Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
He said that the LW used the 109's as top cover to engage Bomber escort fighters and the 190 to attack the bombers. This would seem to suggest that the 109 was the better fighter and the 190 the better bomber killer/QUOTE]
The Fw 190 was a more robust aircraft. It was one of Tank's original design considerations. If I was attacking a bomber I'd quite like a large radial engine acting as armour too.
It's for that reason that I'd choose the Fw 190 over the Bf 109 in 1942.
Steve
I would have thought the FW190 was the better of the two - because it gave the RAF a nasty suprise when it arrived on the scene.
However, I have recently seen a TV program that had Adolf Galland on it. He said that the LW used the 109's as top cover to engage Bomber escort fighters and the 190 to attack the bombers. This would seem to suggest that the 109 was the better fighter and the 190 the better bomber killer/
Maybe shades of Spitfire and Hurricane in the BoB?
IMO - the Spit IX and the FW 190A-3 through A-5 were the best all around fighters in the war in 1941 through 1942. I know the A-5 was barely in production in late 1942 but that fits the thread.
The Me 109F and G for 1941 and 1942 were excellent but I believe they fall short of both the above.
IMO the best mass produced lightweight fighter aircraft in the world during this time frame. It also had the lowest production cost.
IMO the best mass produced lightweight fighter aircraft in the world during this time frame. It also had the lowest production cost.
Same at the other side, I think German 109 pilots never got worried about the Spitfire. In his book "the first and the last" Galland rated the 109 always higher than the contemporary Spitfire.You and some others may consider the Bf 109 F to have been the best fighter of the time but the men of the RAF,who were having to deal with it, clearly did not.
Cheers
Steve
Same at the other side, I think German 109 pilots never got worried about the Spitfire. In his book "the first and the last" Galland rated the 109 always higher than the contemporary Spitfire.
cimmex
On June 24th 1941 the minutes of a meeting of the Air Staff regarding the Merlin 61 have Verney resisting any change to the Spitfire V.
"This [Spitfire V] is the mainstay of the Spitfire first line strength for it is proving superior to the Me 109 and we cannot run any risks with it."
They considered the Spitfire V to be coping with the Bf 109 F
It was the introduction of the Fw 190 that caused real problems. When this appeared,in September 1941,it was soon obvious that the Spitfire V could not compete with it. It was the Fw 190 that led,on 13th November 1941, to the issuing,by the Air Staff,of a directive halting all but essential operations over Northern Europe. It was the Fw 190 not the Bf 109 F which precipitated the production of the most numerous stop gap of all,the Spitfire IX with the Merlin 61.
You and some others may consider the Bf 109 F to have been the best fighter of the time but the men of the RAF,who were having to deal with it, clearly did not.
But it wasn't the Bf 109 F that forced the RAF back across the channel.
Of the Bf 109 F the RAF thought:
"The aircraft has a superior initial climb and dive to that of the Spitfire, but it is considered that the Spitfire could easily out-turn the Me.109F, especially at high speed."
On June 24th 1941 the minutes of a meeting of the Air Staff regarding the Merlin 61 have Verney resisting any change to the Spitfire V.
"This [Spitfire V] is the mainstay of the Spitfire first line strength for it is proving superior to the Me 109 and we cannot run any risks with it."
This all changed a few months later.
It was the introduction of the Fw 190 that caused real problems. When this appeared,in September 1941,it was soon obvious that the Spitfire V could not compete with it. It was the Fw 190 that led,on 13th November 1941, to the issuing,by the Air Staff,of a directive halting all but essential operations over Northern Europe. It was the Fw 190 not the Bf 109 F which precipitated the production of the most numerous stop gap of all,the Spitfire IX with the Merlin 61.
You and some others may consider the Bf 109 F to have been the best fighter of the time but the men of the RAF,who were having to deal with it, clearly did not.