Most Dangerous Position on a Bomber....?

[dead parrot]

Divebombers seemed to have died out by the end of the war--I wonder why. The diving attack technique still seemed legitimate. Was it because of cannon and fast-flying ground attack planes like the Tempest? Why not make a dive-bomber fast and/or armoured like the Il-2, and keep going with the basic concept?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

how's that the same, the japs used the zero because it was an exelent fighter, not just because they had nothing else, the stuka was used becuase even though it was rubbish, they had nothing else.....................

 

[Lightning Guy]

After 1943, the Zero was clearly outclassed. Even the A6M5 was still 20-30mph slower than the Hellcat and and 50-70mph slower than the Lightning and Corsair.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

but it could stil outmanouver it....................

 

[plan_D]

In Burma, the Spitfire Mk. V and VIII that arrived in 1943 out-classed the Zero and there were eight Zeros lost for every Allied aircraft.

 

[Lightning Guy]

Kill Ratio's for the Hellcat 19:1, Corsair 12:1, Lightning 11:1 - the Zero had maneuverability, but it was basically obsolete.

 

[dead parrot]

At the point in the war when most of those kills were being racked up, many Japanese pilots were deplorably undertrained, they had few safe bases and were _very_ outnumbered. Someone like Sakai could still maneuver his way out of being surrounded by a squadron of Hellcats.

 

[plan_D]

LG, that wasn't Spitfire 8 : 1 it was one Allied aircraft, not one Spitfire.

 

[MP-Willow]

Dead Parrot I would agree that the well trained pilot could still make the A6M5 dance in the sky, but it was behind in the needs of war, self sealing tanks, and engine power. The Allied planes made poor pilots still look ok. Also the A6M5 still could not take a lot of damage. Nice to see you on, we needed some new voices.

Your sig is that Sakia?

 

[dead parrot]

Yes, definitely agree about the Zero, especially the lack of armour--I was just trying to make excuses for those sky-high kill ratios of American planes...

The Japanese did have quite a few nice planes that _could_ have replaced the Zero, but as you all pointed out already, there was nowhere left to build them. The real problem of course, was Japan could never ever have beaten the US in the first place... even the military in the beginning figured that they could only conduct a 2-year war before running out of money/materiel/supplies etc. But then they got all carried away and ended up with flattened cities and idiocies like the Ohka...

That is indeed Sakai--don't know that much about him, but I thought it was a cool pic and figured Japan is a bit under-represented on the board

Cheers for the welcome.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

they're right, we needed someone new on the board..............

 

[Lightning Guy]

Dead Parrot, if you get the chance pick up the book Samauri. I think you would enjoy it. Sakai was the highest scoring Japanese ace to survive the war (64 kills). And lets not forget that one of the reasons Allied pilots had more skill late in the war is that their aircraft made them more survivable.

 

[GermansRGeniuses]

Off topic, but does the thing I've circled look like a "Flying Pancake," or WHAT?!

I know it's impossible since that is a Japanese wartime photo, but it looks like it very much!

 

[dead parrot]

Off topic, but does the thing I've circled look like a "Flying Pancake," or WHAT?!

I know it's impossible since that is a Japanese wartime photo, but it looks like it very much!

Actually, I suspect this photo could be a post-war publicity shot, because of (a) its better quality and (b) the fact that Sakai looks a bit older than most of his war time pics--so you might be right on the plane...

Lightning Guy: I have read his book and really enjoyed it. Don't have a copy anymore, unfortunately...

 

[Lightning Guy]

I doubt that is a flying pancake. But the background is of such poor quality that it would be hard to make anykind of positive ID.

 

[Erich]

could this be one of the Japanese heavy bomber destroyers. Not familiar with the B-29 killers but I believe there was one a/c armed with four 20mm weapons that had a huge engine ? you guys would know........

E ~

 

[dead parrot]

could this be one of the Japanese heavy bomber destroyers. Not familiar with the B-29 killers but I believe there was one a/c armed with four 20mm weapons that had a huge engine ? you guys would know........

E ~

Hmm... The N1K2-J Shiden Kai had 4 cannon, and was used for home defense. Some Ki-61 Hien had four cannon, too, with various engines, mostly inline but some with radials.

 

[Lightning Guy]

The Ki-44 Shoki 'Tojo' was an Japense Army interceptor. It had a huge engine in relation to the rest of it's body. If this is a fighter, the rear of the plane looks too narrow to be a N1K2 and the cut-down rear fuselage eliminates the J2M for the list of suspects. I think the other possibility is the Ki-84 Hayate 'Frank.' There were versions of both the Ki-44 and the Ki-84 armed with 4 20mm weapons. Personally, my money is on the Ki-44 but I thought I'd post profiles of each so everyone can decide on their own.

 

[Erich]

DP thanks for the great profiles ! yes I agree with you thinking it maybe the lower model. anyone else have thoughts ?

E ~

 

[Erich]

excuse me it should of read Lighting Guy...........sorry