Simviation Forum - Which plane was best?

Reply #30 - Aug 13^th, 2003 at 6:54pm

X Ex Member

OK! Everyone sit down and be quite!!
And hear what I have to say!!!

P-51

That's IT!!!

Brad Grin

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #31 - Aug 13^th, 2003 at 9:37pm

chomp_rock Offline
Colonel
I must confess, I was
born at a very early
age.

Gender:
Posts: 2718

I'd have to say the Hurricane Roll Eyes

I know it was not as fast or maneuverable as some others but It has been my fave ever since I built a 1/48 scale model of it 4 years ago!

AMD Athlon 64 3700+&&GeForce FX5200 256Mb&&1GB DDR400 DC&&Seagate 500Gb SATA-300 HDD&&Windows XP Professional X64 Edition&&&&That's right, I'm now using an AMD! I decided to give them another try and they kicked the pants off of my P4 3.4!

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #32 - Aug 13^th, 2003 at 9:59pm

X Ex Member

They all had their place in history! No one plane
did it all, Hurricanes were the unsung heros of the
Battle of Britian! The P-51s made the B-17s great!
The P-47s were so tough, they just won by staying
in the fight! The Spits were the "Babes", Show Girls of
the air!! Even the 'bad' planes did a part!! The Jets
changed history more than any others!! The B-24s
dropped the most bombs, the B-17s shot down the
most planes! One B-29 changed history for all times!!
One U-2 almost did it agin!! The F-117 has flown
thousands of missions and never have a mark on
one of them yet!!

Brad

PS the comment about the Spits was given in
the highest sense of praise, appearance and
preformance!!

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #33 - Aug 14^th, 2003 at 6:34am

Polynomial Offline
Colonel
Health is merely the slowest
possible way to die.
Brisbane, Australia

Gender:
Posts: 1951

In the right hands the FW-190 would have been an awesome plane but by the time it came out all the experience pilots were POW's or dead so the Germans only had young rookies to fly them and they never saw their full potential. But as everyone seems to be saying, you can't single out a favourite because they were all good in their own right.

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #34 - Aug 14^th, 2003 at 6:56am

ozzy72 Offline
Global Moderator
Pretty scary huh?
Madsville

Gender:
Posts: 37122

Brad I think you'll find that an F117 was shot down over Serbia when it was being bombed by NATO?

Mark

There are two types of aeroplane, Spitfires and everything else that wishes it was a Spitfire!

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #35 - Aug 14^th, 2003 at 6:59am

Professor Brensec Offline
Colonel
Can't you give me a couple
more inches, Adam?
SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA

Gender:
Posts: 2955

I suppose the likes of Hawker, Hagar, Andrew, Ozzy etc have been wondering where Steve is with his ridiculous P40...................... Grin

Seriously, I've been crook, and I'm kicking myself for missing such a great discussion (for the nineteeth time - no offense to original poster.... Wink

)

I haven't had the oportunity to read all the preceding posts, so forgive me if I repeat other peoples remarks.
I did see one earlier regarding the question of the most successful American fighter in the Pacific.
If my friends at History Channel are correct (and I have checked this), it was in fact, the P38, that shot down the most Japanese planes.

As said, they all made thier contributions, some during very desparate times, up against far superior machines.
But the early ones (that may not have been the great 'performers'), held the front until the 'wonder' machines arrived.

For Australia, it was the P40, as in the earlier days in China, it was used to great advantage against the Japanese, with the right pilot and tactics.

But my vote, for the 'all-time' winner, had to be the P51-D. It was responsible for taking the fight to the Continent and was instrumental in the distruction of the Lufwaffe. Without them the B17's, B24's and Lanc's would have been hard up till the end.
Although in the Pacific, the P51 wasn't really needed for the victory, as such. Apart from the fact that there were other fighters that did the job superbly, at the time the fight got to within a thousand miles of Japan, the B29 could literally outrun most (if not all) of thier fighters. Grin

&&&&http://www.ra.online-plus.biz&&&&&&I cried because I had no shoes - until I saw a man who had no feet.&&&&Dell Dimension 8100 - Intel P4 1.7 Gb - 512 RD Ram - nVidia GeForce 128 mb FX5200.

