Best Fighter

[lesofprimus]

Which it didnt.....

 

[Nonskimmer]

I didn't think so.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

ah but it was almost a WWII aircraft, and when you challenged people to chase you you never specified a time period the aircraft used had to be from

 

[lesofprimus]

This is true..... But if thats the case, post a pic of a Mig-25 Foxbat then.....

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

why not an SR-71??

i wanted to keep it close to WWII................

and it's british................

 

[lesofprimus]

Lets keep it in the fighter class ok???

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

the whirlwind was a fighter................

 

[Erich]

I was keeping it to WW 2 class fighters. Nothing could touch the Ta 152H-1 .............

ok let the comments fly ..................

back later 8)

 

[lesofprimus]

Erich, at what altitude are we talking here?????

 

[wmaxt]

why not an SR-71??

i wanted to keep it close to WWII................

and it's british................

The YF-12A was a fighter version of the SR-71. Only 3 were built they weren't very practicle at 80,000ft going Mach 3+ the turn radius was several hundred miles - not much for ACM.

 

[Nonskimmer]

I'm sure the sheer cost may have had something to do with it, as well!

 

[Erich]

30,000 feet upwards to 42,000. It would be a total what-if of course 8)

 

[lesofprimus]

At that altitude, during WWII, I totally agree with u.....

 

[Erich]

the Tank was suppose to be the answer to the P-51D and K but it never flew ops with(against them). Remember the Dora was suppose to be a short term remedy

Claes Sundin supplies the profile, green 4

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

so was the spit Mk.IX but look what happend there.................

 

[wmaxt]

I must make a correction of a post I made a earlier. The fuel tank sizes of the tanks in the P-38 are as follows:

P-38
Main 90gal
reserve 60gal - the 40gal I used was on a restored aircraft and was smaller than normal.
outboard wing 55gal - though some were reported at 62gal
Drop tank 300gal
Total w/55gal wing - 505gal Range 2,600mi

P-51
Main 195gal
Fusalage 85gal
Drop tanks 216gal
Total 496gal Range 2,300

Difference 9gal and 300mi for the P-38

This works out to:
P-38 w/55gal w/tanks @ 2,600mi = 5.15mpg/per engine
P-38 w/62gal w/tanks @ 2,600mi = 5.1mpg/per engine
P-51 @ 2,300mi = 4.63mpg

One advantage the P-51 does have is that it carries 56% of it's fuel internaly while the P-38 carries 41% internaly. That 10% at the very end of a combat mission must have been uncomfortable. The last mission of the war on Aug 15, 45 over Borneo by P-38s was reported to have been 2,800mi!

My contention that fuel effecincy is about equal still exists, sorry if I misled anyone.

 

[Lightning Guy]

I believe those numbers are not exactly correct. The actual fuel capacity of the main tanks on the P-38 were 93 gallons. Outer wing tanks held 62 gallons in the L models. Also, the external tanks had a true capacity of 310 gallons though they were often referred to as 300 gallon tanks. Milo Burcham demonstrated a ferry range of better than 3,000 miles for an early model P-38s. Late war F-5Gs were supposed to have been capable of actual missions covering 3,500miles.

 

[Anonymous]

I must make a correction of a post I made a earlier. The fuel tank sizes of the tanks in the P-38 are as follows:

P-38
Main 90gal
reserve 60gal - the 40gal I used was on a restored aircraft and was smaller than normal.
outboard wing 55gal - though some were reported at 62gal
Drop tank 300gal
Total w/55gal wing - 505gal Range 2,600mi

P-51
Main 195gal
Fusalage 85gal
Drop tanks 216gal
Total 496gal Range 2,300

Difference 9gal and 300mi for the P-38

This works out to:
P-38 w/55gal w/tanks @ 2,600mi = 5.15mpg/per engine
P-38 w/62gal w/tanks @ 2,600mi = 5.1mpg/per engine
P-51 @ 2,300mi = 4.63mpg

One advantage the P-51 does have is that it carries 56% of it's fuel internaly while the P-38 carries 41% internaly. That 10% at the very end of a combat mission must have been uncomfortable. The last mission of the war on Aug 15, 45 over Borneo by P-38s was reported to have been 2,800mi!

My contention that fuel effecincy is about equal still exists, sorry if I misled anyone.

P-51D max. range is listed as 2440 miles at "most economical cruise", with one hour of reserve (add another 400 miles).

It should also be noted that anything over about 40% of the fuel being carried in drop tanks does not really equate to "combat range", because if the plane flies the drop tanks dry to reach the target it cannot make it home, and you have to figure at least 10 mins (lets say 20% for the P-38L) of the internal fuel must be used for combat. Anything beyond about 40% (at these quantities, less for smaller interal fuel loads) of the fuel being in external tanks increases patrol time or ferry range, but not mission range.

=S=

Lunatic

 

[GermansRGeniuses]

The Dodge Viper of fighters...

Fast, simple, extremely powerful, beautiful, horrible at turning, and they both have HUGE engines, as evidenced by the last picture...


BRUTAL.

 

[Anonymous]

The Dodge Viper of fighters...

Fast, simple, extremely powerful, beautiful, horrible at turning, and they both have HUGE engines, as evidenced by the last picture...BRUTAL.

Actually, I thought the Viper handled much better than I expected on real roads. The Corvette Z06 was a little better, but not as much as I expected.

=S=

Lunatic