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Best fighter of WWII? (oldtimers poll)
Posted on 04/09/2009 2:29:15 PM PDT by mikeus_maximus
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Comment #81 Removed by Moderator
To: mikeus_maximus
When Goering saw P-51s over Berlin he said then that the war was lost.
American aerodynamics wrapped around a humongous gas tank with a British engine—not to mention the six .50s...
Strategically,the Mustang won hands down.
82
posted on
04/09/2009 3:28:03 PM PDT
by
Happy Rain
(The motto of the first white president was: "I cannot tell a lie.")
To: jigmaster
Here is a good read. My model is a midsize around 1/48, maybe 1/32 scale, I built it back in 1992, I have another thats much smaller at 1/72 scale.
I have yet to put together the ME262 “Swalbe” or a HUGE Fockwolf that can be built with clear body panels so you can see the engine and cannon details.
http://www.starksravings.com/p38/
83
posted on
04/09/2009 3:28:15 PM PDT
by
Eye of Unk
("If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace." T. Paine)
To: philman_36
Nitpicker! {;^) Ah shucks it was nuttin'...
LOL!
84
posted on
04/09/2009 3:28:50 PM PDT
by
EGPWS
(Trust in God, Question everyone else)
To: PzLdr
He 162 got into service right at the end. That was the jet made out of wood, that occasionally came apart because we accidentally bombed the glue factory. Real short legs and not particularly well armed. Only virtue was that it could be built by unskilled labor from largely nonstrategic material.
Me 163 was the rocket/manned SAM.
We really need another thread for worst/most screwed up fighter to actually get a kill.
85
posted on
04/09/2009 3:29:02 PM PDT
by
GonzoGOP
(There are millions of paranoid people in the world and they are all out to get me.)
To: alfa6
The Spitfire has to be one of the best-looking airplanes ever made. Beautiful.
86
posted on
04/09/2009 3:30:05 PM PDT
by
Ramius
(Personally, I give us... one chance in three. More tea?)
To: niteowl77
The Mosquito was a terrific plane.
87
posted on
04/09/2009 3:30:48 PM PDT
by
Goldsborough
(Yes Lauren, you are not cool enough to own a Mac.)
To: TheThirdRuffian
When P 51s try to either nail you on takeoff or landing, you’re the best.
88
posted on
04/09/2009 3:31:24 PM PDT
by
PzLdr
("The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am" - Darth Vader)
To: Tallguy
Hard to beat the Spit as an interceptor. That's what it was built for.
The Bearcat, would eat it for lunch however....
That was built as an interceptor also but later in the war.
89
posted on
04/09/2009 3:31:41 PM PDT
by
EGPWS
(Trust in God, Question everyone else)
To: Eye of Unk
The P-38 was great against Zeros but not good in a dive and had lousy engines.
90
posted on
04/09/2009 3:32:32 PM PDT
by
Ararat
To: Goldsborough
The Mosquito was a terrific plane. It has always had my vote for Coolest Plane Ever.
91
posted on
04/09/2009 3:33:21 PM PDT
by
Skooz
(Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us)
To: Big_Monkey
The Lightning, Spitfire and Warhawk were great birds with an undeniable romance about them, The Thunderbolt and Hellcat were bar room brawlers, and the Zero and the 109 were swashbuckling aristocrats. I do love WWII warbirds, but while it doesn’t meet the criteria of this thread (like the Bearcat), the 40’s vintage propeller driven warbird that will forever own my imagination is the A-1D Skyraider.
92
posted on
04/09/2009 3:34:01 PM PDT
by
VR-21
To: Tallguy
But bailing out of the tight-fittin’ Spifire cockpit was like getting your girl friend out of her pantyhose—you pretty much had to pull her upside down.
93
posted on
04/09/2009 3:34:56 PM PDT
by
Happy Rain
(The motto of the first white president was: "I cannot tell a lie.")
To: PzLdr
Richard Bong, U.S; better still Erich Hartmann, Germany [352 kills], better than that Nazawa {?} of Japan. Over 600 kills, going back to the Chinese [according to Saburo Sakai].Which points out a basic flaw in Axis pilot rotation: Their best pilots flew until they were killed. An Ace killed in a landing accident or an engine fire is just as dead as one killed in a dogfight.
Our best pilots were regularly rotated into training slots. Either as IP's or tactics or training on the next "hot aircraft". Tactical know-how was imparted to new pilots until our "average pilot" was much better than "their average pilot" -- plus ours were generally better equipped. That's how you win wars in an industrial age.
94
posted on
04/09/2009 3:35:25 PM PDT
by
Tallguy
("The sh- t's chess, it ain't checkers!" -- Alonzo (Denzel Washington) in "Training Day")
To: TheThirdRuffian
For gas mileage you go to the Zero, or any other Japanese fighter. The range was legendary, as was the maneuverability.
The lack of pilot protection, and lack of self sealing gas tanks was equally legendary, and enough to take the ‘Zeke’ out of consideration for top spot.
95
posted on
04/09/2009 3:35:30 PM PDT
by
PzLdr
("The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am" - Darth Vader)
To: Lonesome in Massachussets
The P-47 didn’t have speed. Better check on your stats. the 47 and Corsair had the best engine—the 18 cylinder Pratt and Whitney.
96
posted on
04/09/2009 3:35:31 PM PDT
by
Ararat
To: Ararat
Actually, it was so good in a dive it would lose lift.
You’re thinking of the crappy engines we gave the brits when superchargers were top secret.
97
posted on
04/09/2009 3:36:03 PM PDT
by
TheThirdRuffian
(Defend America from the Communist.)
To: Cheetahcat
I vaugely recall whistling death but I (a redleg army guy) know that was the name given our A-10, so I am probably getting that mixed in my mind. The Japs gave that name to the Corsair (Navy pilots referred to it as an Ensign Eliminator), because of the sound of air going through the wing root oil coolers.
To: GonzoGOP
Yes, but it could only fly for a few minutes.
99
posted on
04/09/2009 3:36:30 PM PDT
by
Ararat
To: GonzoGOP
Yes, but it could only fly for a few minutes.
100
posted on
04/09/2009 3:36:36 PM PDT
by
Ararat
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