[rldunn]

Very intersting discussion.

I have only a couple data points to add. First the reference to the F4F over Guadalcanal left out the most important factors: namely that the slow climbing F4Fs had plenty of time to get an altitude advantage for a diving attack due to early warning (and were excellent gun platforms for such attacks), the Japanese were forced to use the same limited approach route and Zeros were at the limits of their endurance.

With regard to the Me 109 and Me 110 in the BoB one factor not mentioned is that the Me 109 did not have a self-sealing fuel tank but the Me 110 did. I don't want to make too much of this because the thick skin in the rear fuselage of the 109 plus its duralmin bulkhead behind the fuel tank provided pretty good protection from stern attacks. I asked the question about fuel tanks on this board more than a year ago but got no answer so I hope the foregoing research data is of interest.

RLD