P-51 Mustang or F4U Corsair

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elmilitaro

Senior Airman
384
2
May 12, 2005
Texas
Hey guys, which would ypu argue as the better plane in your eyes.
 

wmaxt

Staff Sergeant
1,200
10
Dec 5, 2004
Boise, Idaho
Long range Escort P-51. Anything else F4U-4, the 1D model is about equal in some ways but with less speed, less load capacity and less range.

wmaxt
 

Aggie08

Staff Sergeant
998
2
Apr 15, 2005
Texas
Is both a good answer? I'd give the mustang the looks award and give the corsair the edge on performance.
 

R988

Senior Airman
602
0
Oct 25, 2005
Londonium
syscom3 said:
The P51 had better pilot visibility.

F4U could pretty much open the throttle and no care who was behind ;)

I think I'd take the F4U if it's my butt on the line, they are pretty tough, might be a tad tricky to fly though, landing one on a carrier would be 'interesting' to say the least!
 

Nonskimmer

Captain
8,620
9
Nov 11, 2004
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Aggie08 said:
Is both a good answer? I'd give the mustang the looks award and give the corsair the edge on performance.
IMO, the Corsair takes the looks category and performance.
It was a tough mother that was as at home melting out hurt to Japanese ground troops as it was chopping up enemy fighters.

R988 said:
...might be a tad tricky to fly though, landing one on a carrier would be 'interesting' to say the least!
In the beginning it was, but this was eventually dealt with. Modifications to the landing gear and British carrier experience with the Corsair helped to ease the difficulty.
 

Wurger

Siggy Master
Staff
Admin
Mod
95,761
19,456
Jun 19, 2005
Poland
Hi !!!

R988 said:
F4U could pretty much open the throttle and no care who was behind ;)

It is not true.I agree with Syscom3.The pilot visibility during a dogfight has a significant meaning.We should remember that in WW2 fighter attacks were mostly carried out from the Sun and others unexpected directions.Therefore,a pilot who wanted to avoid an enemy attack, should notice it as much as possible using his own eyes.Besides,speed of a nose-diving plane increased, so a target could avoid an attack if it could be faster at once and in significant value.If not,the pilot of a target aircraft had to see in advance that he was attacked.Without a visibility it wasn't possible.
 

davparlr

Senior Master Sergeant
3,292
632
Mar 23, 2006
Southern California
Two fine warbirds. My comment of interest which probably, has no significance to the argument, is that the P-51 and the F4U actually fought against each other in combat. In 1969, in the "World Cup War", El Salvador and Honduras used both P-51 (albeit, the Cavalier P-51s with jury rigged gunsights) and F4U in combat. It seems an F4U shot down a P-51, but the same pilot then went on and shot down two F4Us, which tells more about the pilot than the capibility of the aircraft. An F4U was shot down by a T-28, which says,..... what??
 

FLYBOYJ

"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Staff
Mod
28,097
8,696
Apr 9, 2005
Colorado, USA
davparlr said:
Two fine warbirds. My comment of interest which probably, has no significance to the argument, is that the P-51 and the F4U actually fought against each other in combat. In 1969, in the "World Cup War", El Salvador and Honduras used both P-51 (albeit, the Cavalier P-51s with jury rigged gunsights) and F4U in combat. It seems an F4U shot down a P-51, but the same pilot then went on and shot down two F4Us, which tells more about the pilot than the capibility of the aircraft. An F4U was shot down by a T-28, which says,..... what??
Col. Soto of the HAF got 3 aircraft.

My old neighbor gave him combat training, here's his plane...

corsair1.jpg


Here's a Bio...http://www.au.af.mil/au/goe/eaglebios/98bios/soto98.htm
 

Twitch

Staff Sergeant
Well at least this isn't the bogus "which one could 'out dogfight' the other?" sillyness I've seen people taking seriously around here. I like both these planes depending on the mood I'm in. I'd certinly defend either as excellent due to their combat histories. And as the Air Force and Navy have laid down the requirements that make sense I'd go with- The P-51 in combat over land masses and the F4U for use over water against any enemy of the era.
fwani.gif
 

Soren

1st Lieutenant
6,457
22
Feb 6, 2005
F4U Corsair all the way.
 

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