Favourite or best 9-cylinder radial single-engine fighters of WW2?

[Admiral Beez]

I always like a plucky underdog, and what's not to admire in fighters powered by small displacement 9-clynder radials.. well plenty if you're getting shot down by more powerful aircraft. This would include:

Bristol Mercury (Gloster Gladiator, PZL P.11, Fokker D.XXI)
Bristol Jupiter (PZL P.7)
Wright R-1820 Cyclone (Brewster F2A Buffalo, Seversky P-35, Curtiss-Wright CW-21, Grumman G-36A Martlet 1, Curtiss Hawk 75 export variants)
Shvetsov M-25 (Polikarpov I-15)
Shvetsov M-62 (Polikarpov I-153, Polikarpov I-16)
Nakajima Kotobuki / Ha-1 (Mitsubishi A5M early versions, Nakajima A4N, Nakajima Ki-27)
Nakajima Hikari (Mitsubishi A5M, later versions)
Gnome-Rhône 9K (Dewoitine D.371, Dewoitine D.373 / D.376, Loire 46)
Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp (Boeing P-26 Peashooter)

Were there no Italian or German nine-cylinder applications beyond transports, recon and bombers?

Which nine-cylinder single-engine fighter is your favourite and why? Here's mine, the highly agile (at low to med level) and rugged Fokker D.XXI.

 

[MIflyer]

You left off almost certainly the best one, the Eastern Aircraft FM-2 which had an R-1820 that produced 1350 hp. Although it lacked the two stage supercharger of the F4F and FM-1 (as well as the associated weight) the FM-2 reportedly was a real hot rod. More than few Japanese pilots were startled when "just a Wildcat" outclimbed them.

 

[Admiral Beez]

You left off almost certainly the best one, the Eastern Aircraft FM-2 which had an R-1820 that produced 1350 hp. Although it lacked the two stage supercharger of the F4F and FM-1 (as well as the associated weight) the FM-2 reportedly was a real hot rod. More than few Japanese pilots were startled when "just a Wildcat" outclimbed them.

A fascinating variant of the Wildcat that's new to me. At the same time nearly all Wildcats then remaining in service were powered by the 14-cyl R-1830 Twin Wasp, and just as the F6F Hellcat is about to hit the scene, General Motors knocks out the FM-2 with an uprated R-1820. That must have been the best 9-cyl engine of the war by then.

FM-2 Wildcat (Quarterdeck)

www.history.navy.mil

The tall tail really stands out vs. the earlier types.

 

[bf109xxl]

Shvetsov M-25 (Polikarpov I-15)

+I-15bis, I-14, DI-6, I-153 (a small number) and most of the I-16s

Shvetsov M-62 (Polikarpov I-153, Polikarpov I-16)

+I-207

Shvetsov M-63 (I-16, prototypes I-153V, I-207/9, IS-1)

 

[Admiral Beez]

+I-15bis, I-14, DI-6, I-153 (a small number) and most of the I-16s

+I-207

Shvetsov M-63 (I-16, prototypes I-153V, I-207/9, IS-1)

I didn't expect to list them all. Are these your favourites?

 

[bf109xxl]

I didn't expect to list them all. Are these your favourites?

I like the Ki-27—solely for its elegance. And I try to avoid debates about personal taste.

 

[yulzari]

A fascinating variant of the Wildcat that's new to me. At the same time nearly all Wildcats then remaining in service were powered by the 14-cyl R-1830 Twin Wasp, and just as the F6F Hellcat is about to hit the scene, General Motors knocks out the FM-2 with an uprated R-1820. That must have been the best 9-cyl engine of the war by then.

FM-2 Wildcat (Quarterdeck)

www.history.navy.mil

The tall tail really stands out vs. the earlier types.

View attachment 883784

View attachment 883785

And good enough to mix it with the Luftwaffe over Norway in 1945.

 

[swampyankee]

Best? Grumman/GM FM-2
Favorite? P-36

 

[GrauGeist]

Favorite? P-36

The production P-36 was powered by a P&W R-1830 as well as the P-35 and P-43.
Some export Hawk 75s had the Wright R-1820 fitted.

As far as the R-1820 goes, there was the F2A and CW-21.

 

[ThomasP]

Grumman F3F-2/-3 w/R-1820

 

[yulzari]

Always had a soft spot for the Bristol Mercury, especially in the Gloster Gladiator which was still operational until late in 1941 and continued as the MkII (Met) into 1945 on weather reconnaissance.

 

[GrauGeist]

How about double the fun?

Fokker G.1 Mercury.

 

[Just Schmidt]

And good enough to mix it with the Luftwaffe over Norway in 1945.

Any fighter vs fighter engagements you know of
?

 

[yulzari]

Any fighter vs fighter engagements you know of
?

Operation Judgement on the 4th of May 1945. Previously in March 1945 they brought down four Me109Gs when they met with eight Me109 G6s.

 

[GregP]

FFVS J 22.

 

[cherry blossom]

Doesn't the FFVS J 22 have a 14 cylinder engine?

 

[GregP]

Doesn't the FFVS J 22 have a 14 cylinder engine?

Surely does. My mistake. My mind wandered over to it and I posted without checking it.

However, it had the same hoprsepower as the Wright R-1820 and should be in the same class of aircraft, even if not having 9 cylinders.

 

[yulzari]

For the most wonderful aerobatic choice there is the Gloster Gauntlet. A peer fighter when it entered service and one squadron of the RAF at home was still, briefly, operating Gauntlets after war was declared. In the Middle East Gauntlets served in ground attack and as a fighter in Egypt, Libya and the conquest of Italian East Africa

 

[Admiral Beez]

Grumman F3F-2/-3 w/R-1820

View attachment 884031

You reminded me of the RCAF's Goblin.

 

[rtbrd]

I know, I know this does not fit the thread but I can't help myself. I was an aircrewman in the Navy (hence the avatar) and flew in Grumman S-2 Trackers, dual R-1820-82WA. I am currently in the process of building a 1:12 scale kit of it.
Fly Navy.
If this offends anyone feel free to delete it.