. Plan landings way ahead and leave plenty of room to line up with the runway before touchdown. This is one of the most boring, dangerous and least suitable aircraft in Warbirds for the novice pilot to fly. Novice Pilot Rating = D-

• B-25 Mitchell - The USAAF's B-25 was a twin-engine, medium bomber with twin vertical stabilizers. The normal crew of the standard bomber versions was six. The C, H, and J versions are modeled in Warbirds. The "C" is a straight bomber version with a glassed-in nose and a .50 caliber MG for the bombardier. Additional defensive armament included a power operated top turret and a retractable and remotely controlled belly turret, each mounting 2-.50 cal. MG's. The "J" retains that nose configuration, but adds 4-.50 cal. forward firing "package" MG's alongside the fuselage (two per side) that are fired by the pilot. The "H" was a special ground attack version with a crew of five (no bombardier) that mounted 4-.50 MG's and a 75mm cannon in a solid, armored nose as well as the 4-.50 "package" guns mounted on the sides of the fuselage below the pilots cockpit. Defensive armament of the "H" and "J" models included 2-.50 MG's in a top turret, a .50 cal. MG on each side of the fuselage aft of the wings (waist guns) and a tail gun position with 2-.50 MG's. Actual armament varied, as the airplanes were frequently modified in the field to suit local conditions, but it is fair to say the B-25 proved a nasty adversary for enemy fighters. Standard bomb load was 2,000 pounds, but the "J" could carry up to 6,000 pounds for short range missions.

  From the novice pilot's perspective, the B-25 handles well when not burdened by a bomb load. It is fast and climbs well for a bomber. Standard rate turns are smooth and stable. Hard turns are possible, but the turn rate is slow and the radius large. Aileron rolls are fairly easy. Loops are ponderous, but possible. Low speed, high angle of attack stalls are gentle; apply power to recover flying speed once the nose is down. The Mitchell has a tricycle landing gear and is easy to takeoff and land, except that the pilot's forward visibility, especially to the right, is not very good and it is hard to see the runway. In flight, the pilots visibility the the left, left and down and upwards is good. The view to the right is obstructed and there is no rear view. Novice Pilot Rating = B

• D.H. 98 Mosquito IV - Unarmed British twin engine light bomber. Very fast with generally high performance. This is Capt. de Havilland's famous wooden fighter/bomber. Two man crew with side by side seating for pilot and bombardier, who crawls down into glass nose for actually aiming bombs. Sans bomb load it is stable in turns and rolls and can be looped. Pilot visibility is poor to right rear, good to left rear, poor to sides and not good to the front. Both props rotate in the same direction, making for lots of torque steer on takeoff. As with most British planes, the Mosquito has clear, easy to read instruments. Poor visibility makes landing difficult. Also see Mosquito VI under "Fighters" below. Novice Pilot Rating = C

• Do-17Z ("Flying Pencil") - German twin engine medium bomber with a four man crew, all clustered in the front of the aircraft. The Do-17 served the Luftwaffe during the early part of the war, including the Battle of Britain. In addition to about 2000 kg of bombs, the armament included a fixed, forward firing, 8mm MG for the pilot plus manually trained, single, 8mm MG's in the nose, belly and dorsal positions.

  The crew operated under a wrap around greenhouse type canopy. Pilot visibility is good forward and down, good up, very good to the left, poor to the right and good to the rear. The following comments apply to flying the Do-17 without bombs aboard. It is reasonably fast in level flight, but does not like to climb at steep angles. It handles ponderously. Standard rate turns are smooth, but the ship doesn't like tight turns. Rolls easily but slowly. Loops very slowly, but with enough momentum from a dive it will loop. Equipped with a good suite of easily seen metric instruments. I found this tail dragger easy to takeoff (although there is a lot of torque steer) and fairly easy to fly, but very difficult to land despite excellent downward pilot visibility. As medium bombers go, I'd much rather fly a Ju 88 or B-25. Novice Pilot Rating = D

• G4M1, G4M2 - Japanese Navy twin engine, land based, medium bomber with a six or seven man crew. This is the Mitsubishi bomber that the Allies named "Betty." Crew includes the pilot, co-pilot, bombardier/navigator/front gunner (1-.303 MG), top turret gunner (1-20mm cannon), tail gunner (1-20mm cannon), and one or two side gunners (1-.303 MG/side). Typical bomb load is 1000 kg or one torpedo.

  Sans bomb load the Betty is fairly fast, climbs well, turns well, does 360-degree aileron rolls and can be looped. Low speed, high angle of attack stalls result in the nose dropping precipitously and the plane rolling; pull out using power. Pilot visibility is very good in all directions. There is a full suite of Japanese instruments for both pilots. Three flap settings. Both props rotate in the same direction, making for lots of torque steer on takeoff that must be counteracted by using the rudder. Unusual for a tail dragger, the nose must be held up as you apply power for takeoff or the nose will drop and bury itself in the runway. As the plane gathers speed down the runway, hold her level until she starts to fly, then begin climbing out. The landing difficulty is average and the procedure normal, no worse than any other twin engine bomber and better than some. Novice Pilot Rating = C+

• He 111-H3 - German twin engine medium bomber with a five man crew. The He 111 served the Luftwaffe as a medium bomber, torpedo bomber and glider tug throughout the war. In addition to bombs (usually about 2000 kg.), the gun armament typically included one forward firing 20mm cannon controlled by the pilot, 1-8mm MG in the nose, 1-8mm MG in the ventral position firing forward, 1-8mm MG in the ventral position firing rearward, 1-8mm MG in the dorsal position firing rearward and 2-8mm MG's firing laterally (one per side). This defensive armament varied considerably from sub-type to sub-type and depending on local requirements, so not all He 111's carried the same armament.

