p51 vs p47

[Lightning Guy]

I've seen a picture of two men in a P-38 cockpit. Interestingly, getting into the cockpit (done almost instantaneously under enemy fire) took them more than 10min when the press wanted a photo of the event!

 

[Erich]

Dick Hewitt flying tandem in the present day.....what a guy ! He was always thought the Jug was a better airfield beater and the Mustang a better dogfighter

 

[plan_D]

How come one of those German kill marks isn't complete, has it just faded?

 

[Erich]

looks like it has been tweaked anyway. This was not the final tally of the 78th fg commander, Colonel Landers. The a/c in real life during the war was clean as a whistle with 12 Japanese kills followed by his air and ground victories in the ETO underneath which were 24. He had an extra swastika placed before the second row of Jap kills.....he was a hot pilot but so was Dick Hewitt in his hot rod "Big Dick"

E ~

 

[Erich]

here is a pic of Dick and his heavy babe P-47 bubble top

 

[Concorde247]

The P51 is the better of the two in aerodynamics alone, The P47 looks like a huge flying housebrick!

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

 

[cheddar cheese]

How come one of those German kill marks isn't complete, has it just faded?

A half kill, perhaps?

 

[DAVIDICUS]

Well, since no model of the P-51 or P-47 is specified, I will go with the P-47.

The "N" model of the P-47 actually saw combat in significant numbers and could beat the tar out of any P-51 model that saw action.

Additionally, I think that at very high altitudes, say above 32,000ft, the P-47D outfitted with the paddle blade propeller could probably take a P-51 as well.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, since no model of the P-51 or P-47 is specified, I will go with the P-47.

The "N" model of the P-47 actually saw combat in significant numbers and could beat the tar out of any P-51 model that saw action.

Additionally, I think that at very high altitudes, say above 32,000ft, the P-47D outfitted with the paddle blade propeller could probably take a P-51 as well.

The P-47D with ADI and paddle prop was really a whole new plane compared to the eariler incarnations. It was almost as potent as the P-47M, many were quoted as putting out over 2700 HP after the flight mechanics got done with them.

In the flight tests of the FW190A vs. P-47, the FW pretty handily beats the P-47C, but in the later test, with a very well running FW, the P-47D with ADI but no paddle prop is the superior plane.

=S=

Lunatic

 

[superunknown]

If I am flying a ground attack mission, I want the P-47. If its a air-to-air mission I have to prefer the P-51.

I totally agree, a USAAF pilot once wrote something about the P-51 P-47, I won't even pretend to know who.

"If you wanted to impress your girl back home, you would get your picture taken in a Mustang, however, if you wanted to get back home to your girl you would fly a Thunderbolt"

Or something along those lines.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

 

[cheddar cheese]

What? The P-47 looks way, way better than the Mustang 8)

 

[Monkeysee1]

I keep hearing something on this thread that amazes me. Up high the P47 smoked almost anything. It had a much higher ceiling than the P51 and was faster than the P51 up high. The P51's best altitude was, from people who actually flew it in combat, was about 25,000'. Above that it didn't have the engine power to compete. Guys who I have spoken with say that for escort work they preferred the P47 over the P51, because they had 8 .50's, and were a lot faster up high. Down low the P47 was a hog because it was so big. Up high with less friction it could go... and you all know the reason the damn plane is so big? Its basically a giant flying turbo supercharger. That allowed it to keep its max power output up higher than most planes. At low and medium altitudes the P51 could out turn and out accelerate the P47 but go high and the P47 wins everytime.

Remember too, in Europe the turning fights were rare. Most attacks were boom and zoom. So why is the P51 so beloved?

It was a great airplane and the first that could escort the bombers all the way. (the P38 doesn't count, it did not work well in the ETO) That's half the USAAF who is appreciating the P51 right there. It used less fuel and lets face it, if you're a pilot, you want a small nimble looking little beastie to kill people with. Not something that rivals the size of the bombers your escorting.

When the long range tanks were developed for the P47 and its range increased it did high altitude escort better than anyone. When it was sent down low it was just damn awesome at ground attack. 8 guns vs 6, faster, higher, more damage resistant... Hmm.... Yeah, the P47 is the better airplane...

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Actually I think if you read the posts over again you will see we all pretty much came up to the concesus that the P-47 was better than the P-51. There are a few P-51 die hard fans but just about all of us agree on the P-47.

As for teh P-38 she was not as bad in teh ETO as you say she was. She did not do that bad.

 

[cheddar cheese]

No as an ETO plane the P-38 is underrated.

And yeah I agree the P-47 is better than the Mustang. The P-51 is way, way, way over rated.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

yes the P-51 is very over rated, hor only really good point was her range, and possibly her speed............

 

[cheddar cheese]

Well it was a good plane, but nothing really special.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

still a legend though........

 

[cheddar cheese]

Definately.