Operations in Jan -Mar 1944 were not deep into Germany, they were not even solely US forces. To continue the attrition required hitting deep into Germany and also preparing for D-Day. You are far too partisan, if the P-47 and P-51 were identical in all respects for bomber escort the P-51 would be chosen because the P-47 was better at CAS.
Most Overrated aircraft of WWII.....?
- Thread starter Lucky13
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Peter Gunn
Master Sergeant
michael rauls
Tech Sergeant
- 1,679
- Jul 15, 2016
Cool, i had never read about that.
Allow me to introduce myself, I am an interested layman with an interest in WW2 aviation. I have learned a huge amount from the posters here some of whom are historians and also pilots, aero engineers and all sorts of other relevant occupations covering a huge range of "stuff". In most cases its best to ask a question than make an assertion, then see what results and make up your own mind.
michael rauls
Tech Sergeant
- 1,679
- Jul 15, 2016
I think all you p51 defenders( god bless you souls) are missing the piont here. The thread is not which is the better aircraft. The thread, and my comment are, is which is the most overrated aircraft of which I gave two solid examples( which are both just facts. 1: by 44 the p47 could and did fly mission as far as berlin and back and so sid the p38 so the often quoted" the only fighter that could go all the way to Berlin and back" is an example of overrating. 2: " the p51 turned things around" most historians, at least the ones i have read agree we had won air ssuperiority by March( although i am certainly open to reading other historians with different views. I know there are a few). The p51 only accounted for a small minority off kills up to that point so it is factually accurate to say that that is an example of overrated by the verry definition of the words. This is not to say the p51 was not the best choice to make from that point on, especially when cost is factored in but what it does mean is that it is indeed overrated.
In a way I agree with you, you just over egged the pudding.
fubar57
General
The 356th FG: The group flew bomber escort missions for next few months, but from 23 January 1944 it became a ground attack unit, strafing and bombing a range of targets across occupied Europe. That cancels one out
Navalwarrior
Staff Sergeant
- 764
- Jun 17, 2018
Resp:
I think we can argue the details. Even though P-51s flew escort beginning in Dec 1943, the P-47, and to a lesser extent the P-38 bore the back of the escorts for the first several months of 1944. Also, a large number of the Mustang aces flew the P-47 beforehand, which gave them knowledge of Luftwaffe tactics and aircraft. Majority of the P-38 pilots received little or no training in the type prior to reaching England. Did any of the existing FG in the ETO fly with or instruct them in tactics of the Luftwaffe? Not that I have read. Did they assign a couple of P-47s from the 56th, 78th or 4th FGs to fly with the P-38s to assist them with current operating procedures in Theater? Not that I read. So it appears that the P-38 pilots had to learn from trial and error, coupled w a less than easy fighter to fly. The Mustang was not perfect, but more than any other fighter, it had no serious fault that wasn't quickly overcome. I believe some of our early 'aces' owe their lives to the ruggedness of the P-47, which got them home after some 'rough time' with the Luftwaffe . . . which if flying a Mustang instead . . . would not have gotten a second chance. My take only.
michael rauls
Tech Sergeant
- 1,679
- Jul 15, 2016
I wasn't trying to make assertions. the thread is which aircraft is the most overrated. I gave my opinion and the reasons why. An opinion isnt worth much without reasons. Others obviously have other opinions and that's what makes this interesting. If you go back and read the conversation, several times i deferred to others statistics just to be polite.
michael rauls
Tech Sergeant
- 1,679
- Jul 15, 2016
I am not in the slightest bit partisan against the p51. As a matter of fact if i were running things in 1944 i would have chosen to equip mostly although not entirely with the mustang myself. It was obviously the best choice for many ( but not all) fighter missions but thats not what this thread or my comments were about. The thread and my comments are which aircraft is most overrated. The p51 was in my estamation 10 or 20 percent better for most fighter missions but certainly not all than the alternatives and at half the cost just to try and put a number on it( yes others may differ) but the post war reputation that has sprang up around it is that it was 100 % better and i gave two what im pretty sure are facts that show some of the things most frequently atributed to the 51 to justify this are simply not true and thereby indicate, at least in my mind, a solid case of overrating.
michael rauls
Tech Sergeant
- 1,679
- Jul 15, 2016
I apologize if I came off as to edgy so to speak. That certainly wasn't my intention. I just wanted to give the reasons behind my pick. Sometimes its hard to differ with something that has to many become almost theology without being perceived as confrontational. Again, that certainly wasn't my intention.