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #36 - Aug 14^th, 2003 at 7:26am

Smoke2much Offline
Colonel
The Unrepentant Heretic
Sittingbourne, Kent,

Posts: 3879

I don't think that this debate is ever going to get resolved. It's a bit like arguing whether apples or oranges are best, if you want an apple, have an apple. If not, go for the orange.

I will use the Spitfire/Hurricane aspect to highlight my point. During the BoB fighter command mostly target the Hurri's at the bombers and the Spit's at the escorts. The 1940 Hurricane was best for an anti bomber role and the 1940 Spitfire was ideal as an anti fighter aircraft.

By 1944/1945 the P-51 D had come in and it is argued that it was the best WW2 fighter. I have spoken to a number of pilots who flew these aircraft and the common thread seems to be that in their opinion the last fighter that they flew operationally was the best, with one exception. All who flew the Spitfire say it was the best of the lot. I have heard the P51 described as a beautiful plane to fly, a real pilots aircraft but in a fight it was apparently better to be in a Spit'.

Now remember that this is all second hand annecdotal evidence from men who are now in their 80's. In most cases they are sick with something nasty and many actively dying. Also remember that my vote lies with the Hurricane and always will as ultimately this is an aesthetic choice often made along nationality lines. Most of our American members will choose the American warbirds, and the Brit's will go with British planes.

I think we can safely say that there are a number of WW2 aircraft that made a significant contribution to the development of the aeroplane and the list above highlights some of the most popular and well known.

For example:

Spitfire: Enduring British fighter, seemingly infinitely upgradeable.

FW 190. Massively succesful german fighter, heavily armed and armoured. Superb climb and dive capabilities.

ME 109: Arguably the first modern fighter aircraft. Was flying in combat when the spitfire was a collection of drawings.

Hurricane: One the BoB for the RAF( Wink

). Succesful as a fighter, a bomber killer and a ground attack aircraft.

Zero: Best japenese fighter (ever?) Deadly down low in the right hands

Mosquito: Fantastic light bomber/recconaisance aircraft. Fastest machine in the air for a while. Early plywood and glue job.

P-51 Greatest long range fighter of the war. Took the war to the Luftwaffe and helped to acheive what the Luftwaffe failed to do in 1940.

p47 "Jug" could take a huge amount of punishment and get you home alive.

Sorry for the length of the post.

Will

Edit: I've just seen what X has written a few post's up. I seem to have echoed him a little. Sorry Brad.

Who switched the lights off? I can't see a thing....... Hold on, my eyes were closed. Oops, my bad...............&&

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #37 - Aug 14^th, 2003 at 7:42am

Professor Brensec Offline
Colonel
Can't you give me a couple
more inches, Adam?
SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA

Gender:
Posts: 2955

What's wrong, Will? That's not a long post! Grin

To comment on your point regarding the P51 and Spit, and the opinions and anectdotes of the blokes that flew them in battle. I agree. Adolf Galland did ask for a Squadron of Spitfires when asked by Goering what he wanted to defeat the RAF (Much to the fat man's chagrin).
Then, I've seen many interviews of American (and Australian) pilots who flew the P51-D (I always make the distinction with the 51-B). The only negative (or near negative) comment from any of them was that it was a difficult plane in a fight if you hadn't gotten rid of the fuel in the fuselage tank. (To the point where, against procedure, most pilots flying escort, drained the fuselage tank before the drop-tanks). It apparently made that much difference.

But what you say is right, it is an unsolvable question.

I've heard it said that the Griffon model Spitfires were so different from the original in design and config that they could hardly be described as Spitfires. Once again, another 'qualifier' that makes the comparison business, pretty much moot. Grin

&&&&http://www.ra.online-plus.biz&&&&&&I cried because I had no shoes - until I saw a man who had no feet.&&&&Dell Dimension 8100 - Intel P4 1.7 Gb - 512 RD Ram - nVidia GeForce 128 mb FX5200.

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #38 - Aug 14^th, 2003 at 2:12pm

X Ex Member

Quote:

Brad I think you'll find that an F117 was shot down over Serbia when it was being bombed by NATO?

