How The U.S. Air Force’s Fork-Tailed P-38 Lightning Became Most Feared Aircraft Of World War II

[Greg Boeser]

That was known as der Doppelflammenbuchsenunterdenfluegelnkannonenschnabelteufel.

 

[WARSPITER]

That was known as der Doppelflammenbuchsenunterdenfluegelnkannonenschnabelteufel.

Which is with my limited translation abilities - "It's a P-38, not a P-39. Therefore it is one off the big time."

 

[33k in the air]

That was known as der Doppelflammenbuchsenunterdenfluegelnkannonenschnabelteufel.

Ah, one of the shorter German words.

 

[special ed]

Anyone remember the P-38 "mystery" tail at the end of his P-38 book? It was the next page after "The End" page.

 

[GrauGeist]

What might 8AF bomber crews have thought of the Me 262 "Whattheheckwassat?"

Americans had a nick name for the Me262:
"blow job"

Seriously.

 

[Snowygrouch]

....are we really...T-H-I-S......A-G-A-I-N

 

[Just Schmidt]

Und ich bin der Überunterwasserluftwaffeführer

 

[pbehn]

Was the Fw 189 known as "boom boom greenhouse death" to the allies?

 

[Shortround6]

Why, in western literature do Allied aircraft(and other vehicles) have nick names (mostly) that reflect fear from their opponents while Soviet equipment reflects fatalism (guaranteed varnished coffin? coffin for 6 brothers. ) and Japanese nick names reflect even more spectacular endings (Lighter type I or Zippo type I?)

I suspect a bit of favoritism

 

[SaparotRob]

Allied aircraft had a PR department in Burbank.

 

[BiffF15]

Served with fava beans.

And a nice Chianti…

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

 

[BiffF15]

View attachment 696559

Fixed it!

 

[GrauGeist]

Why, in western literature do Allied aircraft(and other vehicles) have nick names (mostly) that reflect fear from their opponents while Soviet equipment reflects fatalism (guaranteed varnished coffin? coffin for 6 brothers. ) and Japanese nick names reflect even more spectacular endings (Lighter type I or Zippo type I?)

I suspect a bit of favoritism

Depends on the level of yankee cynicism I suspect.

Nicknames like "Whistling Shitcan", "Crowd Killer", "All Three Dead" and "T-tailed Mountain Magnet" aren't really striking fear into the hearts of the enemy...

 

[buffnut453]

Or even the Drut...because it's a turd flying backwards.

 

[Snautzer01]

Soviet equipment reflects fatalism (guaranteed varnished coffin? coffin for 6 brothers

That was the Lee tank.

 

[Dana Bell]

Must be a well researched article if - even in the title - the author confuses the US Air Force with America's Army Air Forces...

Cheers,



Dana

 

[GregP]

Depends on the level of yankee cynicism I suspect.

Nicknames like "Whistling Shitcan", "Crowd Killer", "All Three Dead" and "T-tailed Mountain Magnet" aren't really striking fear into the hearts of the enemy...

Somehow, it's true above ... not exactly striking fear into the hearts of millions, is it?

They used to call the A-7 Corsair II a 'SLAT," or "Slow Low Aerial Target" ... or SLUFF, "Short Little Ugly Fat Fu**er." There was a very entertaining article by a former SLAT driver called "Sluffy gets a MiG!." Can't find it now, but it was an entertaining read.

 

[wingnuts]

That was known as der Doppelflammenbuchsenunterdenfluegelnkannonenschnabelteufel.

I could have used that name on the P-38 design I did but my laptop only had a 14" screen!

Ah, one of the shorter German words.

Did Scrabble ever catch on in Germany?

 

[wingnuts]

Somehow, it's true above ... not exactly striking fear into the hearts of millions, is it?

They used to call the A-7 Corsair II a 'SLAT," or "Slow Low Aerial Target" ... or SLUFF, "Short Little Ugly Fat Fu**er." There was a very entertaining article by a former SLAT driver called "Sluffy gets a MiG!." Can't find it now, but it was an entertaining read.

Pel-Air Express often used our hangar for maintenance work in the olden days, I always liked the nickname for their Fairchild Metro lll aircraft "The DEATH PENCIL"

Not to be used when near passengers.

I remember these were about the noisiest aircraft we had near our hangar, I was surprised that all that noise came out of such a tiny engine, OK I know it was mostly the props..... but still!