The Warbirds Firepower Charts compare the firepower between the Warbird's planes
Firepower is directly related to the number and type of rounds a plane can spit out at a particular time. Other factors, like distance to target, and weapon placement on the fuselage affect these. There are two aspects of firepower I am going to cover in these charts, sustained firepower and snapshot firepower. Sustained firepower will be firepower delivered from the plane per second, and snapshot firepower will be average hitting power per ping.
A quick description of my understanding of Warbird's gunnery model is in order. Warbirds does not model every round fired due to various reasons and instead models a maximum of eight "shots" per second per bank of guns (primary or secondary). Each "shot" represents the firepower of a 1/8th second burst from the gun sending the "shot" out. Thus, to figure out how much damage a particular "ping" does, you need to know which gun fired it, it's Warbirds firing rate (how many of the eight "shots"/sec it has allocated to it), and its "real life" firing rate. From there you can find out how many rounds that "shot" represents. That dictates how much damage a ping representing that shot will do to a particular component of the target.
Unfortunately, this gunnery model all but eliminates shell/bullet spacing from the system. A Spitfire Mk I firing 8 .303s spewing 120 rounds/second is going to have 16 modeled "shots" just like a Zero firing 14 rounds/sec from the cannon and 25 bullets/sec from the machine guns (39 "real" rounds). Thus tighter shell/bullet spacing and it's effects with hitting planes is not modeled very well. Neither is relative damage between a single high-caliber cannon shell and a machine gun round. If a ping from a Fw 190A8's outer cannon hit your elevator, that elevator is going to take the damage from 6 20mm rounds, even though you might have flown by at 80 degrees deflection, 500mph, with 1/10th of a second exposure time to the shell stream. But this is the system we have to live with for the time being (and IMO is the best system currently in existence for a flight simulator).
The methodology used is this. Assign each type of round a damage potential. I used the information from page 6 of Robert Shaw's Fighter Combat. From this I am assigning these firepower values (adding 50% to the 20mm cannon numbers, since Shaw's tables did not factor the shell explosive part, only the weight as if it was a solid shot):
Round |
Firepower Rating/round |
Average ROF |
Avg Firepower |
.30 cal MG round | 1 | 15/s | 15 |
.50 cal MG round | 5.7 | 12/s | 68.4 |
20mm cannon round | 24.1 | 11/s | 265.1 |
30mm cannon round | 72.2 | 9.8/s | 707.6 |
37mm cannon round | 152.5 | 1.5/s | 228.8 |
75mm cannon round | 1220 | 0.25/s | 305.0 |
Note: I converted shaw's figures to single round damage potential and normalized them for a .30 cal round being 1. I also took the 20mm cannon round figure, and the 37mm cannon round figure and approximated the 30mm cannon round figure from it. It's an inaccurate system I know, but it can be useful in showing different firepower capabilities, especially between similarly armed planes.
Note #2: the 30mm firepower ratings seemed a bit off, so I did a bit of math scaling the 20mm shell by 50% and figured it's firepower based on this. An increase in size by 50% in the x, y, and z axis results in a 1.5*1.5*1.5=3.375 increase, or a 337.5% firepower increase. Computing the same way the 37mm shell would have a firepower increase over the 20mm shell of 633%. The above charts reflect this, as does the charts below.
For figuring the 1 second firepower rating, I simply took the figures from the plane charts on number of rounds each gun fired/second, and multiplied that number by the firepower rating for the ammunition type. I then added all the different gun's values up to come up with a final figure. Planes with a higher firepower rating will do more damage per second fire.
For figuring the snapshot potential, I took the damage/ping values and determined what the average damage per ping would be. This assumes someone firing at a target going by, landing one ping, what would be the average amount of damage inflicted to some vital component. Naturally planes with lower numbers won't be as good at doing damage during snapshooting. This figure is also useful for sustained bursts, since most people will miss 3/4ths of the ping potential, and it's nice to know what the average firepower of the pings that do hit will be for a particular plane.
Relative Firepower is compared to the Ki84. In theory, the percentage indicates how long the Ki84 would have to fire to kill a particular plane, on average.
