Best Twin-engined fighter

[trackend]

Lightning hands down for me

 

[kool kitty89]

I chose the lightning. But, personally I think the FW-187 would have been about as good if it had used the originally planned engines and single-seater configuration (the same as the 110's and 109's engines, and the cockpit was cramped enough without 2 people and there was no room for rear guns.) It would have been a nasty addition at the Battle of britain. In the original configuration its climb and dive rates were at least as good as the 109's and it had twice the range and good maneuverabillity (especially compared to the 110)

The Mossy was great, especially with its versitillity. As fighter-bombers the Mossy and Lightning were only surpassed by their single-engined counterparts the P-47 and Tempest. Though the Mossquito had the advantage of using fewer limited materials due to its wooden construction.

 

[AL Schlageter]

Kool surely you meant the Typhoon.

 

[Instal]

This was tough for me but I had to vote Lightning. The Mossy is my 2nd favorite WW2 aircraft but facts are facts and head to head the lightning is the superior twin engine fighter. Add any other role and we have a new ballgame.

 

[kool kitty89]

Well, though the Tempest saw little service in the war II and had teething problems thought it more comparable to the P-47 as the Typhoon was slower (slower than the Mossie too) and had a much shorter range. While the 2 I chose had comperable range to their country's "counterparts". The Tempest certainly prooved useful in interceping the V-1s (as the Mossie did to a lesser extent), though the P-51B and C also did well at this. (the P-47M has even higher speed performance at 470 mph, not surprising considdering it was designed to intercept V-1s, though it appeared too late for this job)
Besides the P-47 also looked verry similar to the tempest, particularly in the wings, but if you compare the radial engined Tempest II to a bubble-top (actually the Tempest's canopy) P-47 they are VERY similar, with the P-47N's clipped wimgtips, ecen closer! compare: http://richard.ferriere.free.fr/3vues/p47n_3v.jpg with http://richard.ferriere.free.fr/3vues/tempest2_1_3v.jpg

The Do-335 was also exelent (though outperformed by the XP-47J and XP-72 and almost by the P-47M in speed)

Also there was a fighter varient as the Mosquito F Mk II, this later became the nightfighter version.
quote: "Developed during 1940, the Mosquito F Mk II was developed and the first prototype was completed on 15 May 1941. These aircraft were fitted with four 20 mm Hispano cannon in the fuselage belly and four 0.303 in. Browning machine guns mounted in the nose. This fit required the movement of the crew ingress/egress door from the bottom to the right side of the nose. The aircraft also featured a revised windscreen, with flat bullet proof panels in front, as opposed to the original design."

A 3 or 4 FW-187s were service tested unofficially, but were removed from service when the pilos like it so much they suggested immedate production, possibly since it prooved to make the Bf-110 look bad.
The Meschersmitt "monopoly" on Luftwaffe fighters would not be broken untill the advent of the FW-190. Also, from the front it looks a bit like the Me-262 in shark-like appearance. Alas the bias tward Meschersmitt, the restriction on engine use (not placed on the 110 design) and, less importantly a requirement for a second seat in all models doomed the FW-190. (the He-100 was doomed for similar reasons, ie: engines diverted to Bf-109 and bias tward Meschersmitt products, as well as a veiw that the 109 was "good enough" and it was better to focus on a single fighter design than multiple ones.
see: Focke-Wulf 187 archive file

And I totaly agree that the Me 262 shouldn't be listed here (twin engined jets aren't really comparable to conventional twin engined fighters), plus if you did that you'd have to inglude the He-280, the Ho-229, and the Gloster Meteor. (I'd also say the P-59 Airacomet, but its performance probably wouldn't get ant votes, though its basic design configuration had more potential than was demonstrated)

 

[delcyros]

P-38 Lighting for my vote, seriously.

Altough my favourite would have been the Ki-46-III Kai (Dinah), the P-38 bested all around.

 

[kool kitty89]

But the P-38 did have those problems with high-speed buffetting and compressibillity, but these were enentually solved, and with boosted controlls it was quite maneuverable. Though it was one of the first planes to have such speed problems due to it's high-speed capabillities, the design did have more inherant disadvantages than the P-47 of the same time-frame, but this too eventually requred the use of dive-flaps, albeit at a higher speed.

