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In light of what the Allies had available to them through the early part of 1943 - the Hurricane and the P-40 were the front-line fighters of the CBI...The argument is the P40 and Hurricane were effective front line fighters which they weren't, both, and the much maligned Zero were second line fighters from 1942-43 onwards.
So essentially the CBI was a second rate theater (like the porn cinema on the wrong side of town) until the mighty Spitfire showed up and gave it status? Thank you for the enlightenment!The argument is the P40 and Hurricane were effective front line fighters which they weren't, both, and the much maligned Zero were second line fighters from 1942-43 onwards.
Pretty much, as far as Whitehall was concerned. Even when the RAF were sending Spitfire VIIIs and P-47s to the theatre, the number of wings involved was tiny compared to the number of wings devoted to the ETO.So essentially the CBI was a second rate theater...….
So essentially the CBI was a second rate theater (like the porn cinema on the wrong side of town) until the mighty Spitfire showed up and gave it status? Thank you for the enlightenment!
Cheers,
Wes
Pretty much, as far as Whitehall was concerned. Even when the RAF were sending Spitfire VIIIs and P-47s to the theatre, the number of wings involved was tiny compared to the number of wings devoted to the ETO.
I will bow to your obviously more comprehensive knowledge on this topicSo essentially the CBI was a second rate theater (like the porn cinema on the wrong side of town) until the mighty Spitfire showed up and gave it status? Thank you for the enlightenment!
Cheers,
Wes
The argument is the P40 and Hurricane were effective front line fighters which they weren't, both, and the much maligned Zero were second line fighters from 1942-43 onwards.
In 1942-43 those 2nd line Zero's flew 500 miles one way down to Darwin, shot down 28 Spitfire's and ran a couple dozen other's out of fuel over their own territory and then flew home with a loss of 4 Zero's and 1 KI43.
Meanwhile the Germans and British could barely come to blows from different sides of the English Channel without one side running out of fuel.
Would someone please tell me which German or English fighter you would have chosen in 1942, 1943, 1944 or 1945 to replace that 2nd rate Zero that could have flown as escort to the G4M Betty air raids on Darwin that could have whipped the Spitfire V and then flown back home?
In 1942-43 those 2nd line Zero's flew 500 miles one way down to Darwin, shot down 28 Spitfire's and ran a couple dozen other's out of fuel over their own territory and then flew home with a loss of 4 Zero's and 1 KI43.
Meanwhile the Germans and British could barely come to blows from different sides of the English Channel without one side running out of fuel.
Would someone please tell me which German or English fighter you would have chosen in 1942, 1943, 1944 or 1945 to replace that 2nd rate Zero that could have flown as escort to the G4M Betty air raids on Darwin that could have whipped the Spitfire V and then flown back home?
I somehow missed this post from last month. I have read that test showing P40K's and P43's tested against a Zero, but sadly that Zero was not performing near 100%. Look at the top speed of the Zero 289 mph at 15,000 feet. The Zero should be doing 315-330 at that altitude. Climb rate is also much lower than a standard Zero. I would LOVE to see a test with a Zero performing at 100% vs a P43 at full available power. I have always thought a P43, fitted with armor and true self sealing tanks, would have been the best fighter the US had to fight the Zero until the P38 arrived. The P43, unlike the P38, Hellcat and Corsair, could have been there day 1 of the war with Japan but we chose not to use it.yeah but if you make it to 400 mph I don't think the Ki-43 can follow, or at least not with the wings still attached. A6M top speed is also close to that.
There is also this test (see page 7) which shows that P-40Ks could actually outrun A6M in level flight, extend, turn around and come back for a head-on attack, without even diving.
S
Even better, the Mohawk with 2 stage engine from the F4F-3.I somehow missed this post from last month. I have read that test showing P40K's and P43's tested against a Zero, but sadly that Zero was not performing near 100%. Look at the top speed of the Zero 289 mph at 15,000 feet. The Zero should be doing 315-330 at that altitude. Climb rate is also much lower than a standard Zero. I would LOVE to see a test with a Zero performing at 100% vs a P43 at full available power. I have always thought a P43, fitted with armor and true self sealing tanks, would have been the best fighter the US had to fight the Zero until the P38 arrived. The P43, unlike the P38, Hellcat and Corsair, could have been there day 1 of the war with Japan but we chose not to use it.
MkIX Spitfire of course. https://forum.keypublishing.com/filedata/fetch?id=3842013&d=1543311117
You have fun trying to fight Spitfire VIII's, IX's and XIV's, FW190A's and D's and Me109G's in a Zero that's 90-100mph slower with no armour or self sealing tanks.
Even better, the Mohawk with 2 stage engine from the F4F-3.
A Mohawk/Hawk 75/P36 would have gained a lot from any engine upgrade. A 2 speed P&W 1830-33 would be easiest and lightest, 77 pounds heavier than the P36 engine, top speed jumps from 295'ish to about 325 at 17,000. The 1830-86 from a Wildcat would add about 150 pounds. Jumping from 1403 to 1550 on engine weight, performance guess would be 330 mph at 20,000. But a turbocharger, adding probably 250 pounds, should put it at about 360 mph at 25,000 feet.
The argument is the P40 and Hurricane were effective front line fighters which they weren't, both, and the much maligned Zero were second line fighters from 1942-43 onwards.
In light of what the Allies had available to them through the early part of 1943 - the Hurricane and the P-40 were the front-line fighters of the CBI...
I understand that the Hurricane and the P-40 were being eclipsed in the ETO and MTO during the same time period, but they weren't up against the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica and their tactics.
The Japanese had completely different hardware and tactics, so it was an entirely different war with entirely different metrics.
A Mohawk/Hawk 75/P36 would have gained a lot from any engine upgrade.