There was also the issue of the P-36A's P&W engine delivering its optimal performance at around 10,000ft. It wouldn't be a good match for the A6M2 exceptORIGINAL: wdolson
The P-36s in service at Pearl Harbor were not up to USAAF standards for pilot protection, fuel system protection, or armament. When experiments were done adding these things, the weight got too high and performance suffered. This is a major reason the P-40 came into existence. With the more powerful Allison engine, these things could be added without making the plane a slug. It still increased wing loading which degraded maneuverability.
If the USAAF had used P-36s without those protections, they would have been as vulnerable as the Zero with poorer armament. Losses would likely have been unacceptably high.
Bill
at lower altitudes, much like in the game. It also had a reputation for less than stellar dive acceleration, something the P-40 had little trouble with
and for which many USAAF pilots were grateful.