Pinnacle of achievement for piston engined aircraft in WWII

[mosquitoman]

The Westland Wyvern wasn't bad

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

it's no sea fury though...........

 

[cheddar cheese]

I think they both pale in comparison to the XP-47J and XP-72

whilst i realise no such point was made specific, i think it says allot more about the Sea Fury and bearcat that they actually entered service, i don't pay much attention to experimental types like that, unless they're british of course...........

I think experimental types are often far superior to planes that saw service. Planes that see serice are more resticted In their performance, by guns, ammo, etc...

 

[evangilder]

Plus the fact that the planes that are already in service are considered the previous generation. Theoretically, they should get better each generation.

 

[DAVIDICUS]

The XP-47J was armed with six .50 cal. machine guns with 267 rounds per gun.

The XP-72 was armed with four 37mm cannons.

It is quite possible that the performance stats of the above aircraft were obtained through the use of unarmed aircraft (in fact I would bet so) but then again, the recorded edge of performance stats of combat operational aircraft may have been obtained using unarmed aircraft as well.

 

[cheddar cheese]

Four 37mm? Ouch.

 

[DAVIDICUS]

I know. With four 37mm cannons, it would have definitely been the Grim Reaper of Strafing.

 

[Gemhorse]

For my money, it's definately the De Havilland 103 Hornet.....better two engines than one, and they were very sleek Merlins 130/131's... [imagine if they'd tried Griffons !!!]... but anyway, the prototype exceeded 485 mph, climb rate 4,000 - 4,650 ft/min., with 2x 200 gal. droptanks, range was 2,500 miles @ 340 mph @ 30,000 ft., all-up weight around 18,000 - 19,500 lbs., one crew except x2 in the Sea NF Hornets, 4x 20mm Hispanos, plus 8x RP's or 2,000 lbs of bombs, extremely manoevrable and durable....first flew 28 July 1944, only 13 months after commencement of design details, was used in a variety of roles until 1956....
If you would like to know the American's first reaction to the Hornet, check-out www.dhhornet50.net

 

[mosquitoman]

Like a Mossie, only better!

 

[DAVIDICUS]

Gentlemen,

I believe the Hornet (along with the Mosquito) would more properly belong under Posts entitled:

"Pinnacles of Aviation Carpentry"

"Woodshop 101 - From sapling to flight"

"Termites and the RAF - The hidden war"

"You may see a tree but I see a multi-engined fighter/attack bomber - Visionaries of flight"

"Whittling your way to air supremacy"

 

[cheddar cheese]

LMFAO

 

[wmaxt]

Gentlemen,

I believe the Hornet (along with the Mosquito) would more properly belong under Posts entitled:

"Pinnacles of Aviation Carpentry"

"Woodshop 101 - From sapling to flight"

"Termites and the RAF - The hidden war"

"You may see a tree but I see a multi-engined fighter/attack bomber - Visionaries of flight"

"Whittling your way to air supremacy"

That's Bad!

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

that's brilliant...........

but i don't like experimantal plane because they're not really combat aircraft and there's no way they could keep those stats up if they were made combat ready.............

 

[R Leonard]

I'll go for the F8F. If you really had to, standing stop to 10,000 feet in about a minute. Tough to beat.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

unless you're in a lightening............

but i'd still fancy the sea fury on a dogfight.........

 

[DAVIDICUS]

Acutally the XP-47J tests were conducted with an aircraft with six .50 cal. machine guns and ballast in the wings equivalent to 267 rounds per gun.

From http://www.geocities.com/pentagon/quarters/9485/P-47M.html :

The "J" was fitted with a high output version of the P&W R-2800. Specifically, the R-2800-57. This engine made 2,800 hp @ 2,800 rpm at 35,000 feet. This is in War Emergency Power. The aircraft actually attained 507 mph at an altitude of 34,300 feet. 2,800 hp is 133% of rated power. At military power (100%), the XP-47J could sustain 470 mph. 435 mph was attained at 81% of its rated power (1,700 hp). All performance figures were obtained at 34,300 feet. The "J" model was an especially good climbing fighter too. It had a climb rate at sea level of 4,900 fpm. At 20,000 feet, it was still rocketing up at 4,400 fpm, and got there in 4 minutes, 15 seconds. Time to 30,000 feet was only 6 minutes, 45 seconds. Now that's an interceptor! Yet it had a usable range of 1,075 miles. Rather impressive, don't you think? No, this was not a stripped down hotrod. It was fully armed and carried ballast in the wings equal to 267 rds per gun. The aircraft was flown to a height of 46,500 feet and was capable of a bit more.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

full fuel load??

 

[cheddar cheese]

that's brilliant...........

but i don't like experimantal plane because they're not really combat aircraft and there's no way they could keep those stats up if they were made combat ready.............

So what? This thread has nothing to do with combat readiness.

 

[R Leonard]

I mis-spoke

standing stop to 10,000 feet in about a minute

should have been a minute and a half, and truth be known, actually between, oh, say, 98 and 105 seconds (without going off to look it up).

unless you're in a lightening............

But no, I don't think even the vaunted Lightning could go from a dead stop to 10,000 feet in a minute and a half.

Regards,

Rich

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

we've been through this before, it's the lightening that stripped the F8F of it's standing stop to 10,000ft record..............