P-47 Crashes Into Hudson

[Tiberius]

The pilot was sadly lost.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/27/us/wwii-plane-crash-hudson-river/

 

According to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the Thunderbolt was a feared ground-attack aircraft.

"U.S. Army Air Forces commanders considered it one of the three premier American fighters, along with the P-51 Mustang and P-38 Lightning. The United States built more P-47s than any other fighter airplane," the Smithsonian said.

 

[DC Tom]

Did they recover the plane?

[Tiberius]

Did they recover the plane?

 

Yup, but they are going to scrap it.

 

In a dog fight would you rather be in a P-38 or an F4F Hellcat?

[DC Tom]

Yup, but they are going to scrap it.

 

In a dog fight would you rather be in a P-38 or an F4F Hellcat?

 

Depends on the theater and the model of P-38. And who I'm fighting - I wouldn't want to fight a Griffon-engined Spitfire in either.

[Tiberius]

Depends on the theater and the model of P-38. And who I'm fighting - I wouldn't want to fight a Griffon-engined Spitfire in either.

 

I meant flying against each other.

[mead107]

I know a guy in the area that has one.

[boyst]

Yup, but they are going to scrap it.

 

In a dog fight would you rather be in a P-38 or an F4F Hellcat?

[DC Tom]

I meant flying against each other.

 

Still depends on the theater and model of P-38. In northern Europe, I'd take an F4F over a P-38D with compressibility, detonation, and turbocharger icing problems every day.

 

It also depends on whether or not you're talking about an F4F Wildcat, or an F6F Hellcat, moron.

[Tiberius]

My mistake on F6F

 

I'd go with Hellcat, a true dogging fight aircraft. The p-38 was not that great at air to air combat much like the German twin engine fighters.

[DC Tom]

My mistake on F6F

 

I'd go with Hellcat, a true dogging fight aircraft. The p-38 was not that great at air to air combat much like the German twin engine fighters.

 

The P-38 was great at air-to-air combat in the South Pacific, for a great many reasons (size, range, power, firepower, the typical altitudes of combat - Japanese planes were lightweight and low powered, and hence couldn't maneuver well above about 20k feet). In Europe, it was substantially less so - higher altitude combat led to dive restrictions due to compressibility issues, colder atmosphere caused turbocharger and cooling issues and engine failures.

 

Overall...I'd take the altitude, rate-of-climb, speed, and firepower advantages of the P-38 in most situations over the F6F. All due respect to Alex Vraciu...if it's good enough for Richard Bong and Tommy McGuire, it's good enough for me.

[boyst]

 

The P-38 was great at air-to-air combat in the South Pacific, for a great many reasons (size, range, power, firepower, the typical altitudes of combat - Japanese planes were lightweight and low powered, and hence couldn't maneuver well above about 20k feet). In Europe, it was substantially less so - higher altitude combat led to dive restrictions due to compressibility issues, colder atmosphere caused turbocharger and cooling issues and engine failures.

 

Overall...I'd take the altitude, rate-of-climb, speed, and firepower advantages of the P-38 in most situations over the F6F. All due respect to Alex Vraciu...if it's good enough for Richard Bong and Tommy McGuire, it's good enough for me.

NERD

[Nanker]

NERD

Just Tom being Tom. It's what he does.

[Tiberius]

http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/veterans/south-buffalo-pilots-mettle-turned-the-tide-in-battle-of-midway-20160529

 

Wade McClusky was from Buffalo and went to South Park high school. Wow!

[dib]

I know its not one of the options but I'd prefer, in any theatre the P-51D. The cadillac of the sky.

[Tiberius]

The P-38 was great at air-to-air combat in the South Pacific, for a great many reasons (size, range, power, firepower, the typical altitudes of combat - Japanese planes were lightweight and low powered, and hence couldn't maneuver well above about 20k feet). In Europe, it was substantially less so - higher altitude combat led to dive restrictions due to compressibility issues, me.

The Germans actually made mince meat of the P-38 in North Aftrica also. Like I side, the twin boom frame was just too restricting. The Japanese really didn't have many trained pilots after Battle of Santa Cruz so i wonder what factor that had in Bong's kill rate.

 

And yes, P-51 was superior to both

[DC Tom]

The Germans actually made mince meat of the P-38 in North Aftrica also. Like I side, the twin boom frame was just too restricting. The Japanese really didn't have many trained pilots after Battle of Santa Cruz so i wonder what factor that had in Bong's kill rate.

And yes, P-51 was superior to both

There is literally no subject that you're not an expert at being a complete idiot in. "Twin boom frame was just too restricting" is the mindless pablum of an ignorant boor who doesn't know ****. What was restricting in the ETO was the prohibition on DIVING in a plane designed for an air combat doctrine that emphasized vertical maneuvering. Not "twin booms." Against a Luftwaffe that largely followed the same doctrine, that's a crippling restriction.

 

There's actually more that determines the quality of an airplane than its techincal specs. Doctrine and environment matter a hell of a lot more. That's why the Mosquito was an abject failure in Burma, the Brewster Buffalo was a disaster everywhere except Finland, the early F4Us were atrocious carrier aircraft but excellent based on land, and the P-39 was a failure in the west but a world-beater in Russian hands.