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Glider said:DerAlder. We've had this before but because one man may be wrong about something or you disagree about what he says doesn't make him a liar.
Personally I would agree that the Zero wasn't the best fighter in 1942/3. But if you look at what it was up against in its theater of operations then its a fair opinion. People will argue that the Wildcat performed better which is also a valid opinion.
Test pilots are not fools or they wouldn't last long, neither do they suffer fools gladly. Tiger is right when he says that Eric Brown is widely respected in that community, and I for one wouldn't disagree with the views of his peers.
TigerSnake said:Tra la la!
easy to call a man a liar when you don't agree with him!
Brown was an EXCEPTIONAL pilot!!! More types flown than ANY OTHER pilot! More DECK LANDINGS than any other pilot!
He was the test pilot's test pilot!
For 'Arm Chair' pilots to criticise a man of his stature is utterly ludicrous!
The fact is that the IJN pilots LOVED the Zero and prefered fighting with it right up to the end of WWII! Offered replacements like the Shiden (4x20mm...armour...manouverability...self sealing tanks...POWER!), they let their preference for the Zero be known in no uncertain terms!
The IJN's shortage of aircraft and pilots (and flawed Top Brass thinking) was the deciding factor in the Pacific Air War...the jig was up after Midway!
Jiro Horikoshi's design was BRILLIANT and as original as any other fighter of its day.
Incidentally, I have done a little flying myself and if I was asked what airplane I would have liked to have flown in WWII...Tempest V or P38
C'mon boys...
If that was some sort of wiseass comment, u came to the wrong website pal...I was hoping for some learned and well thought out banter on the subject...I rest my case.
Bullshit.... There was a certain Brig General who damn near ripped his head off for some of the things he said concerning pilot quality and dedication... U dont disrespect the dead to a man who lead those dead heros...Brown has the USN...RAF...RN...RAE...Grumman and a whole host of other 'Aviation Amateurs' behind him and his test findings!
TigerSnake said:For 'Arm Chair' pilots to criticise a man of his stature is utterly ludicrous!