"The case for the P-47 Thunderbolt being the greatest fighter of the Second World War " (3 Viewers)

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Then why did you specifically ask me how many videos I have produced ?

I want to know how many likes and followers you have. That's more importanter!

 

[WARSPITER]

I want to know how many likes and followers you have. That's more importanter!

I'll post a video on YouTube to confirm the claimed amount. The positive comments I make below will be sufficient verification - anyone disagreeing will
have to get through a very large number of obsessive posts which will contain information which will be pointed to - e.g.
here read dis information (no, not dat information) and don't argue - look at my likes and followers numbers.

Brought to courtesy of Figjam enterprises.

 

[SaparotRob]

Maybe I'll make a YouTube video. I'll call myself "Professor Propeller ". Maybe Professor Propwash. I'll just make stuff up with unrelated stock clips. It works for Dark Skies.

 

[Shortround6]

A lot seems to hinge on the P-47 getting drop tanks and when that happened and why.

P-40Cs got drop tanks in the fall/winter of 1940/41.
P-39s got drop tanks about the same time.
P-38s got drop tanks in the late winter/spring of 1942 and were flying with them in the South Pacific in April or May of 1942.
The P-38s were supposed to be the long range escorts for the B-17s in the fall of 1942.
The P-38s were assigned to operation Torch as the best US fighters available at the time leaving the 8th Air Force with no suitable escort fighters (or even not suitable escort fighters) in the winter of 1942/43.

In the winter of 1942/43 the ONLY Service fighter the US had WITHOUT COMBAT drop tank/s was the P-47.
The P-47 had the 2nd longest range of the USAAC fighters of the time (not counting the handful of Allison P-51s). It wasn't far enough to do what was wanted in the spring and summer of 1943. The P-38s were still tied up North Africa and the Invasion of Sicily and Italy.
P-40s, P-39s, P-400s and P-38s in North Africa and Italy had drop tanks.
P-40s, P-39s, P-400s and P-38s in the Pacific had drop tanks.

The idea that "NO DROP TANKS" was an ironclad rule or was an effort to show that the bombers didn't need fighters ( conspiracy ) seems rather far fetched.

 

[Shortround6]

Maybe I'll make a YouTube video. I'll call myself "Professor Propeller ". Maybe Professor Propwash. I'll just make stuff up with unrelated stock clips. It works for Dark Skies.

How much per gallon do you charge for the concentrate??

 

[SaparotRob]

If you have to ask, you can't afford it.

 

[Shortround6]

I have no idea if the USAAC had a certain range in mind for their fighters. I have not seen anything that says that one way or another.

The P-38, P-39 and P-40 were all designed with much larger fuel tanks and suffered a cut in range with self sealing tanks were installed. They got drop tanks apparently to restore the range ?
The P-47 was designed with self sealing tanks and is supposed to have been able to fly over 800 miles at low speed at low altitude which much further than the P-39 and P-40 could fly without drop tanks once they had self sealing tanks. It was also about twice as far as most European fighters could fly under the same conditions. It was not enough to escort bombers Flying across the English channel and the occupied countries

 

[Shortround6]

If you have to ask, you can't afford it.

Does "Mister Propwash" offer coupon books?
after 5 Propwashes the 6th one is FREE?

 

[WARSPITER]

Does "Mister Propwash" offer coupon books?
after 5 Propwashes the 6th one is FREE?

Bonus offer till the end of June. Book in and stand behind the props as they are washed - you and your laundry done at the same time.

Brought to you by an environmentally friendly company in the interests of saving water.

 

[Greg Boeser]

Maybe I'll make a YouTube video. I'll call myself "Professor Propeller ". Maybe Professor Propwash. I'll just make stuff up with unrelated stock clips. It works for Dark Skies.

Professor Propwash. Go with that.
It has such - gravitas.

 

[WARSPITER]

A lot seems to hinge on the P-47 getting drop tanks and when that happened and why.

P-40Cs got drop tanks in the fall/winter of 1940/41.
P-39s got drop tanks about the same time.
P-38s got drop tanks in the late winter/spring of 1942 and were flying with them in the South Pacific in April or May of 1942.
The P-38s were supposed to be the long range escorts for the B-17s in the fall of 1942.
The P-38s were assigned to operation Torch as the best US fighters available at the time leaving the 8th Air Force with no suitable escort fighters (or even not suitable escort fighters) in the winter of 1942/43.