It was one of the top US fighters and one of the best escort fighters of the war. Too bad many were diverted to the pacific theater early on, since by the time the time they began escort duties in Europe, the P-47 with extended range (external tanks) was nearly entering escort duty as well. It would have saved many unescorted B-17s in the early months of the war. Even after this the P-38 required less fuel to obtain the same range as the P-47 even though the Lightning was heavier. The lightning also had advantages over the P-51.

Too bad the high performance aspects of the P-38K weren't combined with the advances in the P-38L for production. The L varient already had uprated engines but needed the larger propellers to take full advantage of this added power. This would have doubtlessly extended its service life, possibly even for use in Korea. (The P-51 was great, but it lacked the toughness and durrabillity of the P-38 and P-47, and though it had good altitude performance, its supercharger was still not as efficeint as the turbos of the other two.)

The Germans could really have used the FW-187, it had awesome performance, and excellent range, but as I mentioned previously, politics killed it.

 

[Glider]

I notice the 262 isn't on the list and I am afraid that would get my vote.

 

[kool kitty89]

We've already established that jets can't be included in this selection, as there not really comparable to prop fighters. As I alo mentioned before, there's a host of WWII twin engine jets that would have to be added if jets were included.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

While I would not include the 262 I find that post of yours a bit funny.

The Me 262, P-80 and Meteor are all twin engined aircraft. Can they be compared? Not really because they were better.

So does that not make them in contention for the best twin engined fighter?

 

[renrich]

If this poll is about the best twin engined fighter in ww2 then the ME 262 is a prime contender. If it about best twin engined recip fighter P38 wins hands down. The P38 was used as an escort fighter early in the war in North Africa and Europe but had many reliablitity problems as well as compressibility problems as well as cockpit heating problems. Later on those problems were largely solved and it was a pretty good escort fighter but still was a big target, easy to identify and it's initial rate of roll was poor. Also with two engines it was twice as likely to have engine problems as single engine fighters and being that the engines were liquid cooled the P38 had a lot of nice targets to shoot at on it's air frame.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I agree Ren and as for this poll I voted for the P-38 as well.

Just think its funny how someone can dismiss the jet fighters so easily.

 

[ToughOmbre]

I voted for the P-38 also. The German fighter pilots had good reason to call it "Der Gabelschwanz Teufel".

TO

 

[Erich]

that is a post war myth, they called it "Lightning" as said to me more that a dozen plus times by LW veteran pilots. I'll go with the Mossie without question if it is a prop job

 

[ToughOmbre]

You may be right Erich, but there's lots of documentation that supports the nickname. But I must admit, I have never questioned or talked to a veteran LW pilot.

TO

 

[Erich]

it goes back to the early 1960's when it seemed or was deemed correct to give the P-38 more of a killer sound by calling it the fork tailed thing a ma bob name. really silly though. but it stuck like glue for the US reader. the first guy who I interviewed who shot down 1-2 Lightnings said what ? when I said it in the German. "who told you that" he replied. i said I read it and he told me flat out I was wrong or that that the author - J. Ethell was quite incorrect......... If I remember right this was actually coming from the P-38 factory mechs in the original form

 

[kool kitty89]

The P-80 was single engined...
I didn't really mean dismiss jets for the comparison, I just meant they were in a whole different league, and had completly different advantages and tradeoffs. DerAdlerIstGelandet, you said yourself: "Save that for a best jet thread. There is allready one but I think it might be dead."

Though if it was truely intended for piston engine fighters only, which the list implies, it should have said that up front.

 

[kool kitty89]

The Ar 240 was a good a/c once the bugs had been wouked out and a limited number served well in recon, too bad it never entered production. It certainly had a unique design.

Why isn't the Ju 388 on the list?

Or the Me 210? Though the 210's performance wouldn't merit any votes, so maby I've answered my own question.

 

[DBII]

It looks like the P38 is the clear winner here without including Me 262. My question would be B-25 or Mosquito?

DBII

 

[renrich]

I thought the poll said twin engined fighter. The Mosquito was not really a fighter, was it? I don't think the P38 was highly regarded by by the LW. It's loss rate was pretty high in Europe. 129, 849 sorties versus 1758 losses. somewhat higher than either P47 or P51. Probably in part because of engine problems. In a dogfight with a Mossie I would think a P38 would prevail.