Peter Gunn
Master Sergeant
Last edited:
drgondog
Major
Not to belabor the point you are trying to make, namely "51 overrated", but the P-47D was not tasked for Berlin in 1944, nor was any P-47 Fighter Group so tasked for 500 mile radius strikes in ETO until the P-47D-25 began arriving in numbers after D-Day.
That burden/opportunity fell to P-38J with LE tanks and P-51B/C with 85 gallon internal fuselage tank. The P-38J took a back seat to the P-51 by the time May Oil Offensive was in full bloom and 8th AF had already began transition of 20th, 55th and 364th FG to Mustangs by mid July 1944. I would argue that 'air superiority' as a state, occurred in Q2/1944 which is in agreement with Galland. His perspective was that LW air superiority could not be Regained during Q1, but all hope for parity was lost in Q2.
Air Superiority in March, 1944 is an interesting question and begs for definition, but one fact is clear. In March 1944 there were no safe bases for Me 110/410 Day Fighters and no 'safe places' for them to form up for an attack on 8th AF. It took a little longer for 15th because the P-38H in-theatre were not replaced in quantity until May/June 1944 with P-38J-15 with LE tanks and the P-51Bs did the heavy lifting in S. and E. Germany and Austria.
Second fact, is that the operational issues of the P-38H and early J-5 had reached tipping point. Even though the P-38J-10 with LE kits were operational for Berlin range, the dive flaps and final intercooler mods were too late for the P-38 to remain as high priority compared to P-51B/C for LR escort. By the time the 479th arrived for ops in late May, six P-47 groups had transitioned and the 339th entered ops to support the 357th. There were enough to commit releasing P-38s to 9th and make final commitment to convert 78, 353 and 356FG to Mustang in fall, 1944.
Third fact - The P-47D, pre D-25 could well perform medium Penetration/Withdrawal escort and that coverage was still required to blunt LW ops from LF 3 and LuftReich forces still based in west/central Germany. By May/June the last P-38 FG in 8th were still flying some target escort but the P-51B had taken over for Berlin, Munich, Posnan, Brux, Ruhland range targets.
Fourth Fact - The P-38J, as they existed in Feb through late May, 1944 were a.) insufficient in strength to perform escort for three 8th AF Bomb Divisions in the execution of Argument, or b.) the destruction of the LW in air and ground prior to D-Day. They were not only incapable of achieving air superiority over the LW FW 190 and Bf 109G at bomber altitudes, but also incapable of preventing Berlin/Schwienfurt type bomber/crew losses - which were a major political lightning (pardon the pun) rod that almost cost the USSAFE the initiative to continue strategic daylight operations.
So, if your argument that the P-51B Didn't Save the Day for 8th AF, I'm fine with that but remain unclear what your objective criteria might be? I'm also fine with a statement that the P-51 was over rated. It all "depends'.
drgondog
Major
I just perused the P-38 air victory credits from February 10 through April 30, 1944. One victory at Oldenburg (March 6) and one at Schweinfurt - the rest essentially inside the Brunswick, Magdeburg, Ulm radius. Ditto losses, pointing to intermediate combat radius escort - beyond most P-47D missions but well short of most P-51B escorts.
michael rauls
Tech Sergeant
- 1,679
- Jul 15, 2016
By theology I simply meant an deeply held belief. Sorry if that choice of words offended you.