In the winter of 1942/43 the ONLY Service fighter the US had WITHOUT COMBAT drop tank/s was the P-47.
The P-47 had the 2nd longest range of the USAAC fighters of the time (not counting the handful of Allison P-51s). It wasn't far enough to do what was wanted in the spring and summer of 1943. The P-38s were still tied up North Africa and the Invasion of Sicily and Italy.
P-40s, P-39s, P-400s and P-38s in North Africa and Italy had drop tanks.
P-40s, P-39s, P-400s and P-38s in the Pacific had drop tanks.

The idea that "NO DROP TANKS" was an ironclad rule or was an effort to show that the bombers didn't need fighters ( conspiracy ) seems rather far fetched.

That is very interesting regarding availability of the P-38. It further invalidates the bomber mafia meme as well.
So does the drop tank issue given the timing of the addition to so many planes.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Maybe I'll make a YouTube video. I'll call myself "Professor Propeller ". Maybe Professor Propwash. I'll just make stuff up with unrelated stock clips. It works for Dark Skies.

We both have more than 9,000 "likes" here, so we're much more right than A at ease with his 26. Right?

I mean, if that's the metric, Rob, let's roll with it -- we're geniuses, or is that geneii?

 

[SaparotRob]

If I remove a like, he'll have only 25.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

than

Bonus offer till the end of June. Book in and stand behind the props as they are washed - you and your laundry done at the same time.

Brought to you by an environmentally friendly company in the interests of saving water.

I stand ready with a full bladder, sir.

 

[special ed]

Let's see... I watch the you tube videos because they have pretty airplane pictures. Maybe it is because I don't have a college degree, however several members of our model airplane club have videos on you tube. As far as I know, none of us club members have looked to see if we have "likes".
One of the amazing things on this forum is finding how much I have forgotten. When I look for something noted on the forum in my books, I find my hand written notes in the pages verifying the forum comments. My hand writing was better then, also.

 

[33k in the air]

Never got an answer to this, so I thought I'd try again.

The (small) problem is solved by converting 475 nautical miles to statute miles = 550.

Except your post explicitly said statute miles (emphasis added):

According to the producer this configuration was available as from November 1943 and provided a range of about 450/475 statute miles (dependent on the figures/settings used in the range charts) - enough to reach Berlin.

So which is it? Was your initial post wrong and incorrectly stated statute miles?

I would also point out 450 nautical miles — the lower bound of the two figures you gave — is still short of Berlin by about 32 miles (450 nautical miles = 518 statute miles).



Also, to add another point to that post of yours:

@21.20 of the video an example is shown of a P47 fitted with dual 108g(paper) wing tanks and a 150g(metal) belly tank.

According to the producer this configuration was available as from November 1943 and provided a range of about 450/475 statute miles((dependent on the figures/settings used in the range charts) - enough to reach Berlin.

The producer is wrong. The flat 150-gallon drop tank — the type shown in the photo — did not become available until February 1944. According to Roger Freeman's Mighty Eighth War Manual (p. 220–221):

In February [1944], a consignment of US made 150 gallon 'flat' steel tanks were received for use by P-47s and introduced to operations by 56th Fighter Group that month. The first British-made 'flat' 150 gallon steel belly tanks for P-47s were received in March. The 150 gallon tanks became the favoured type for P-47s during the spring of 1944 and allowed the use of wing shackles for bombs.
​

 

[Greg Boeser]

Never got an answer to this, so I thought I'd try again.




Except your post explicitly said statute miles (emphasis added):



So which is it? Was your initial post wrong and incorrectly stated statute miles?

I would also point out 450 nautical miles — the lower bound of the two figures you gave — is still short of Berlin by about 32 miles (450 nautical miles = 518 statute miles).



Also, to add another point to that post of yours:



The producer is wrong. The flat 150-gallon drop tank — the type shown in the photo — did not become available until February 1944. According to Roger Freeman's Mighty Eighth War Manual (p. 220–221):

In February [1944], a consignment of US made 150 gallon 'flat' steel tanks were received for use by P-47s and introduced to operations by 56th Fighter Group that month. The first British-made 'flat' 150 gallon steel belly tanks for P-47s were received in March. The 150 gallon tanks became the favoured type for P-47s during the spring of 1944 and allowed the use of wing shackles for bombs.
​

Why would bomber escorts carry bombs?

 

[GrauGeist]

Why would bomber escorts carry bombs?

Because the bombers had machine guns?

 

[33k in the air]

Why would bomber escorts carry bombs?

To drop them on the enemy fighters, of course!

 

[Deleted member 68059]

I want to know how many likes and followers you have. That's more importanter!

That is mostly more importanter, mostly.