Damaging / destroying aircrafts

evangilder · Sep 23, 2004

True, the 2800 was an incredibly durable engine. That was also used on the B-17. You could get a lucky shot with a 20mm and take the engine out, but if you just hit one of the jugs, that wouldn't do it. It wouldn't fly well missing a jug, but it would still fly. Again, there are alot of variables.

Lightning Guy · Sep 23, 2004

The B-17 was powered by Wright R-1820s. The only American bomber of the war to use the R-2800 was (as far as I know) the A-26.

evangilder · Sep 23, 2004

OOPS. I always get those 2 engines mixed up! Argh. Thanks for the correction. The 1820s are also in the T-28 trojans though. We have about a dozen -28s down at Camarillo airport and it took a bit to get used to hearing four of them fly over and not think it was a B-17.

the lancaster kicks ass · Sep 24, 2004

the P-47 was one of the two most durable single engined fighers of the war...........

evangilder · Sep 24, 2004

It sure was, Lanc. I read a story about some P-47 pilots doing an attack run and had trouble finding the target, so they flew THROUGH the trees to find it! I will see if I can find that article again and post it.

I heard a joke that the P-47 couldn't really be shot down, you just had to put bullets into it until it was too heavy to fly.

evangilder · Sep 24, 2004

Found it...

The P-47 was a rugged airplane, without a doubt.
During the Battle of the Bulge in 1944, German Field
Marshal von Rundstedt had hidden a munitions dump in
the woods of the Ardennes. P-47s were called upon to
destroy it, but they couldn't find it because of the
thick trees. What did the frustrated pilots do then?
They flew through the tops of the trees!

Pratt Whitney's representative in Europe, Martin
Graham, was there not long afterwards. "You could see
by the shattered trees and the torn branches where the
P-47s had gone through. You'd have to see it to
believe it. Those crazy kids couldn't see what was
hidden from above, so they went right into the forest
to find out. They cut a path right through the top of
the woods. They said every plane that went in and
chewed out the tunnel came out flying, too." (? The
Pratt Whitney Aircraft Story)

Lightning Guy · Sep 25, 2004

I'm curious Lanc, what was the other single-engined fighter you were refering to?

lesofprimus · Sep 25, 2004

The Corsair????

Crazy · Sep 25, 2004

evangilder said:
Found it...

The P-47 was a rugged airplane, without a doubt.
During the Battle of the Bulge in 1944, German Field
Marshal von Rundstedt had hidden a munitions dump in
the woods of the Ardennes. P-47s were called upon to
destroy it, but they couldn't find it because of the
thick trees. What did the frustrated pilots do then?
They flew through the tops of the trees!

Pratt Whitney's representative in Europe, Martin
Graham, was there not long afterwards. "You could see
by the shattered trees and the torn branches where the
P-47s had gone through. You'd have to see it to
believe it. Those crazy kids couldn't see what was
hidden from above, so they went right into the forest
to find out. They cut a path right through the top of
the woods. They said every plane that went in and
chewed out the tunnel came out flying, too." (? The
Pratt Whitney Aircraft Story)

That would be a sight worth seeing

the lancaster kicks ass · Sep 26, 2004

yes i was thinking of the corsair................

cheddar cheese · Sep 26, 2004

Crazy said:
evangilder said:

Found it...

The P-47 was a rugged airplane, without a doubt.
During the Battle of the Bulge in 1944, German Field
Marshal von Rundstedt had hidden a munitions dump in
the woods of the Ardennes. P-47s were called upon to
destroy it, but they couldn't find it because of the
thick trees. What did the frustrated pilots do then?
They flew through the tops of the trees!

Pratt Whitney's representative in Europe, Martin
Graham, was there not long afterwards. "You could see
by the shattered trees and the torn branches where the
P-47s had gone through. You'd have to see it to
believe it. Those crazy kids couldn't see what was
hidden from above, so they went right into the forest
to find out. They cut a path right through the top of
the woods. They said every plane that went in and
chewed out the tunnel came out flying, too." (? The
Pratt Whitney Aircraft Story)

Click to expand...

That would be a sight worth seeing

Too damn right shock:

the lancaster kicks ass · Sep 26, 2004

a stirling once made it back after crashing into a tree...........

cheddar cheese · Sep 26, 2004

but stirlings are bombers, so naturally they'll be stronger. and they have 4 engines to operate from, P-47's have only got the one.

evangilder · Sep 26, 2004

Yes, seeing the -47s flying through the trees would have been something else. Could you imagine what the Germans were thinking when they saw THAT?! I am sure it was something along the lines of "HOLY SH*T!!!"

lesofprimus · Sep 26, 2004

I would think thats something one would not practice more than once...

evangilder · Sep 26, 2004

I don't think it was practiced beforehand. Could you imagine the student pilot on hearing they were going to fly through trees! I would think that would be hard on the prop, engines and airframe. More than once would be foolhardy IMO.

lesofprimus · Sep 26, 2004

I agree...

evangilder · Sep 26, 2004

Now that I think about it, doing it once is crazy! I guess the very first one to do it is either a hero, or a fool!

lesofprimus · Sep 26, 2004

Based on the story, I would say a Hero.. Under any other circumstance, the pilot(s) (FOOLS) would have been grounded....

the lancaster kicks ass · Sep 26, 2004

Could you imagine what the Germans were thinking when they saw THAT?! I am sure it was something along the lines of "HOLY SH*T!!!"

but in german................

Damaging / destroying aircrafts

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