Best Nightfighter of WW2
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the lancaster kicks ass
Major General
- 19,937
- Dec 20, 2003
still think it was the mosquito................
MP-Willow
Staff Sergeant
Huckebein- P-61 had 4 0.50 machine guns and 4 20mm cannons, fast, range and bomb load. Was created for night operations from the start and was just great!! I think that one must look at the theature of operations (TO) when you look at the two planes. They were not in the same, save for the beginning P-61As then they moved to the PTO.
That said, I still like the Black Widow. It might not have the looks of the moswuito, but who cares it is night!
That said, I still like the Black Widow. It might not have the looks of the moswuito, but who cares it is night!
cheddar cheese
Major General
ive always like the P-61 8)
the lancaster kicks ass
Major General
- 19,937
- Dec 20, 2003
gotta be the mosquito
cheddar cheese
Major General
weve established you like the mosquito, lanc 8)
the lancaster kicks ass
Major General
- 19,937
- Dec 20, 2003
dam right it's better than yours, i'll teach you, but i'll have to charge..........
cheddar cheese
Major General
if i said "mine" was the lancaster then it would make you look pretty stupid 8)[
MP-Willow
Staff Sergeant
Well now we need a multiplayer fight sim to duel this out proper!
If only the P-61 could have come into production sooner. It couldhave been ready maybe a year sooner if not for engine issues! The "Black widow" was nice. A few great websites about the units, crews and planes!
If only the P-61 could have come into production sooner. It couldhave been ready maybe a year sooner if not for engine issues! The "Black widow" was nice. A few great websites about the units, crews and planes!
Piaggio108
Airman
On the He 219, I have heard that the pilots thought it was over rated, and could't reach it's speeds acording to the Operating handbook. It probibly would have been better if it had been fully developed, but it was cut off too early. And there are still 4x 30mm cannons and 2x 20mm cannons.
cheddar cheese
Major General
who are you
plane stealer 
only jokig mate, see guys! im not so stupid now! 8)
kiwimac
Staff Sergeant
Hmm,
what about everyone's pick for the most unusual nightfighter?
Kiwimac
what about everyone's pick for the most unusual nightfighter?
Kiwimac
Gemhorse
Senior Airman
Hi Team , I'm the new kid on the block , quietly watching - But this topic's got me going ! The Mossie came in abit later than the others apart from the He 219 the BlkWidow - the Beau did alotta work initially, but wasn't fast enough , especially against the Ju88's , which if it came to a vote for German Nightfighters , I'd vote for - The Uhu was grossly underpowered , unfortunately and was specifically developed to counter-act the Mosquito, and would have been awesome but they dicked around too long putting suitable power-plants in . The Me110 was good and like the Beau did alot of the early work but wasn't fast enough either . So , the Mossie being indeed 'THE Wooden Wonder' for what it was, and did in all the roles it was used in , was the supreme Nightfighter , breaking in the Radar developments the Beau started with - Furthermore it could take punishment the others couldn't , being wooden. On the Pacific side , you have to respect the Corsair , single-seater , did what was asked , as did the Beau in that ballpark , the Black Widow was obviously a specific design based on everything already achieved by the others and may well have been the best , but it didn't do the hard work to earn the distinction .In a way the Ju88 and the Mossie were the best ' Jack of all trades' , many allied pilots underestimated the 88's , the 'T' model was apparently the fastest , like the Mossie PR's .-But my money's definately on the wooden Mosquito guys-[ P.S.- I'm a N.Z.'er too...] 
kiwimac
Staff Sergeant
The development of aircraft specifically for the nightfighter role came quite late in the war. A large number of bomber-types were used on both UK and German sides as early night fighters (and some fighter types that were past their "best before" dates)
Even the Mosquito was not originally developed for the nightfighter role, it simply turned out to be excellent at it as did the JU88 /188 /388.
Kiwimac
Even the Mosquito was not originally developed for the nightfighter role, it simply turned out to be excellent at it as did the JU88 /188 /388.
Kiwimac
cheddar cheese
Major General
no idea
Andrew said:In your opinion what was the best Nightfigher of WW2 .
the best nightfighter is not on the list: he 219
they shot down more mosquitoes we would know about
mostly because the british crews in mosquitoes never expected to be intercepted.just as fast and maneouvrable but too few too late.
cheddar cheese
Major General
interesting
Gemhorse
Senior Airman
As previously stated , the He219 had a successful ' debut' after Kammhuber got onto it and it's production got under way - But it wasn't the 'Mossie-slayer' it was designed to be. It was very innovative punchy but it was woefully under-powered and if it caught out the odd Mossie, it was by chance more than design. I would say more He219's got wasted by Mosquitos than the other way around- It was designed more as a Nightfighter, and they thought it would make a good torpedo-bomber too, but it was on the drawing-board from 1940 until Kammhuber heard about it on a chance visit to Marienehe a year or so later when he was General der Nachtjagd, and got it rolling- it was supposed to have Daimler-Benz DB603G engines[1900hp for take-off], but ended up with DB603A's [1750 hp for take-off] but even this wasn't really grunty enough-It did some damage, yeah, but I feel the Mosquito was the best , both in top-scores and performance. I actually like the He219, very 'vulture'-looking, and purpose-built, but probably better with jet engines maybe....
GermansRGeniuses
Tech Sergeant
yea and im an albino pigmy monkey!
the thing was bloody faster than a Fw-190!!!!! how is it underpowered!??!! Two Engines=DRAG! TWO BIG ENGINES=MORE DRAG! Skinny Body=LITTLE DRAG! Skinny Body+2 1,900HP(!!!) Engines=Less Drag Than Mossie's smei-fat body+less powerful engines=FAST! even with 8(!!!!!) cannons of differing sizes, it hauled more ass than the mossie (and looked better too) dont mess with my Uhu M8! Two Mk108s(30mm) firing ahead from the wingroots, two of the same firing upwards ala Schrage Muzik, and two Mg151/20s(20mm) and two Mk103s(30mm) in the ventral tray firing forward! and it did 416mph! how can you call that underpowered?!?!??!?!? neither in gunpower NOR engine power!!
Reichsmarschall Batista
GermansRGeniuses
Tech Sergeant
do you know why it only did SOME?!?!?! THE BLOODY LEADERS OF THE RLM DIDNT LIKE IT!! they preffered the slower and worse Junkers design so they delayed the bloody thing if they hadnt been stupid and reluctant many more lancs would have gone down! like i said, DONT MESS WIHT MY UHU!!!!
Reichsmarschall Batista
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