The Best Biplane Fighter of WW2

[trackend]

The problem for Rommel was indeed compounded by supplies and Montgomery new it he could afford losses in tanks ect Rommel could not.
by the time of operation Crusader November 1941 the Axis force was approximately 118,000 men to the allies 113,000, tanks 680 with 500 in reserve against Rommels 390 and around 1000 planes as opposed to 320 Axis machines this was mainly due to the ability of the allies to bring in supplies and the inability of Rommel to get sufficient.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Yes and each time he outran his supply lines he would stop as you said and then the British would couter strike and drive him back, and then Rommel would rebuild and go on the offensive again and push them all the way back until El Allamein as Plan_D said.

 

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The other thing that some times is over looked regarding the middle east campaign in general is that because the Italians suffered heavy losses on land, sea, and to a slightly lesser extent in the air the German high command had to divert a signifcant amount of men and machines that would have been earmarked for operation Barbarossa to plug the shortfall this in turn may have had an important reduction in the initial success or indeed the final outcome of the campaign in Russia. One other thought Rommel may have had a commanding role on the Eastern front.

 

[plan_D]

350,000 German Troops were diverted to Africa which would have certainly been sent to the Eastern Front. The Arika Korps were never sent to take Eygpt though, they were merely to save Italy, the left flank of Europe and tie down as many British forces as possible.

North Africa could have never happened if Britain had sorted out it's priorities in 1940 and kept up the offensive on Tripoli instead of diverting forces to Greece.

 

[HealzDevo]

Polikarpov I-153 as it is said that the Luftwaffe were forbidden to engage this bi-plane and it certainly shows how good a biplane is when the Luftwaffe with their planes like the Bf-109 and the Bf-110 were forbidden to engage it.

 

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That sound a bit odd Heal I find it hard to think that a German fighter pilot would see an enemy plane and head for the hills rather than engage it could you explain a bit more for me please. thanks

 

[plan_D]

Yes, I also find that unbelievable. The Bf-109 was a superior plane to the I-153, the Bf-109 would certainly have several advantages over the I-153.

Are you sure the comment was made, '...don't try and turn with this plane...'? Not, '...avoid it...'.

 

[cheddar cheese]

I always thought it was the I-16 they were told to be wary of.

 

[plan_D]

I doubt they were told to be weary of the 'Rat' - as they had already encountered it and slaughtered it in the Spanish Civil War.

The only 'Rat' they should have been weary of was the one I flew over Leningrad in 1941...

...I haven't played on that campaign in ages. The tight VVS still haven't given me anything better than a La-5. Not even a La-5FN!

 

[cheddar cheese]

I get bored with campaigns and keep starting new ones. I have about 6 or 7 on the go at about the 5th or 6th sortie Just lastnight I started another new one for the VVS in a P-63

 

[plan_D]

I've gone too far with this one to give it up. I'm on 93 kills! I like the La-5 it's fast and the two ShVAK 20mm I love.

Playing that game makes me think 2*20mm is enough for armament. And the game is supposed to be realistic...but you can't really say "Well, I've play on Il-2FB + AEP, and on that game it quite clearly shows that..." blah...blah..blah...

 

[cheddar cheese]

The only campaign ive stuck through to the End was in a 190D-9, 52 kills after 28 sorties.

I think ill carry on with my USMC campaign with the P-39 tonight...The trouble is that every sortie is the same - Patrol out to Midway, encounter 8-10 Zeros, pick oneor 2 off then fly home I want a Corsair!

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

they why didn't you do a corsair campain??

 

[cheddar cheese]

Because Its more fun working your way up through the rubbish planes...

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Yes, I also find that unbelievable. The Bf-109 was a superior plane to the I-153, the Bf-109 would certainly have several advantages over the I-153.

Are you sure the comment was made, '...don't try and turn with this plane...'? Not, '...avoid it...'.

Yeah I find this hard to believe also. From what I have read I have found that the I-153 although she was fast at 280mph (for a biplane that is) she was rather unstable and unless you were an experienced pilot you would not have stood a chance against a Bf-109 or even a 110. Early 109's such as teh B, C, and D versions flew against early 153's such as the I-15bis and such and clearly showed the 109 was superior.

The 153 was quite maneavuerable and with an experienced pilot I would be weary of it in a Bf-109 but would not hesitate to engage it.

 

[evangilder]

One of the few Americans that flew the I-16 said that if you could fly the I-16, you could fly anything. That was back in 2000 or 2001, when they first brought the I-16 to Midland for the main CAF show.

 

[cheddar cheese]

They still got I-16's flying?

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

There are a couple that fly the airshow circuit.

 

[cheddar cheese]

Wow cool. Never knew that.

 

[evangilder]

Yep, at Midland that year they flew the I-16 and a 153 together! I have only seen video of it, I wasn't there.