Going to spam with you some maths on this, but I'm afraid the case is infact the opposite of what you've said.

According to my spreadsheet, late classed are still better in the end.

My 2 example pilots are unboosted +13 UK fighters, classed properly until 40, then one stays fighter pilot until 120 whereas the other is classed ace on time until 120. They both have full  experts, no vets or boost. (In examples I've done of the pilots of other nations, the case remains the same.)

The fighter pilot has a manpower of 650 and an ability of 2769, providing a true ability of 2,206,620.

The ace pilot only has a manpower of 590 but an ability of 2949. However, this provides a true ability of 2,087,892.

The difference is only 118,728 but that makes the late classed pilot 5.6% better, and this is without any vets or a boost. This 5.6% increase remains constant when relative amounts of sailors make up a pilot. By which I mean, if they were both 10% vets and full experts, the late would still be 5.6% better. Or 20% vets and full experts, still 5.6% better. If they were both 100% vets, still 5.6% better.

Make them both 100 vets and full experts though, and the difference closes to 2%, meaning more vets and experts is actually more important for properly classed pilots to maximise their TA than the late classed pilots with their manpower advantage. 10 vets is only 1.5% of the 650 man pilot, whereas 10 vets makes up 1.6% (I know right, massive difference) of the 590 man pilot, meaning those vets have more impact.

Properly classed pilots have less manpower and more ability, making them MORE reliant on the quality of the men that make up that pilot than late classed pilots. You're right in that it cost's a little more to own the late classed pilots, but only because they need another 60 experts to fill, which costs $0.60. Anything spent on burning experts for vets is at the players descretion, the sailors manpower doesn't really have any influence.

No

Thank you

Read benser's second post. It's all there.

:P

(well, if you don't like reading, a little help:

NEVER class a fighter Sqd Ldr. Whether to leave at Fighter Pilot or class Ace depends on the vets you are planning to put on: until around 120 vets and from 200 vets onwards, Fighter Pilot is best. For vets in between the two numbers, class Ace).

The answer for bomber pilots I leave to others.

Squad leader is indeed a very bad promotion, but regardless of anything else the highest true ability is only attainable by the most basic promotions of a pilots. Aces nor Sqd Ldrs cannot earn as much maximum true ability. This is because the lesser manpower gain per level doesn't outweigh the extra gain in ability.

As for the distribution of vets and experts, as I said that is the users discretion. If you're only going to fully expert a pilot and then add 100 vets then it doesnt matter if you late class them or promote them on time, the late class will still always be better.

If the 60-100 less men on a pilot will allow you to afford more vets than you would otherwise, then classing on time would be advantageous. Considering that 60-100 experts costs $1 I don't believe that would be the case for anyone.

The case is exactly the same for bombers, the only pilots excepted from this rule are Recon, who gain 5 recruits every level at all ranks of promotion.

IJN Bombers, both types, recieve a total +19 ontop of their base to the bomber stat. (2 IJN, 8 Special forces, 4 basic bomber, 3 ace bomber, 2 sqd ldr bomber). This is the second highest, followed by MN DBs with +18 but second to SN DBs with +24.

All the below examples are boosted +13 base with 100% experts.

• IJN DBs delayed. 2,312,700
• IJN DBs properly. 2,125,200
• Late is 8.8% higher.

• IJN TBs delayed. 2,350,000
• IJN TBs properly. 2,160,140
• Late is 8.7% higher.

• SN delayed DBs are 7.6% higher.
• RN delayed TBs are 5.6% higher.
• MN delayed DBs are 5% higher.
• KM delayed DBs are 4.9% higher.
• And for an example of the effect on a bad bomber...
• MN delayed TBs (joint lowest ability at 15 + base) still 2.9% higher.