Best piston engined fighter of 1945?

[bada]

Pullman became Silverplate became Saddletree (Baugher says Saddleback) in May 1947 before all of the final batch of B-29 had been converted, in turn Saddletree became part of the Gem program.

Constituted as 509th Composite Group on 9 Dec 1944 and activated on 17 Dec, Wendover Field, Utah, 17 Dec 1944-26 Apr 1945; North Field, Tinian, 29 May-17 Oct 1945; Roswell AAFld, NM, 6 Nov 1945-16 Jun 1952.

46 B-29 built before the end September 1945 reported modified to Silverplate status, by November 1946 four had been lost, 19 more modified in 1947 from exiting stocks as project DOM-515. Then came the B-50 and B-36 modifications. Looking at Baugher, the aircraft cards and delivery logs gives the following list of 46 done by end 1945, block, serial, acceptance date,

B-29-5-BO 42-6259 30-Nov-43
B-29-5-MO 42-65209 24-Aug-44
B-29-10-MO 42-65216 15-Sep-44
B-29-10-MO 42-65217 16-Sep-44
B-29-15-MO 42-65234 18-Oct-44
B-29-15-MO 42-65235 18-Oct-44
B-29-20-MO 42-65236 24-Oct-44
B-29-20-MO 42-65237 26-Oct-44
B-29-20-MO 42-65238 26-Oct-44
B-29-20-MO 42-65239 26-Oct-44
B-29-20-MO 42-65240 31-Oct-44
B-29-20-MO 42-65258 13-Nov-44
B-29-20-MO 42-65259 11-Nov-44
B-29-20-MO 42-65260 14-Nov-44
B-29-20-MO 42-65261 14-Nov-44
B-29-20-MO 42-65262 14-Nov-44
B-29-20-MO 42-65263 15-Nov-44
B-29-25-MO 42-65264 15-Nov-44
B-29-35-MO 42-65384 15-Feb-45
B-29-35-MO 42-65385 15-Feb-45
B-29-35-MO 42-65386 15-Feb-45
B-29-35-MO 42-65387 15-Feb-45
B-29-35-MO 44-27295 19-Mar-45
B-29-35-MO 44-27296 19-Mar-45
B-29-35-MO 44-27297 19-Mar-45
B-29-35-MO 44-27298 20-Mar-45
B-29-35-MO 44-27299 20-Mar-45
B-29-35-MO 44-27300 2-Apr-45
B-29-35-MO 44-27301 2-Apr-45
B-29-35-MO 44-27302 2-Apr-45
B-29-35-MO 44-27303 2-Apr-45
B-29-35-MO 44-27304 2-Apr-45
B-29-40-MO 44-27353 20-Apr-45
B-29-40-MO 44-27354 20-Apr-45
B-29-45-MO 44-86291 18-May-45
B-29-45-MO 44-86292 18-May-45
B-29-50-MO 44-86346 15-Jun-45
B-29-50-MO 44-86347 15-Jun-45
B-29-55-MO 44-86382 26-Jul-45
B-29-55-MO 44-86383 30-Jul-45
B-29-55-MO 44-86384 27-Jul-45
B-29-60-MO 44-86430 27-Aug-45
B-29-60-MO 44-86431 28-Aug-45
B-29-60-MO 44-86432 30-Aug-45
B-29-60-MO 44-86472 30-Sep-45
B-29-60-MO 44-86473 30-Sep-45

Joe Baugher gives the following list of 16 modifications done in 1947 out of 19 reported done.

B-29-55-MO 44-86401
B-29-60-MO 44-86437, 44-86439, 44-86440, 44-86443, 44-86444, 44-86445, 44-86447, 44-86448, 44-86451
B-29-90-BW 44-87752, 44-87771, 44-87774, 45-21736, 45-21739
B-29-95-BW 45-21818

Total B-29 production 3,960
3 XB-29 Boeing Seattle, accepted December 1942
14 YB-29 Boeing Wichita, accepted July to September 1943
1,620 B-29 Boeing Wichita, accepted September 1943 to October 1945
1,119 B-29A Boeing Renton, accepted January 1944 to June 1946
357 B-29 Bell, accepted November 1943 to February 1945, May to September 1945
311 B-29B Bell, accepted January to September 1945
536 B-19 Martin, accepted December 1943 to September 1945 (but only 5 built by end February 1944 then a two month pause)