michael rauls
Tech Sergeant
- 1,679
- Jul 15, 2016
Your first two paragraphs are basically my point so to speak. 1 the p47 could and eventually did fly missions to Berlin and back thus making the frequently stated" the only fighter that could go to Berlin and back" untrue and, at least in my mind, solid, factual case of overrating. Admittedly the second is a little harder to pin down but most of the historians I have read seam to think we had achieved air suppirriority by March. The pinning down of the exact date air suppirriority was achieved is a difficult if not impossible task but for my point to be valid we don't need to. If the p51 only achieved a minority of kills regardless of superior kill ratios up to the point that the Luftwaffe went over the edge of the attrition curve(which of course would be substantially before the date of air suppirriority) then the p51 didn't turn anything around. I.e. by that time the Luftwaffe was going down p51 or no p51 a point which i think we can all agree on which is entirely independent of the p51s merits or lack thereof and makes the often steted "the p51 turned things around durring the month of big week" factually inaccurate and if words mean anything a case of overrating.
michael rauls
Tech Sergeant
- 1,679
- Jul 15, 2016
I should have added the p38 also flew 600 mile plus missions much earlier than the47 even more so making the " the only fighter that could go to Berlin and back" inaccurate and a case of overrating. Not trying to be argumentative, just explaining the reasons behind my pick.
michael rauls
Tech Sergeant
- 1,679
- Jul 15, 2016
I'm sure your stats are vallid but the kill ratios or number or missions and on what dates they occurred have no berring on the question were the p38/p47 capable of, and at some point did they fly 600 plus missions and is the distance between boxted and Berlin 589 miles. If the answer to both these guestions is yes and they are, then the frequently given tribute to the p51 in popular post war articles that it was the" the only fighter that could make it to Berlin and back" is factually inaccurate and thereby a case of overrating.
drgondog
Major
Michael - articles that said that the Mustang was the only fighter to make it to Berlin and back are simply 'under-researched'. It is a known fact that for example, The P-38J escorted the 8th AF to Berlin on March 6, 1944. It is also a fact that 9th AF 354th FG and 4th FG ranged to Berlin, north of Berlin and returned on Mar 4, and March 6. It is also a fact that the P-47D-25 COULD have done so had Republic been able to make the changes REQUIRED to increase internal fuel to match timetable of P-38J and P-51B.
But it did not. The P-82 could have flown nearly to Moscow and back but it was too late. The P-47N could have flown the Berlin missions, the Poland and Czechoslovakia missions, Ploesti and 20th AF missions from Iwo - bit it was too late to make a difference in Argument, Ditto P-47D-25.
You are an intelligent guy - why are you droning on about what each of the fighters you mentioned when they simply didn't have the ability to a.) Perform Deep Target escort, and b.) achieve air superiority over deep targets and c.) achieve by far the most damage to airfield parked aircraft beyond Berlin to compliment the fight in the air. The P-51B achieved all those objectives in the most important Period for USSAFE, when it was URGENT and Required to destroy LW capability of seriously affecting D-Day operations. Neither the P-47D, and to lesser extent, P-38J, were effective in the destruction (contrast annoy) of the LW over the oilfields and aircraft center of gravity in east Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia.
What if the question was - What was the most important fighter in the air war OVER Germany? Over Japan? Over Ploesti?
michael rauls
Tech Sergeant
- 1,679
- Jul 15, 2016
Yes those articals are under reserched and they are legeon. That is my point. As far as the p38/p47d in 44 there is no could have if the manufacturers made changes about it unless everything I have read is wrong( always a posibiity) p47d23 combat range with 300 gallon external 670 miles and thats allows for warm up, take off ,15 minutes or so at military power etc.etc and the distance in question is 589. And certainly there is no issue the p38 can and did fly these distances. That in the case of the 47 they were not tasked to till later does not negate the point that there were other planes that could and did. Some earlier, some later which brings us back to the topic of this thread, overrated aircraft. That the p51 was a better choice for most escort missions is not the topic or point of my comments. That the two most commonly asserted things about the p51 that give it in the eyes of many an almost mythical status are untrue and thereby constitute by definition a case of overrating. That the p51 was quite an aicraft I do not in any way contest. That it ran up quite an impressive record is obvious( an looks great to). That however is niether the topic of this thread nor the focus of my comments. That topic and focus are on overratedness and if two of the main things most often quoted about an aircraft that give it its status in the eyes of many( certainly almost 100% of the average joe on the street) are not true then this is by definition a case of overrating.
