Why no heavier RAF machine gun calibres? (2 Viewers)

[Alan Stevens]

Just that the the P-51 was the most important allied fighter in WW2.

I would not agree.

It's a common debate among aviation enthusiasts and historians! The P-51 Mustang is often lauded for its significant impact, especially with its long-range escort capabilities, which allowed Allied bombers to reach deep into enemy territory. However, declaring it as the "most important" is subjective, and there are arguments to be made for other aircraft as well.

For instance:
Supermarine Spitfire: Essential in the Battle of Britain and a symbol of resistance.

Hawker Hurricane: Also played a crucial role in the Battle of Britain, shooting down more enemy aircraft than the Spitfire.

P-47 Thunderbolt: Known for its ruggedness and ground-attack capabilities.

F4U Corsair: Highly effective in the Pacific Theater, particularly in carrier operations.

Each of these aircraft contributed uniquely to the Allied efforts. The P-51's achievements can't be understated, but the overall success was a result of many planes and pilots working together.

Lockheed P-38 Lightning was another highly influential fighter during World War II. It was notable for its distinctive twin-boom design and versatility. Here are a few highlights:

Versatility: The P-38 was used in various roles including fighter, bomber escort, reconnaissance, and ground-attack missions.

Long Range: With its twin engines, it had the range to conduct long-distance missions, which was especially valuable in the Pacific Theater.

High Performance: It was one of the fastest aircraft in the Allied arsenal and had a significant impact in both the European and Pacific theaters.

Just like the P-51 Mustang, the P-38 Lightning was a crucial part of the Allied air strategy and made significant contributions to the war effort.

The Grumman F4F Wildcat and F6F Hellcat were both significant fighters in the Pacific Theater during WWII, each contributing greatly to the Allied victory.

F4F Wildcat
Early War Workhorse: The F4F Wildcat was the primary naval fighter for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps in the early years of WWII.

Tough and Reliable: Known for its ruggedness, the Wildcat could take a lot of damage and still return to its carrier.

Key Battles: Played a crucial role in battles such as Midway and Guadalcanal.

F6F Hellcat
Successor to the Wildcat: Designed to outperform the Japanese Zero, the Hellcat quickly became the U.S. Navy's dominant carrier-based fighter.

Impressive Combat Record: The Hellcat achieved an incredible kill-to-loss ratio, contributing to the air superiority in the Pacific.

Production Numbers: Over 12,000 Hellcats were produced, making it one of the most produced fighters of WWII.

Both aircraft were critical in turning the tide of the war in the Pacific, showcasing the innovation and resilience of the Allied air forces.

 

[SaparotRob]

Hawker Hurricane, Curtiss P-40, and the Grumman Wildcat (which does look good in blue paint). Most under appreciated.
That list is extensive. Let's add the Swordfish, Beaufighter, PBY.......

 

[MIflyer]

I think that the FM-2 Wildcat, produced by Eastern Aircraft, had such increased performance that it was about as good as the Hellcat in fighting the vast majority of Japanese aircraft, with the exception of higher altitudes. But the Hellcat was much easier to fly than any model of the Wildcat and also was a true fighter bomber, so much so that the practice of sending torpedo or dive bombers with a fighter escort to scout around the fleet was replaced with just Hellcats. I suppose that the ARC-5 radio installation used in the later Hellcats, which featured an HF comm channel as well as 5 VHF channels helped in its scouting role. It also become common for Hellcats to be equipped with bombs when sent with a strike force.

But I think that as far as a "Best Fighter" it is hard to think of a situation in the first half of the war where we would have not been better off with Merlin Mustangs than what we actually had. From the BoB to hasty scrambles on 7 Dec 41, to the Western Desert, to the AVG, to Guadalcanal, to Italy, to the CBI, to Normandy, to the PI, Merlin Mustangs would have been better than the alternatives. Admittedly it was not as survivable at ground attack as the P-47 and Typhoon, but it weren't no slouch, either, and was leagues ahead of the Spitfire for that mission.

 

[Reluctant Poster]

I think that the FM-2 Wildcat, produced by Eastern Aircraft, had such increased performance that it was about as good as the Hellcat in fighting the vast majority of Japanese aircraft, with the exception of higher altitudes. But the Hellcat was much easier to fly than any model of the Wildcat and also was a true fighter bomber, so much so that the practice of sending torpedo or dive bombers with a fighter escort to scout around the fleet was replaced with just Hellcats. I suppose that the ARC-5 radio installation used in the later Hellcats, which featured an HF comm channel as well as 5 VHF channels helped in its scouting role. It also become common for Hellcats to be equipped with bombs when sent with a strike force.

But I think that as far as a "Best Fighter" it is hard to think of a situation in the first half of the war where we would have not been better off with Merlin Mustangs than what we actually had. From the BoB to hasty scrambles on 7 Dec 41, to the Western Desert, to the AVG, to Guadalcanal, to Italy, to the CBI, to Normandy, to the PI, Merlin Mustangs would have been better than the alternatives. Admittedly it was not as survivable at ground attack as the P-47 and Typhoon, but it weren't no slouch, either, and was leagues ahead of the Spitfire for that mission.

If we're going to pick a fighter that doesn't exist in 1940 to win the Battle of Britain I pick the Gloster Meteor.

 

[pbehn]

I think that the FM-2 Wildcat, produced by Eastern Aircraft, had such increased performance that it was about as good as the Hellcat in fighting the vast majority of Japanese aircraft, with the exception of higher altitudes. But the Hellcat was much easier to fly than any model of the Wildcat and also was a true fighter bomber, so much so that the practice of sending torpedo or dive bombers with a fighter escort to scout around the fleet was replaced with just Hellcats. I suppose that the ARC-5 radio installation used in the later Hellcats, which featured an HF comm channel as well as 5 VHF channels helped in its scouting role. It also become common for Hellcats to be equipped with bombs when sent with a strike force.

But I think that as far as a "Best Fighter" it is hard to think of a situation in the first half of the war where we would have not been better off with Merlin Mustangs than what we actually had. From the BoB to hasty scrambles on 7 Dec 41, to the Western Desert, to the AVG, to Guadalcanal, to Italy, to the CBI, to Normandy, to the PI, Merlin Mustangs would have been better than the alternatives. Admittedly it was not as survivable at ground attack as the P-47 and Typhoon, but it weren't no slouch, either, and was leagues ahead of the Spitfire for that mission.

If you had a Merlin Mustang in production and being delivered from USA in 1940 I doubt that it would have the high speed low drag aerofoils that made it so fast, it would also have a 1940 Merlin and 1940 fuels and had a dry weight of around 1 ton more than a Spitfire, so although it would have been good to have perhaps not the game changer that a 1944 P-51D would be, but the P-51D came into service after the Me 262 so its superiority was in numbers, not performance.