Sustained Firepower by plane
Plane | Relative Firepower | Firepower |
F6F Hellcat | 55% | 410.4 |
F4F Wildcat | 55% | 410.4 |
FM2 Wildcat | 37% | 273.6 |
F4U Corsair | 55% | 410.4 |
A6M2 Zero | 50% | 372.6 |
A6M3 Zero | 50% | 372.6 |
A6M5 Zero | 50% | 372.6 |
Ki43 Oscar | 17% | 123.1 |
Ki84 Frank | 100% | 740.1 |
Bf 109E4 | 60% | 443.7 |
Bf 109F4 | 43% | 317.4 |
Bf 109G6 | 57% | 424.7 |
Bf 109G6R6 | 135% | 998.3 |
Bf 109K4 | 114% | 845.5 |
Bf 110C4 | 53%/? | 394.9/? |
Bf 110G2 | 269%/5.5% | 1988.8/40.4 |
Fw 190A4 | 113% | 835.9 |
Fw 190A8 | 161% | 1,193.5 |
Fw 190D9 | 84% | 619.9 |
SpitI | 16% | 120.8 |
SpitV | 81% | 600.2 |
SpitIX | 91% | 676.6 |
HurriI | 16% | 120.8 |
HurriII | 146% | 1079.7 |
P38F | 73% | 543.5 |
P38J | 73% | 543.5 |
P38L | 73% | 543.5 |
P39D | 39%/20% | 288.8/144.8 |
P40E | 55% | 410.4 |
P47D | 74% | 547.2 |
P51D | 55% | 410.4 |
D3A2 | 4% | 30/9.7 |
B5N2 | 0% | 0/9.7 |
SBD-5 | 18% | 136.8/30 |
Ju88A4 | 3% | 20.2/80.9/40.4/20.2 |
B25H | 74% | 547.2/136.8/136.8/68.4/68.4 |
B25J | 37% | 273.6/136.8/136.8/68.4/68.4/68.4 |
B17G | 0% | 0/136.8/136.8/136.8/136.8/68.4/68.4 |
TBF | 18% | 136.8/68.4/15.0 |
Note: P39D firepower is based on firing all machine guns, or firing the 37mm cannon + .30cals, as all guns cannot be fired together. First value is with machine guns, second is with the 37mm cannon. For planes with Otto, the regular guns are listed first, then each Otto mount, as listed in the plane's page. Planes with Otto, or extra cannon list values for the extra cannon first, then Otto, starting top, bottom, tail, nose, left, right.
Graph:
Sustained Firepower sorted from highest to lowest:
Plane | Firepower | |
#1 | Bf 110G-2 | 1,988.8/40.4 |
#2 | Fw 190A8 | 1,193.5 |
#3 | HurriII | 1,079.7 |
#4 | Bf 109G6R6 | 998.3 |
#5 | Bf 109K4 | 845.5 |
#6 | Fw 190A4 | 835.9 |
#7 | Ki84 Frank | 740.1 |
#8 | SpitIX | 676.6 |
#9 | Fw 190D9 | 619.9 |
#10 | SpitV | 600.2 |
#11 | P47D | 547.2 |
#12 | B25H | 547.2/136.8/136.8/68.4/68.4 |
#13 | P38F | 543.5 |
#14 | P38J | 543.5 |
#15 | P38L | 543.5 |
#16 | Bf 109E4 | 443.7 |
#17 | Bf 109G6 | 424.7 |
#18 | F6F Hellcat | 410.4 |
#19 | F4F Wildcat | 410.4 |
#20 | F4U Corsair | 410.4 |
#21 | P40E | 410.4 |
#22 | P51D | 410.4 |
#23 | Bf 110C4 | 394.9/? |
#24 | A6M2 Zero | 372.6 |
#25 | A6M3 Zero | 372.6 |
#26 | A6M5 Zero | 372.6 |
#27 | Bf 109F4 | 317.4 |
#28 | P39D | 288.8/144.8 |
#29 | FM2 Wildcat | 273.6 |
#30 | B25J | 273.6 /136.8/136.8/68.4/68.4/68.4 |
#31 | SBD-5 | 136.8/30.0 |
#32 | TBF | 136.8/68.4/15.0 |
#33 | Ki43 Oscar | 123.1 |
#34 | SpitIa | 120.8 |
#35 | HurriI | 120.8 |
#36 | D3A2 | 30.0/9.7 |
#37 | Ju88A4 | 20.2/80.9/40.4/2.02 |
#38 | B17G | 0/136.8/136.8/136.8/136.8/68.4/68.4 |
