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- #101
Admiral Beez
Major
Not with twin .303 and no cannons. What were the Japanese thinking when they armed their high performance fighters with nothing more than what a Sopwith Camel brings to bear?
What fighter of 1939-40 could compete with fighters of 1944-45?
- Thread starter Admiral Beez
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The Hellcat was the Fokker D7 of the Pacific War, a highly competitive fighter that was easy to fly, devoid of "gotchas" and "coffin corners", rugged enough to absorb punishment and still be controllable getting aboard the ship, and behaved predictably at the limits of its flight envelope. It allowed young pilots to survive long enough to get good at their game, and allowed more experienced ones to run up their scores.
Which is more effective, five experten who make fifteen kills each or twenty nuggets who get six each? That's the genius of the Hellcat.
Simple, the nuggets are going to be in more places simultaneously.
The JAAF were slow in adopting heavier guns, The JAAF was always the poor cousin to the fancy JNAF, and they hated them for perceived favouritism, in return the Navy considered themselves the elite and hated the lower class Army. I suspect the JAAF recycled old Ki-27 to get telescope gunsights and 7.7mm for Ki-43!
Another way to look at the question is what fighter first reached the top grade of piston fighter development. Probably Spitfire IX (1942?) If not worried about range.
- Thread starter
- #105
Admiral Beez
Major
What's the crappiest POS fighter of 1945? The best of 1940 should do okay.
List of aircraft of World War II - Wikipedia
Single-engined, single-seat monoplane fighters
Sort by year.... I'd say none of those that entered service in 1944-45 would suit. But our 1939-40 fighter should be able to tackle the worst of 1943 that's likely still in service through 1944-45. Top pick for our Spitfire Mk.II is the CAC Boomerang, followed by the VL Myrsky.
List of aircraft of World War II - Wikipedia
Single-engined, single-seat monoplane fighters
Sort by year.... I'd say none of those that entered service in 1944-45 would suit. But our 1939-40 fighter should be able to tackle the worst of 1943 that's likely still in service through 1944-45. Top pick for our Spitfire Mk.II is the CAC Boomerang, followed by the VL Myrsky.
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Peter Gunn
Master Sergeant
Well, there is a fighter "of 1940" that comes to mind...
windhund116
Senior Airman
- 360
- Jul 3, 2017
A guy I know on a car board (S2K) flew A7 Corsair II in the 1980s. His Dad was an ace in a Hellcat, during WW2. He said that his Dad thought the F6F saved his butt more than a few times. With battle damage, engine issues, landing issues. The friend's son flies F/A18's. Three generation USN pilots. His A7, escorting a Bear.
- Thread starter
- #108
Admiral Beez
Major
I wouldn't except to see an attack bird intercepting and shadowing a Bear. That seems more a job for the Corsair II's sibling, the F-8 Crusader.
windhund116
Senior Airman
- 360
- Jul 3, 2017
He said he did it a few times. Bears were definitely sub-sonic. Maybe. the F4 squadrons were unavailable or the Capt just wanted to scramble the Corsairs?
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Awww, drgndog was so adorable!
The 1st Bf 109F-2 was delivered in January 1941, per Prien & Rodeike, pg. 10. That should mean it is not a fighter from 1939-40?
at pg.9 they reported that F-1 go in combat in October '40
Ancestor, not sibling. By the time A7 showed up, F8 was on its way out.
"Up yours, Ivan! You aren't worthy of a Tomcat, so we attack pukes get to play fighter pilot with you today. Shit hot! Go ahead, make my day!"
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windhund116
Senior Airman
- 360
- Jul 3, 2017
I think they were building them in late 1940. So yes, maybe not used in field combat --- but were available.
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Okay, let's say that they were available.
The Bf 109F-2 will do 375+- mph at 15000-17000 ft. P-51B will do 410-430 mph at 16000-17000 ft. This is before the 150 grade fuel is used.
109F-2 can use it's max power for 3 minutes, P-51B for 5 minutes.
I'd say that 40-50 mph difference in ww2 terms is substantial, up to the point that one side is outclassed, even if we try to somehow arbitrary limit the other side by stipulating the altitude the fight is supposed to happen. 40-50 mph difference is much more than Fw 190A have had over the Spitfire V, or even what Hellcat had over the Zero in 1944. More than Bf 109E have had over Hurricane I.
VA-105 used to make light of their AIM-9's and call themselves "Light Attack and Twilight Pursuit."
The first production Bf 109Fs rolled of the line in November 1940 but the first Luftwaffe units did not receive theirs until March 1941. They had a few issues though, the F-1 and 2s had a tendency to shed their hori stabs owing to structural weakness following the removal of the strut prominent on earlier models.
False, the F-1 go in combat in october '40, the production started in july '40
Shortround6
Major General
Combat as in entire squadron/s equipped with them or
Combat trials in which a few squadrons got a handful of planes each to try out and report on?
The 109 F had 3 different armament setups and at least 2 different engines, one of which operated for months under restrictions.
Combat trials in which a few squadrons got a handful of planes each to try out and report on?
The 109 F had 3 different armament setups and at least 2 different engines, one of which operated for months under restrictions.
F-1 production was limited ~200. last delivery were contemporary to early F-2 delivery. Luftwaffe don't use squadrons, i suppose that the F-1 never full equipped a Gruppe