Spitfire XIV squadrons from RAF Squadrons by Jefford, squadron, from, to, note
2 Nov-44 Jan-51 ETO
11 Jun-45 Feb-48
16 Sep-45 Apr-46 ex 268 sqn ETO
17 Jun-45 Feb-48
20 Nov-45 Dec-46
26 Jun-45 Apr-46 ETO
28 Oct-45 May-47
41 Sep-45 Sep-46 ETO
91 Mar-44 Aug-44 to F.21 Jan 45 , ETO
130 Aug-44 May-45 ETO
132 May-45 Apr-46 ETO
136 Feb-46 May-46 ETO
152 Jan-46 Mar-46
155 Dec-45 Aug-46
268 Apr-45 Sep-45 became 16 squadron, ETO
273 Nov-45 Jan-46
322 Mar-44 Aug-44 ETO
350 Aug-44 Oct-46 ETO
401 May-45 Jun-45 ETO
402 Aug-44 Jun-45 ETO
411 Jun-45 Mar-46 ETO
412 May-45 Jun-45 ETO
414 Apr-45 Aug-45 ETO
416 Sep-45 Mar-46 ETO
430 Nov-44 Aug-45 ETO
443 Jun-45 Mar-46 ETO
451 Aug-45 Jan-46 ETO
453 Aug-45 Jan-46 ETO
600 Oct-46 Nov-47 ETO
602 Oct-46 Oct-48 ETO
607 Nov-46 Mar-49 ETO
610 Jan-44 Mar-45 Also Nov 46 to Apr 49, disbanded Mar 45, reformed May 45, ETO
611 Nov-46 Aug-49 ETO
612 Nov-46 Oct-49 ETO
613 Dec-46 Dec-48 ETO
615 Oct-46 Jan-49 ETO

As units were rotated front/rear areas they could give up or gain the latest equipment. First Spitfire XVIII squadron service August 1946.

Hi,
The global numbers are one thing, operational airframes are another.
Here, the stats, for the Spit14, from production start until 10thMay45 (end of war in the ETO), what happened after this date wasn't important for me.
This is based on the "Spitfire production list" available freely on the web and also used i some books.
MU= Maintenance Unit (Factory Repair or repair hub)
SQ= Assigned to Squadron
SoC= Struck of Charge (airframe not usable/destroyed, set officially by the RaF)
India= airframes send to india
Awaiting Delivery: Airframe put in MU after Production waiting for assignment to squadron
Test= Airframes send to Test Centers for technical evaluations
Total Dead= total number of SoC Airframes.
Values are valid on the 10th/20th/Last day of the month.
Some errors could occur as the list is not always precise for each airframe, but it gives a good idea.

Number of airframes assigned per squadron ( with "Group Units" that served as immediate reserve pool included):

 

[pbehn]

Mk XIV has the wing from the Spitfire VIII, which is basically the same as the previous versions (IX, V, etc.).

Mk.21 - Mk.24 have the revised wing with slightly different plan form and stronger structure, and fully enclosed landing gear.

Mk.22 was the same as the Mk.21 but with the teardrop canopy and cut back fuselage. The larger fin and rudder of the Spiteful were introduced part way into production, with most being fitted with them.

Mk.23 was experimenting with the wing, not put into production.

Mk.24 was Mk.22 with additional fuel tanks.

What is the difference in a marque? The total of all differences between all the Griffon engined spitfires were probably less in real terms than all the differences on a Spitfire Mk I from first production to last. Certainly less than all the changes made to a Hurricane Mk I yet they are all classed as Mk Is.

