WHAT "DUD" WOULD YOU FLY?

[FLYBOYJ]

Hmmm..I mentioned the P-36 because it was the predecessor to the P-40. I don't know much about the P-36 though. I am assuming that the P-40 should have been better than the P-36 as it was after, but I could be wrong.

Steve Hinton just wrote a pilot report on a recently restored P-36. He said it was more maneuvable than the P-40, but obviously slower. If I remember right, he compared it to the Hurricane

 

[plan_D]

The P-36 was better than the P-40, it was just slower. It was better, in my opinion, than the early Spitfires. Although speed is quite important, I reckon a higher powered engine wasn't out of the grasp of Western technology.

Here's a good, basic, description of the Mohawk .IV. http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/p36_10.html

 

[evangilder]

Okay, then I sit corrected! I certainly respect the opinion of Steve Hinton. That guys has probably flown everything with wings and an engine! Ihave a video at home of him in a Corsair in a mock dogfight with our museum's Zero over the Pacific. Some great aerial cinematography.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Don't forget that Douglas Devastator - talk about a sitting duck!

 

[evangilder]

Wasn't Torpedo 8, which was wiped out at Midway flying those?

 

[mosquitoman]

Yep! I really feel sorry for people who went in to combat with bad equipment

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Wasn't Torpedo 8, which was wiped out at Midway flying those?

All but Ensign George Gay. Although wounded, he survived. Lated flew for United Airlines. Passed away a few years ago.

 

[JCS]

I'd have to go with the Ba.88, easily the worst piece of junk to fly in the war (or attempt to fly ). It did look pretty good though.

 

[Nonskimmer]

The P-40 or P-36 would be my "duds" of choice.
That is if I could fly, much less dogfight.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

How about a B-18, even its name "Bolo" sums it up!

 

[Nonskimmer]

It looks almost cute though...almost.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

It looks almost cute though...almost.

It looks like something you would find at the bottom of a kids toybox!

 

[evangilder]

I think it was the B-18 Bolo that was called the "Digby" in Canadian service.

 

[Nonskimmer]

Eh? We operated those things?
I'll look into this. I've heard of the Digby, but I honestly don't recall this. Thanks for the tip.

 

[evangilder]

Here you go, man:

http://www.boeing.com/history/mdc/bolo.htm

 

[Nonskimmer]

Thanks evan. Only twenty served with the RCAF I see. I wonder which squadron they were with. I'll look into this further.

 

[evangilder]

It said coastal patrols, I am assuming that was probably Atlantic side. I am glad that we weren't the only ones that had to suffer the indignity of flying those beasts!

It's good side is that is was a development of the Douglas DC-2, which became the DC-3/C-47

 

[Nonskimmer]

Apparently the RCAF Digbys served with No. 10 (BR) squadron operating out of my local area, and were eventually replaced with Liberators. They even killed a U-boat.

"Like their American counterparts, the RCAF Digbys were also employed on maritime reconnaissance missions to counter the U-boat menace. The Canadian Digbys are credited with one U-boat kill. This was U-520 which was sunk on October 3, 1942 by Digby #757 PB-K of 10 (BR) Squadron operating out of Dartmouth (Halifax, Nova Scotia). By mid-1943, the RCAF Digbys had been superceded by Liberator GR. Vs in the anti-submarine role,"

http://home.att.net/~jbaugher2/b18.html

 

[evangilder]

Right on! See, it got at least one kill!

 

[FLYBOYJ]

DIGBY - BOLO WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON HERE

Hey, but it did sink a SUB (I hate those things ya know! ).

Picture this; You're a suave pilot in a nightclub, 1943, you go up to a beautiful gal just admiring your two-tone USAAF uniform with those shinny silver wings, or your stunning blue RCAF uniform with those gorgeous bullion wings, and say "I fly a Digby," or "I fly a Bolo."

IF YOU WERE HER, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY!

Now I know why pilots lie!