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I was watching 'The Unknown War' narrated by Burt Lancaster the other night. Apparently, the Russians destroyed 77,000 Luftwaffe planes. So if each Russian fighter destroyed 1 Luftwaffe aircraft that must add another 2400 victories to the P-40 tally, probably putting the P-40 to the number 1 best American WW2 fighter. Of course the Hurricanes we supplied would have scored another 3000 victories helping it to beat the Spitfire to the top scoring British fighter in WW2.The Commonwealth and the Soviets is just about it; whose everybody else? No one seems to know how many victories the Soviets claimed with the P-40, but it was not the American built aircraft that they raved most about, that was the P-39; and no one seems to know how many victories they claimed with the Kobra either.
I was watching 'The Unknown War' narrated by Burt Lancaster the other night. Apparently, the Russians destroyed 77,000 Luftwaffe planes. So if each Russian fighter destroyed 1 Luftwaffe aircraft that must add another 2400 victories to the P-40 tally, probably putting the P-40 to the number 1 best American WW2 fighter. Of course the Hurricanes we supplied would have scored another 3000 victories helping it to beat the Spitfire to the top scoring British fighter in WW2.
Ok cut the number down by 50...... no make it 70% for overclaiming and the p40 is still one of the top if not the top scorring US fighter of the war.Surely you are not serious with this post?
Brazil, China, Indonesia,The Commonwealth and the Soviets is just about it; who is everybody else? No one seems to know how many victories the Soviets claimed with the P-40, but it was not the American built aircraft that they raved most about, that was the P-39; and no one seems to know how many victories they claimed with the Kobra either.
Definitely not. Ho, ho, ho.Surely you are not serious with this post?
My guess would be about 3500 to 4000 as per the Lightning and Thunderbolt.Brazil, China, Indonesia,
Malaysia just off the top of my head but there were quite a few more. Admittedly these nations didn't nun up huge numbers in the p40 or anything else for that matter but they got a few here and there. Add those onto what the US, Commonwealth, and Russians got and I don't see how you can come in under 4000 and close to 5000 doesn't seem to much of a stretch either.
My best back of the napkin counculation/ guess would be around 4000 but certainly could be a bit lower or higher.My guess would be about 3500 to 4000 as per the Lightning and Thunderbolt.
I phrased my question poorly, I meant how many victories did Soviet aviators have in the P-39?4924 sent...Airacobras in the Soviet Union
My best back of the napkin counculation/ guess would be around 4000 but certainly could be a bit lower or higher.
RAF and Commonwealth is about 810. Soviet victories unknown but IIRC, Hurricane victories totalled about 500, the P-40 was better, so we should be able to bung on at least 1300 to the USAAF totals.Let's see USAAF victories 2256 + vague number of RAF/ CW victories + unknown number of Soviet victories = ????
It really does sound like about 3500 would be an " at least" number. Perhaps my statement earlier that it might be as high as the upper 4000s was a bit optimistic but the lower 4000s doesn't seem at all out of the question.RAF and Commonwealth is about 810. Soviet victories unknown but IIRC, Hurricane victories totalled about 500, the P-40 was better, so we should be able to bung on at least 1300 to the USAAF totals.
Yep, the Russians were still using them in 1944 as escort fighters on the Karelian front and scoring victories. So definitely an underrated fighter.It really does sound like about 3500 would be an " at least" number. Perhaps my statement earlier that it might be as high as the upper 4000s was a bit optimistic but the lower 4000s doesn't seem at all out of the question.
I once read a kida vuage quote by a Russian commander of some rank I can't recall at the moment that P40s were used " right through the liberation of Bavaria"Yep, the Russians were still using them in 1944 as escort fighters on the Karelian front and scoring victories. So definitely an underrated fighter.
And still scoring victories in the Pacific.I once read a kida vuage quote by a Russian commander of some rank I can't recall at the moment that P40s were used " right through the liberation of Bavaria"
Also, something of which many are not aware is that there were 3 RAAF units( the 450th being the one that comes to mind at the moment) that were flying kityhawks in front line service out of the northern tip of Italy right up until VE day.
So contairy to what we read/ hear about the p40 all over the net and in many books they were used in front line service in Europe and right up until the end.
Don't think we were asserting the p40 was a top of the line aircraft in 1945 as it didn't get the continued development other types like the Bf109 got. The p51 was better overall and the USAAF wisely choose to go with that. The p40 more or less got locked in time after F/L series.Ki 27s scored a few victories in the spring of 1945 (very few), doesn't mean anybody (their pilots included) thought they were a first line aircraft.