Your own WWII Fighter? Which one?

[KG_Soldier]

Which American fighter would you have most liked to have flown during WWII.

I chose the F6F Hellcat because of its outstanding record and, especially, the survivability rate.

The following is from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F6F_Hellcat

Navy and Marine F6Fs flew 66,530 combat sorties (45% of all fighter sorties of the war, 62,386 sorties were flown from aircraft carriers[12]) and destroyed 5,163 enemy aircraft (56% of all Naval/Marine air victories of the war) at a cost of 270 Hellcats (an overall kill-to-loss ratio of 19:1).[13]

[KG_Soldier]

Here are good links to the history and information of each:
http://www.acepilots.com/planes/f4u_corsair.html
http://www.acepilots.com/planes/p38_lightning.html
http://www.acepilots.com/planes/f6f_hellcat.html
http://www.acepilots.com/planes/p47_thunderbolt.html
http://www.acepilots.com/planes/p51_mustang.html

[KG_Swampfox]

P-51B Mustang, 357th Fighter Group

[KG_SSpoom]

Mustang....hands down

[KG_Soldier]

Wouldn't you had rather mowed down Jap planes instead of escorting bombers all the time...well, at least most the time?

[KG_SSpoom]

Well while shooting Japanese pilots , most barely flightworthy
in planes that lit up faster than Shermans has its potential highspots.
In Europe when your flight was over you got to head for a nice English
or later French pub for a nightcap and then most likely slept on sheets in a soft
bed, possibly with a nice 2legged 2 breasted bedwarmer. In the pacific you came home (if you could find the flyspeck of an Island) to torrential malarial rains and all kinds of multilegged creatures that want to share your bed.
To me the answer is pretty straight forward. =)

[KG_Jag]

I picked the Corsair for reasons summarized in a recent thread comparing it with the Mustang. The Hellcat was a fine carrier plane and had the greatest record. But its relatively late entrance and concentration against a decimated IJN air fleet was certainly a factor in setting the 19:1 kill ratio it enjoyed. This selection also has the bonus of assured combat with those delightful folks who attacked Pearl Harbor.

[KG_Soldier]

Carrier Pilots didn't have it so bad, and there's always port.

[KG_SSpoom]

I really do like the Corsair, it was a tough pick.
The Hellcat (In my limited reading) was the fighter that
turned the tables in the pacific and is deserving of problably
the most Well earned Respect.
I have just been a big Mustang fan (hence my 2 cars) my entire life.

[KG_Swampfox]

Carrier Pilots didn't have it so bad, and there's always port.


Yea, that and the golden rivet.........

[KG_Soldier]

I think if the Navy had gone solely with the Corsair, it'd done as well or better, but from what I've read, they're hard to land and take-off because of its steep angle and limited visibility from the cockpit. I'd feel safer in either than in a Mustang, maybe not a P-47.

[KG_AGCent]

I'll take the flying tank any day of the week. P-47 Jug, baby.

[KG_Panzerschreck]

Corsair without even thinking of any others. And i would of gladly taken it up against any German fighter to boot.

Second choice would of been the Thunderbolt.

:salute[1]:

[KG_ThorsHammer]

tough call, but i chise the mustang over the lightning. just an all around great aircraft.

[KG_Cloghaun]

I don't know enough about aircraft to really judge. I do know from everything I've read that the Mustang was the best all around plane of the war.

From a pure "looks" point of view, in addition to the Mustang, I really like the P-40 Warhawk. I know the planes listed by Mark are probably better, but I just think it's a really cool looking plane & I've always dug the whole "Flying Tigers" history.

[KG_SSpoom]

Besides the P-40 the flying tigers also flew p39-aircobras and some P-51-Bs(pretty sure it was the B) and an Aussie version of the Aircobra that they called the P-400.
The Tigers didntlike the performance so they re-dubbed it a P-40 with a Zero on its tail

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

I'll be the first to vote for the Lightning. Love the look and two engines so if one goes the other will get you home.

[Achtung baby]

Out of those planes, the hellcat... even some of Japanese pilots were surprised as to how tough this plane was, it could take a beating and still take the pilot back home!

The P-38 suffered in the higher altitudes in the cooler climates, but was a damn good kit.

[KG_Swampfox]

The P-38 suffered in the higher altitudes in the cooler climates, but was a damn good kit.

Actually there was nothing wrong with the P-38 at altitude or in cooler climates, the problem was that pilots were cruising at altitude using too rich of a setting on the fuel mixture control.

This over cooled the engines so when the pilots went from cruise to full power, it caused the pistons to over heat, resulting in piston seizure.

Once Lockheed technicians taught the crews to cruise at leaner settings, the engine failures were dramatically reduced.