P-36, P-35 or Wildcat

[d_bader]

Which of these U.S fighters used during the start of WW2 is the best?
Curtis P-36
Seversky P-35
Grumman Wildcat

 

[d_bader]

I think that the P-36 is the best. The wilcat will probably win the poll but the P-36 shot down the first planes in the european and pacific theatres.

 

[evangilder]

Can you please post your polls in the polls thread? Thanks

I went ahead and moved the last 2. This is the proper thread for polls.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

P-36/ Hawk was one of the most under-rated fighter aircraft of WW2. The P-35 was too stable and slow as an effective fighter by the time WW2 started.....

 

[d_bader]

evangilder what do you mean the poll thread and how do I do it? Thanks youve been real helpful so far and Im trying to get the hang of the site, being new.

 

[d_bader]

which one of you 2 hasn't voted yet?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

i'd say wildcat...........

and don't worry about me, i never vote in polls........

 

[Gnomey]

I would say wildcat aswell.

 

[Nonskimmer]

Can you please post your polls in the polls thread? Thanks

I went ahead and moved the last 2. This is the proper thread for polls.

I've moved two of them myself. Please post polls here from now on, bader.

 

[evangilder]

Yes, the thread you were posting these in was labelled "Aviation". This is the proper thread place, labelled "Polls".

 

[plan_D]

I voted the P-36 Hawk because as FBJ stated; it was under-rated and, in fact, an extremely effective fighter.

 

[Wildcat]

Wildcat, held the fort in the Pacific until newer and more capable machines entered service.

 

[Glider]

Whilst I agree that the P36 Hawk was underated, there is little doubt in my mind that the Wildcat was a better plane.

 

[elmilitaro]

Even though the Wildcat was out-classed, out-gunned, and out-speeded by the Japanese Zero at the beginning of WW2. It still shot down many Japanese planes because of the determined and expierienced pilots that controlled them.

 

[evangilder]

Wildcat for me.

 

[plan_D]

The Wildcat only had a dive, durability and armament advantage over the P-36.

 

[Glider]

With the speeds being almost the same that gives the P36 climb and turn. I will take the Dive, Armament and durability.

 

[plan_D]

The Vichy French did prove that Wildcats could be brought down with the Hawk. So, I reckon it would be on pilot skill.

 

[carpenoctem1689]

I dont know how the P-35 "peashooter" even could contend with the Hawk and wilcat. It may have been manouverable, but it was slow, and way too lightly armed. even the italian aircraft like the Cr.42 would dance circles around the P-35. The only place i could see the P-35 having any effect, insignificant as it would have been, would be a light attack/support aircraft, using its small bombload, and low speed for dive bombing/strafing attacks. However the US had better planes available already, so this was never realized...

 

[evangilder]

The P-35 was not the peashooter. The peashooter was the P-26.

The Seversky P-35 was the fore-runner to the P-47. 76 P-35s were built for the US Army, with one more being used as the basis for the prototype P-41. Sweden ordered 60 of them in an improved version (P-35A). The Army took these before the Swedes could get them. The Japanese also ordered and received 20 two-seat versions of the P-35. I am pretty sure these were the only American production aircraft used by the Japanese in WWII.

The Boeing P-26 Peashooter was America's first all metal fighter. It's first flight was on March 20, 1932. The Army ordered 136 of the P-26. 11 were sold to China and 1 to Spain. In 1941, one squadron of American P-26s were given to the Philippines. At least one P-26 shot down at least one Zero!

The P-35 had a top speed of 281 MPH, P-36 was 313 MPH and the F4F was 318 MPH. They all had a range of about 800 miles.