 

[mig-31bm]

The performance of Hornet seem so much better than I expected. Speed is competitive with even P-51H, while climb rate, power loading, wing loading are even better than prototype like spiteful XVI and XP-72
Performance of the de Havilland Hornet:
Sea level speed: 392 mph ( 630.8 km/h)
Top speed: 472 mph (759 km/h) at 22,000 ft
Climb rate: 5450 ft/min ( 27.68 m/s) at sea level
take 4 min to climb to 20,000 ft
Engine horsepower:
2 x Merlin 130/131 engine with 2,070 HP each at WEP
Normal take off weight: 16,100 lbs (7302.8 kg)
Wing area: 33.538 m2 ( 361 ft2)
Wing loading: 217.74 kg/m2
Power to weight: 0.566 hp/kg ( 0.257 hp/lbs)
Weapons:
Four 20 mm cannon

 

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

That is a lot of good work creating the Spitfire charts. For comparison, Spitfire XIV from the RAF Census AIR 20/1871, file ends in June 1944, figures as of end of month. Spitfire XIV first official production October 1943. Cat E figure is cumulative, other figures are strengths.

Month

ADGB-operational

ADGB-Misc

ADGB-Store

2nd TAF

Training

41 Group MU

Cat AC/R.O.S.

Cat B/R.I.W.

Mods at Works/Assembly

At Works

Controller Research and Development

For Overseas

Cat E - home

On order

Modified to XIV

May-43​

1​

50​

Jun-43​

1​

50​

Jul-43​

1​

1​

101​

1​

Aug-43​

1​

1​

100​

1​

Sep-43​

2​

1​

100​

1​

Oct-43​

2​

2​

1​

100​

1​

Nov-43​

1​

3​

5​

1​

500​

1​

Dec-43​

4​

1​

9​

1​

4​

1​

500​

1​

Jan-44​

8​

1​

1​

16​

1​

4​

1​

500​

1​

Feb-44​

25​

2​

1​

18​

1​

4​

1​

500​

1​

Mar-44​

47​

1​

1​

1​

16​

4​

1​

6​

1​

2​

500​

3​

Apr-44​

44​

3​

2​

1​

21​

3​

9​

3​

6​

4​

1​

4​

500​

3​

May-44​

24​

7​

29​

14​

6​

7​

7​

6​

2​

1​

8​

478​

3​

Jun-44​

11​

11​

11​

33​

40​

10​

10​

1​

7​

2​

1​

10​

478​

3​

Spitfire XIV exports,
possibly 1 (mark unspecified export) in 4 weeks ended 27 September 1944
25 in 5 weeks ended 31 January 1945
37 in 4 weeks ended 28 February 1945
none in March
53 in 5 weeks ended 2 May 1945
27 in 4 weeks ended 30 May 1945
20 in 4 weeks ended 27 June 1945
35 in 4 weeks ended 25 July 1945

Export data by mark then ceases to be reported, total Spitfire exports, again using 4 and 5 week months, January to December 1945
220, 207, 99, 312, 110, 176, 57, 73, 67, 6, 68, 58

Side note as of May 1943 1 Spitfire F.21 currently with Controller of Research and Development, 677 on order. End June 1944 it was 1 with Controller of Research and Development, 3,377 on order.

 

[PAT303]

The Spitfire PR Mk19s of 81 Squadron in Hong Kong had then only recently finished their service there for long distance overflights of the mainland at up to 50,000ft carrying 296 imperial gallons (307 US gallons) of fuel giving a range of up to 2,900km (1,800 miles).

It was one of the HK based MkXIX's that got up to 52,000ft which is a terrific height for a piston aircraft.

 

[AMCKen]

It was one of the HK based MkXIX's that got up to 52,000ft which is a terrific height for a piston aircraft.

256 Imperial gallons.

 

[Terry Baird]

I'm just curious, has anyone counted the number of times this "holy war" has been initiated?

It is kind of like, on a shooting forum, '9mm vs .45". But it is still fun.

 

[Terry Baird]

I think that if I was fighting in 1945, I would want to be in a P-47N. This is not a glamorous choice, but a pragmatic one.

 

[PAT303]

I think that if I was fighting in 1945, I would want to be in a P-47N. This is not a glamorous choice, but a pragmatic one.

Spit XIV with aux tanks for me, load out would depend of foe, SAPI HEI with every fifth round a AP-T in the Hispano, M8's in the brownings