#39 | B5N2 | 0/9.7 |
Snapshot Firepower by plane
Plane | Relative Firepower/ping | Average Firepower/Ping |
F6F Hellcat | 56% | 25.7 |
F4F Wildcat | 56% | 25.7 |
FM2 Wildcat | 37% | 17.1 |
F4U Corsair | 56% | 25.7 |
A6M2 Zero | 50% | 23.3 |
A6M3 Zero | 50% | 23.3 |
A6M5 Zero | 50% | 23.3 |
Ki43 Oscar | 33% | 15.4 |
Ki84 Frank | 100% | 46.3 |
Bf109E4 | 60% | 27.7 |
Bf 109F4 | 44% | 20.2 |
Bf 109G6 | 56% | 25.8 |
Bf 109G6R6 | 134% | 62.0 |
Bf 109K4 | 104% | 48.2 |
Bf 110C4 | 54% | 25.0 |
Bf 110G2R3 | 268% | 124.3 |
Fw 190A4 | 112% | 52.1 |
Fw 190A8 | 158% | 73.4 |
Fw 190D9 | 82% | 37.9 |
SpitI | 16% | 7.6 |
SpitV | 81% | 37.5 |
SpitIX | 91% | 42.3 |
HurriI | 16% | 7.6 |
HurriIIc | 146% | 67.5 |
P38F | 73% | 34.0 |
P38J | 73% | 34.0 |
P38L | 73% | 34.0 |
P39D | 51%/19% | 23.6/9.0 |
P40E | 56% | 25.7 |
P47D | 74% | 34.2 |
P51D | 56% | 25.7 |
D3A2 | 8% | 3.75/1.2 |
B5N2 | 0% | 0/1.2 |
SBD-5 | 37% | 17.1/3.8 |
Ju88A4 | 5% | 2.5/10.3/5.1/2.5 |
B25H | 74% | 34.2/17.1/17.1/8.6/8.6 |
B25J | 74% | 34.2/17.1/17.1/8.6/8.6/8.6 |
B17G | 0% | 0/17.1/17.1/17.1/17.1/8.6/8.6 |
TBF | 37% | 17.1/8.6/1.9 |
Note: P39D has two values, first is the average firepower/ping when firing all the machine guns, the second is the average firepower/ping when firing .30cals+37mm. All cannot be fired at the same time. Also, ping values are for *average* ping only, thus an FM2 firing 16 "tracers" will have those 16 tracers averaged, while a Ki43 firing only 8 tracers will average those 8. Planes with Otto, or extra cannon list values for the extra cannon first, then Otto, starting top, bottom, tail, nose, left, right.
Graph:
Snapshot Firepower sorted from highest to lowest
Plane | Average Firepower/Ping | |
#1 | Bf 110G2 | 124.3 |
#2 | Fw 190A8 | 73.4 |
#3 | HurriIIc | 64.5 |
#4 | Bf 109G6R6 | 62.0 |
#5 | Fw 190A4 | 52.1 |
#6 | Ki84 Frank | 46.3 |
#7 | SpitIX | 42.3 |
#8 | Fw 190D9 | 37.9 |
#9 | SpitV | 37.5 |
#10 | P47D | 34.2 |
#11 | B25H | 34.2/17.1/17.1/8.6/8.6 |
#12 | B25J | 34.2/17.1/17.1/8.6/8.6/8.6 |
#13 | P38F | 34.0 |
#14 | P38J | 34.0 |
#15 | P38L | 34.0 |
#16 | Bf 109K4 | 31.9 |
#17 | Bf 109E4 | 27.7 |
#18 | Bf 109G6 | 25.8 |
#19 | F6F Hellcat | 25.7 |
#20 | F4F Wildcat | 25.7 |
#21 | F4U Corsair | 25.7 |
#22 | P40E | 25.7 |
#23 | P51D | 25.7 |
#24 | Bf 110C4 | 25.0 |
#25 | A6M2 Zero | 23.3 |
#26 | A6M3 Zero | 23.3 |
#27 | A6M5 Zero | 23.3 |
#28 | Bf 109 F4 | 20.0 |
#29 | FM2 Wildcat | 17.1 |
#30 | SBD-5 | 17.1/3.8 |
#31 | TBF | 17.1/8.6/1.9 |
#32 | Ki43 Oscar | 15.4 |
#33 | P39D | 11.2/9.0 |
#34 | SpitIa | 7.6 |
#35 | HurriI | 7.6 |
#36 | D3A2 | 3.75/1.2 |
#37 | Ju88A4 | 2.5/10.3/5.1/2.5 |
#38 | B17G | 0/17.1/17.1/17.1/17.1/8.6/8.6 |
#39 | B5N2 | 0/1.2 |