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I rate the Buffalo as the worst fighter produced by the U.S.A. to be used in the war with the sole exception of the Boeing P-26 Peashooter that was pretty good when it entered service but was obsolete when WWII broke out. The success of the Buffalo in Finland can be attributed to a few points including:
1) Very poor Soviet opposition with green pilots in obsolete types, fighting over enemy territory. Anyone who went down and lived was probably lost or captured.
2) Experienced and talented Finnish pilots, fighting FOR their country over their own territory. Anyone who went down and lived was repatriated and could return to duty.
Also, the Buffalo as it served in US service didn't climb at over 3,000 feet per minute. It was more like 2,400 fpm. From all reports, it was a pleasant aircraft to fly, but not really in the fighter league. Aerobatics were "gentlemanly," not spirited. The armament was not very good, but was sufficient against lightly-built or obsolete opponents that had ever worse fighter performance than the Buffalo.
It did NOT have a 26 : 1 kill ratio as a type, only in Finnish service. When you state a kill ratio, it must include the population of the type. Otherwise, where do you stop? With one mission? I can point out missions where almost all WWII fighter types had a combat kill without loss. That doesn't mean the type had an outstanding kill ratio.
Imagine if the Finns had GOOD fighters in service!
I like the P-26 Peashooter. Our museum flies one. I may have been obsolescent when WWII broke out, but it was cutting edge in 1932 when it was new. Neat little airplane unless YOU are the guy who has to turn the crank to start the engine. Actually, I like the Buffalo, too. It just wasn't able to live in a sky filled with competent pilots flying WWII fighters that were all better-performing than the Buffalo.
That doesn't mean the Buffalo was a flop. It means it didn't get adopted and developed into a better fighter. If I recall correctly, it won against the Wildcat in competition, but the Wildcat got adopted and developed. I think the Buffalo could have been just as good if not better, had it received the attention the Wildcat did.
But alternate histories did not happen and the Buffalo didn't get deployed by the US Navy in large numbers, so it's record it what it was ... not terribly good. I don't hate the Buffalo at all. It just wasn't what other, better WWII fighters were.
I used to make wooden toys in my spare time a few years ago, I liked it so much I used the basic Peashooter as one of my designs.
The F6F Originally had the R2600 fitted, but was quickly redesigned for the R2800I believe that the F6F Hellcat initially evolved out of studies trying to see if the F4F could be adapted to accommodate the R2800 engine, but that it was rapidly realized that a whole new aircraft design was warranted.
The F6F Originally had the R2600 fitted, but was quickly redesigned for the R2800
Hi,
I think one of the issues with trying to modify the Buffalo is just that its design fell into a period where rapid changes were occurring and larger airframes were warranted to take advantage of those changes. Specifically, if I am understanding correctly, I believe that the F6F Hellcat initially evolved out of studies trying to see if the F4F could be adapted to accommodate the R2800 engine, but that it was rapidly realized that a whole new aircraft design was warranted.
Additionally, as I understand it, the FM-2 version of the F4F design was kept in production because it was primarily able to fill a niche on ASW escort carriers, with its small size and folding wings making for a reasonable small but fast enough package that could complement the larger and slower TBF/TBMs in countering surfaced submarines and suppressing their AA abilities.
Pat
PS. Wingnut, I like your wooden toys
The R2800 has to be one of the best, if not the best radial aircraft engine designed before the war.The F6F Originally had the R2600 fitted, but was quickly redesigned for the R2800
Drifting off topic here, but, was it ACTUALLY the best? or just the most prolific and developed?The R2800 has to be one of the best, if not the best radial aircraft engine designed before the war.
Not necessary an indication of being the best, but It's still used today in commercial and government service, 82 years after its first run. For example, the Canadair CL-215 uses it today in the non-turbo prop variants.Drifting off topic here, but, was it ACTUALLY the best? or just the most prolific and developed?
Thanks, I wish I still had time to do more.