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Re: Why DB-3f is counted as one of the old types on 22 June 41?
Hello Graham
I have not much trouble to accept that SB can be count as one of the old types even if newest examples were a bit over ½ year old on 22 June 41. IIRC Soviet Union produced well over 2’000 SBs in 1940.
On DB-3f, it was an end result of significant redesign of DB-3, much more fundamental change than that made on He 111 when He-111P was produced. So IMHO one can count DB-3 as one of the old types but IMHO if we count DB-3f as an old type then we should also gave LW’s strength as xxxx a/c of which only yyy Bf 109Fs and zzz Ju 88A-4s were modern because DB-3f was newer type than for example Ju 88A-1. And there were no other type to replace it, IIRC when ADD bombed Berlin in 1945, Il-4 was still most numerous type used.
On I-16s it’s clear that earlier types were obsolete same way as Bf 109Bs, Cs and Ds and even the newest versions were no way comparable to Bf 109F but the only fighter which I can quickly name as more or less equal with 109F-1 and -2 was Spitfire V . On the other hand M-63 powered I-16s were IIRC about as fast as He 112B or Brewster B 239, climbed clearly faster and at least mg armed were also more manoeuvrable than He 112B and about as manoeuvrable as B 239. They had lighter armament but cannon armed I-16s were on the other hand better armed but I cannot remember the effects of heavier armament to climb rate or manoeuvrability.
Juha
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