Vic Nighthorse
Airman
- 34
- Sep 9, 2018
Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
Remember, you're loaded with money, so you can afford to have an A6M built from scratch as well as having your assistant (because every tycoon has an assistant) order any part you might need.Zero. Fun to fly. Great acro. Don't have to be a billionaire to operate it, assuming, since we're in fantasy land, and there is an ample supply of parts.
McDonnell XP-67
View attachment 591074
McDonnell XP-67 - Wikipedia
Which I would re-engine with V-1710s or Merlins.
or a Republic XF-12 Rainbow.
View attachment 591075
Republic XF-12 Rainbow - Wikipedia
Resp:Excellent thread, lads! For me it's a tough choice, but I think I'd want an early short-wing B-26 Marauder. Put in a modern autopilot and some of the unnecessary equipment and you could have yourself one extremely fast, light and maneuverable aircraft with looks that nothing else can really match. Only thing that concerns me is single engine failure. Doolittle and Burnett could do aileron rolls and steep turns into a failed engine with it, but I'm nowhere near as good a pilot as they were!But yeah, it's got the looks, the performance and it can be operated by a single pilot.
Now, if I had an entire crew helping me fly? Well then I'm getting myself a B-32. From everything I've read it flies like a Mitchell despite being twice its size, and it's one of the very few planes that can match the Marauder in both performance and looks. Add to that reversing propellers and you can basically land it anywhere that can take its weight. Hell, probably anywhere you could take a Marauder into, since the B-26 famously needed a huge runway.
I'd definitely need the infinite money because both planes were notoriously huge maintenance hogs
The Marauder is pretty cool. I'm not sure I've ever seen one flying. The only place I might have would have been the USAF 50th Anniversary Air Show at Nellis AFB in 1997. Literally the greatest military based air show ever.Resp:
Did you give the A-26 Invader consideration? I do like the Marauder. It has been nearly 20 yrs since I saw a Marauder at an Airshow.
Resp:The Marauder is pretty cool. I'm not sure I've ever seen one flying. The only place I might have would have been the USAF 50th Anniversary Air Show at Nellis AFB in 1997. Literally the greatest military based air show ever.
Not particularly, just personal preference I suppose. The Invader does certainly have better performance (especially single engine-wise) and is much easier to handle, but it's just not as striking to me, looks a bit too boxy. I guess I just have a soft spot for the Marauder (plus it's rarer!). Of course, if anyone offers to let me fly an Invader I'm not going to refuseResp:
Did you give the A-26 Invader consideration? I do like the Marauder. It has been nearly 20 yrs since I saw a Marauder at an Airshow.
The Marauder is pretty cool. I'm not sure I've ever seen one flying. The only place I might have would have been the USAF 50th Anniversary Air Show at Nellis AFB in 1997. Literally the greatest military based air show ever.
Resp:Not particularly, just personal preference I suppose. The Invader does certainly have better performance (especially single engine-wise) and is much easier to handle, but it's just not as striking to me, looks a bit too boxy. I guess I just have a soft spot for the Marauder (plus it's rarer!). Of course, if anyone offers to let me fly an Invader I'm not going to refuse
I think Kermit Weeks was flying his up until around 2002, there's some great footage of it dropping watermelons up on youtube, as well as some of his other aircraft. Recent "Kermie Cam" videos on his channel seem to show it in a new coat of paint, and with the flaps fully extended (it was usually stored with the flaps up), which leads me to think it might be flying again soon, if not already.
Resp:
Yes, the Mosquito . . . followed by a P-40K. There are a surprising number of airworthy Mosquitos today.
A He 177 would be fine
We're all filthy rich in this scenario: new engines, avionics and other safety upgrades are reasonable (and recommended in most cases).I assume you would fix the engines, or use something a bit more reliable?
I've been trying to find the flying line up from that air show, but have come up short. From the photos it appears that there wasn't a B-26. It was also retired from service prior to 1947 and the air show was focused on air craft that had been in use from 1947 on.Not particularly, just personal preference I suppose. The Invader does certainly have better performance (especially single engine-wise) and is much easier to handle, but it's just not as striking to me, looks a bit too boxy. I guess I just have a soft spot for the Marauder (plus it's rarer!). Of course, if anyone offers to let me fly an Invader I'm not going to refuse
I think Kermit Weeks was flying his up until around 2002, there's some great footage of it dropping watermelons up on youtube, as well as some of his other aircraft. Recent "Kermie Cam" videos on his channel seem to show it in a new coat of paint, and with the flaps fully extended (it was usually stored with the flaps up), which leads me to think it might be flying again soon, if not already.
They say money can't buy happiness, but I have never seen a P-51 owner crying in the cockpit...but I assume I would get intensive training as part of the whole wish process.