Mark

My info, was based on a 'WingsTV' show and may
well be outdated!!

Brad

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #39 - Aug 15^th, 2003 at 1:55am

Jester Offline
Colonel
Hmmm...
Pennsylvania

Gender:
Posts: 85

My choice isn't on the list: P-38. Gotta love the twin tailed devil. Germans and Japs both feared her

Jes

Vision: The ability to look beyond what you can see

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #40 - Aug 15^th, 2003 at 4:36am

Professor Brensec Offline
Colonel
Can't you give me a couple
more inches, Adam?
SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA

Gender:
Posts: 2955

Well.........a quick glance at the poll results seems to put the P51 (D, I presume) well ahead, over twice as many as the Spitfire.

Funny thing that everyone seems to have gone for fighters, when the question was clearly "which plane".
No-one asked for a bomber to be added to the poll.

There are bombers that made hefty contributions to the war. Let's face it, for the most part of the war, the purpose of the fighters was to protect or destroy the bombers, which were the real threat to war production, troops, equipment and population (although we all know of the debate regarding their efectiveness).

I am surprised at the low score for the Mosquito. I'm told that it could carry the same load of bombs to Berlin, faster and using less fuel. Also, for at least, the first 4 years, could outrun the German fighters, or give them a good fight.

I wonder why the British didn't make more use of this capability. They were certainly used as often as possible and to great effect in the Pacific, especially by the RAAF.
Grin

&&&&http://www.ra.online-plus.biz&&&&&&I cried because I had no shoes - until I saw a man who had no feet.&&&&Dell Dimension 8100 - Intel P4 1.7 Gb - 512 RD Ram - nVidia GeForce 128 mb FX5200.

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #41 - Aug 15^th, 2003 at 6:06am

Smoke2much Offline
Colonel
The Unrepentant Heretic
Sittingbourne, Kent,

Posts: 3879

I think Mossies were used more for reccon and pathfinding than actual bombing.

Will

Who switched the lights off? I can't see a thing....... Hold on, my eyes were closed. Oops, my bad...............&&

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #42 - Aug 15^th, 2003 at 1:57pm

Woodlouse2002 Offline
Colonel
I like jam.
Cornwall, England

Gender:
Posts: 12574

Quote:

Well.........a quick glance at the poll results seems to put the P51 (D, I presume) well ahead, over twice as many as the Spitfire.

The reason for this is that there are more americans voting than from other nations. Also people are choosing there favorite plane and not the best. If no one was biased in anyway at all then i'm sure that the Spitfire would we way ahead of anything else with the Hurricane not far behind. Wink

Woodlouse2002 PITA and BAR!!!!!!!!&&&&Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the Act made in the first year of King George the First for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King.&&&&Viva la revolution!

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #43 - Aug 15^th, 2003 at 3:59pm

HawkerTempest5 Offline
Colonel
Hawker Tempest MK V
United Kingdom

Gender:
Posts: 3149

Quote:

Well.........a quick glance at the poll results seems to put the P51 (D, I presume) well ahead, over twice as many as the Spitfire.

.

Most people would say the P-51D was the best Mustang, most likely because this is the one we se at airshows and in all the books and in model shops but I remember reading that most pilots liked the B/C (same plane built at two different plants. One was called the"C" the other the "B") model best. It was faster and better handling. Later D model aircraft had a fin extension fitted to make up for the loss of fuselage side area due to the fitting of the bubble top.

Flying Legends

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #44 - Aug 15^th, 2003 at 4:23pm

Ivan Offline
Colonel
No, I'm NOT Russian, I
only like Russian aircraft
The netherlands

Gender:
Posts: 6058

Quote:

My info, was based on a 'WingsTV' show and may
well be outdated!!

Brad

it's hard to admit it was shot down by a combination of planing error (took the same route too often) and a outdated Anti-air installation which had a lucky night that day

Russian planes: IL-76 (all standard length ones), Tu-154 and Il-62, Tu-134 and An-24RV&&&&AI flightplans and repaints can be found here

Back to top

IP Logged

	Search the archive: