Quote:
Originally Posted by JonT
Sorry not trying to offend anyone I just don't know anything about P-51's but what is so great about them?
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The P-51 was typical of the American fighters. The main thing that made it a hit was that it came along and had the operational range to where it could escort the bombers from England to Berlin and back, something that no other fighter of its time could do. It was a nice plane but evil on takeoff and landing and not real nimble. Would take a terrific pounding and usually get the pilots home.
The P-47 was an airplane used later in the war. It was a truck but would take a real pounding and hand it right back. It was big, heavy and not a nimble "fighter" so to speak, but did a very good job escorting the bombers and that was what was needed.
Nimble was the British Spitfire, a real "pilots dream" aircraft, but was limited on range. If I won the lotto I would get a Spitfire and enjoy life.
A rare twin cockpit Spitfire
Now, people tend to forget that the Germans had some very nice planes on their side as well. Personally I am a bit biased, knowing a few old Luftwaffe pilots from when I lived in Germany.
The FW-190 was one of the best. Had it been made in higher numbers things might have been different. Course if they had not had an idiot for a leader... well you know what I mean.
There are less than 10 FW-190's flying these days. If I won the lotto there would be a FW in the hangar as well.
A FW-190 in the museum in Berlin
This is a rare photo, and never published that I know of on the internet. The pilot on the left is a friend of mine, a FW-190 pilot. Rest of the story is private but this was taken in 1944 "on duty" so to speak. The -190 was not called the "Butcher Bird" for nothing. It was a very good fighter for its time.
