Best Fighter III

[Parmigiano]

You got my bluff... I've heard yesterday the word 'logic' in TV and wanted to impress everybody with my culture...

well, cannon vs machine gun like non-synchro wing mounted vs nose mounted (either synchro or engine) are a long time arguments, and there are pro and cons for both.
Since historically there was no standardization, probably the overall effectiveness was similar and decisions were made based on 'philosophy' or other considerations.
Except maybe the FW190 where, just to stay on the safe side, they fitted a full catalog of cannons and MGs, wing and/or nose mounted.

 

[davparlr]

I read the articles and generally agree with his argument. The .50 cal was used effectively by the Americans because their targets tended to be relatively lightly armored, e.g., fighters. It is interesting to note that in the 1944 Report of Joint Fighter Conference, that the issue was raised on whether the US should switch to 20mm guns. The the discussion was simple and straight forward, the .50 cals were sufficient for tasks assigned. No raves, just did the job. This conference included a lot of Navy guys, too.

He tended to be knowledgable but showed little engineering study but referenced some.

 

[Civettone]

You got my bluff... I've heard yesterday the word 'logic' in TV and wanted to impress everybody with my culture...

Kris

 

[davparlr]

I don't know where to put this and I didn't watch it, slow modem, but I suspect you guys would like to see it an weep. Let me know if it is any good.
I think it took place in Phoenix.

Pilot Bails Out of Burning Plane During Air Race-Kevin Eldridge:Corsair kbvp.com - Google Video

 

[renrich]

I think that was the Super Corsair. I saw it race one time near Denton, Texas and have photos of it. It had a R3350 engine and I believe it was the last Corsair racing. Obviously it won't be racing anymore.

 

[davparlr]

It is always sad when a historic item is lost. Unfortunately, the debate on whether we should save these or use them is unwinnable. Some day we may not have any to fly or look at. Tis a puzzlement.

 

[renrich]

You are so right. Luckily or unluckily most of us that revere those old warbirds perhaps because of the warbirds ages and our ages being somewhat tangential will be gone when the prop warbirds are no longer flying. I remember a book I was given as a child and one of the pictures within was a Corsair which the caption raved about except that the picture (in color) was the XF4U so the airplane was just barely in production. The airplane was silver with yellow wings.

 

[ohka345]

I love the focke-wulf Dora-9 too!

 

[lesofprimus]

So do I, but u posted a pic of the vaunted Ta 152C.... Not very knowledgeable in this area, are u???

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Oh boy...

 

[ohka345]

Well..what I do know is that the first ta 152 had mixed parts from fw190s and dora-9s.I don't think a lot ever got into service...

 

[lesofprimus]

the first ta 152 had mixed parts from fw190s and dora-9s.

Huh??? A Dora-9 is an Fw 190...

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

You need to do some reading kid...

 

[Russell Means]

Careful ohka345, you could get banned for such mistakes

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Why would he get banned. Dont be childish like that Russell. I also believe that I sent you a PM a few days ago that you need to respond to. If you do not respond to the pm that might just get you a ban...

 

[Soren]

Ohka might have meant Antons and Dora's..

Anyway the parts used to built the Ta-152's were mostly unique to this a/c, not many parts were used from the FW-190 without modification - Canopy and cockpit were of such parts.

 

[machine shop tom]

Personally, I prefer the P47, but I know there were better fighters in many senses.......

But, everything else being (relatively) equal, the aircraft with the better pilot and/or starting postion would have the upper hand. Early wartime Japanese and German pilots were far and away the most experienced and best trained pilots flying, with the exception of the AVG, many of the British fighter command and a few others. But as the war progressed and the better pilots of the Axis (not ALL of them, of course) were whittled down, the remainder had to deal not only with improving allied planes, but also with improved pilots and tactics. So we not only have the 190 Doras vs the Spitfires and Mustangs, we have more experienced allied pilots combatting progressively greener Luftwaffe pilots (generally). The same thing was happening in the Pacific. If became less a comparison of planes than pilots.

tom

 

[Civettone]

Hey, this just occured to me. Wouldn't the Italian and Russian fighter pilots be the most experienced ones in Europe around 1940??

Kris

 

[Gnomey]

No. The Germans would have had the experience from Spain and Poland and so would still have the most experience followed by the Russians and Italians...

 

[Civettone]

Yeah, I should have said "the beginning of the war" instead of "1940" as WW2 started on different dates for the various countries.

Of course the Germans were also fighting in Spain but only few compared to the Italians. And when the war started for the Russians their pilots had already fought in Spain, Mongolia and Finland.

Kris