  The pilot sits on the left side of the cockpit in the asymmetrical, almost entirely glazed nose of the aircraft. Pilot visibility is good forward and down, fair upward, very good to the left, fair to the right and nil to the rear. As medium bombers go, the He 111 offers medium speed in level flight and an average climb rate. It handles like you might expect of a large twin engine airplane. With bombs aboard, limit maneuvers to standard rate turns, climbs, and descents. The following comments apply to flying the He 111 empty (without a bomb load).

  Coordinated turns are smooth and unspectacular. The airplane does not particularly like to do complete aileron rolls, but will if pushed. Loops very slowly, but it can loop from level flight if you are going fast enough at the start. The usual German metric instruments are located above the windscreen so as not to block the pilot's view forward and downward. This arrangement gives the He 111 excellent takeoff and landing visibility. I found this tail dragger easy to takeoff and easy (but rather boring) to fly, as long as you don't try to push the airplane's performance comfort zone. For a big twin engine airplane, it is easy to land. The latter is primarily due to the great pilot visibility and stable low speed handling with the gear and flaps down. The He 111 is easier to fly than the Do-17, but not as much fun as the Ju 88. Novice Pilot Rating = C

• Ju 87 Stuka - German single engine, two person, tandem seating dive bomber with fixed landing gear. The following comments apply to flying the Ju 87 without bombs aboard. Perhaps the easiest airplane in Warbirds to fly. Slow, but stable and maneuverable. Handles well in all three dimensions. Turns smoothly, rolls nicely and can be looped. Hard to stall and easy to recover. Good pilot visibility in all directions. Armed with two wing mounted 8mm MG's for pilot plus a single 8mm MG for rear gunner. Good suite of metric instruments. Easy to takeoff and land, and you won't forget to lower the landing gear. Novice Pilot Rating = A

• Ju 88A-4 - German twin engine medium bomber with a four man crew, all clustered in the front of the aircraft to facilitate voice communications and crew interaction. The Ju 88 served the Luftwaffe as a high speed level, dive and torpedo bomber (in the latter role it could carry two torpedoes), as well as a radar equipped, heavy night fighter. In addition to 3000 kg of bombs, the armament included a fixed, forward firing, 13mm MG for the pilot and single flexible 8mm MG's in the nose, bottom and dorsal positions.

  The pilot and crew (except for the bottom gunner) operate under a wrap around greenhouse type canopy. Pilot visibility is good forward and down, good up, very good to the left, poor to the right and very good to the rear. The following comments apply to flying the Ju 88 without bombs on board. Overall, it handles well for a large, twin engine airplane. It is fast in level flight and climbs well for a medium bomber. Standard rate turns are smooth and steeply banked turns are not difficult. Rolls easily and smoothly. Loops are easy when starting with some extra air speed from a gentle dive. Power off stalls are stable and easy from which to recover. The Ju 88 is equipped with a good suite of well placed metric instruments. I found this tail dragging bomber easy to takeoff, easy to fly and not too difficult to land. The good forward and downward visibility is a definite asset in landing. As medium bombers go, it is one of the best. Novice Pilot Rating = C+

• SBD Dauntless - Single engine US Navy carrier-borne dive bomber with retractable landing gear and a two person crew in tandem seats. Very easy to fly. A little higher performance than the Stuka and Val dive bombers and somewhat better armed with two, wing mounted, forward firing .50 caliber MG's for the pilot and twin .30 caliber MG's for the rear gunner. Without bombs aboard, the Dauntless turns very smoothly, rolls well and can be looped. It is hard to stall and easy to recover from low speed stalls. Good pilot visibility and easy to land. Understandable instruments. Novice Pilot Rating = A-
• TBD-1 Devastator - Single engine US Navy carrier-borne torpedo bomber with retractable landing gear and a three person crew in tandem seats. Poorly armed with one wing mounted, forward firing .30 caliber MG for the pilot and one .30 caliber MG for the rear gunner. The TBD does everything well except go fast and survive attacks by enemy fighters. Relatively slow in level flight and slow to climb when carrying a torpedo; noticeably better climb rate when empty. When empty, it's responsive in turns and rolls. The Devastator turns very smoothly, rolls well and can be looped. Gentle and stable low speed stall with easy recovery. Good pilot visibility in all directions under greenhouse canopy except for excessive metal braces. Typical (good) US instruments. The TBD-1 is very easy to fly, takeoff and land, much like Japanese B5N2 Kate. Novice Pilot Rating = A-

In summation, I will merely comment that the Japanese and British fighters generally seem to be the easiest for the novice pilot to fly. They seem to be "pilots" airplanes. The energy fighters, such as the FW 190, P-47, Raiden and F4U Corsair tend to be the most challenging fighters to fly. You need to keep your speed and energy up in these planes to stay out of trouble. I found the Spitfire XIV, Ki-84, Bf 109K and P-51D to be the easiest of the very high performance, late WW II fighters to master. None of them, however, are as easy to fly as the Hurricane, Spitfire V, Zero, P-40E or Bf 109F. I will continue to update this article as I "test fly" additional types of aircraft. Happy Landings!