Best Fighter Plane of WWII

[GrandCaravanSE]

i believe that the P-38 lightning is the best, what do you guys think?!!!

Crew: One
Length: 37 ft 10 in (11.53 m)
Wingspan: 52 ft 0 in (15.85 m)
Height: 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m)
Wing area: 327.5 ft² (30.43 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 23016 / NACA 4412
Empty weight: 12,780 lb (5,800 kg)
Loaded weight: 17,500 lb (7,940 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 21,600 lb (9,798 kg)
Powerplant: 2× Allison V-1710-111/113 liquid-cooled turbosupercharged V-12, 1,725 hp (As certified by Lockheed and Allison Industries) (1,194 kW) each
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0268
Drag area: 8.78 ft² (0.82 m²)
Aspect ratio: 8.26
Performance

Maximum speed: 443mph War Emergency Power-1725 hp@64inHG(28,000ft)(Courtesy of Lockheed-Martin Corp.)
414mph on Military Power-1425hp@ 54inHG (667 km/h at 7,620 m)

Stall speed: 105 mph (170 km/h)
Range: 1,300 mi combat, over 3,300 mi (5,300 km) ferry (1,770 km / 3,640 km)
Service ceiling 44,000 ft (13,400 m)
Rate of climb: maximum: 4,750 ft/min (1,448 m/min)
Wing loading: 53.4 lb/ft² (260.9 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.16 hp/lb (0.27 kW/kg)

It also looks really cool

 

[Professur]

Naturally, I'd have to say the spitfire, but the ME-109 had it's place in the limelight too.

 

[MrBishop]

I had the P-38 as a foam flying model

I like the look of the F4UCorsair

 

[2minkey]

while i have great appreciation for the p-38, my opinion would be that the p-51 mustang was the most significant.

but, then, neither of them could match the utter coolness of the most coolest prop-driven plane of all time... the macchi-castoldi mc-72.

twin, counter-rotating v12 engines mofos!

 

[Frodo]

I always liked the P-47 Thunderbolt. But then, I used to fly the Thunderbolt II, so maybe I'm a little biased. I love radial engines. They run on testosterone!!

 

[Sharky]

I had the P-38 as a foam flying model

I like the look of the F4UCorsair

My father flew those in WW2. He was a carrier-based Naval Aviator. He said that plane was the hardest to land on a carrier because you can't see due to the long nose. It's like flying an engine with wings.

The Japanese pilots called the Corsair "Whistling Death" because the Corsair had much more power than a Zero and could outclimb them and dive, and the last thing the Zero pilot would hear would be the shrieking whistle of the Corsair in its dive. That, and the roar of six .50 cal. wing-mounted cannons.

They have one on display in the National Aviation Museum in Pensacola on the Pensacola Naval Air Station. It is an awesome beautiful bird up close in person. I was lucky enough to be able to take my Dad out to see it before he passed away.

 

[Dave]

1. P-51
2. ME-109
3. Corsair
4. Zero

 

[GrandCaravanSE]

I had the P-38 as a foam flying model

I like the look of the F4UCorsair

those are very neat planes, i think it would be cool to see a P-38 land on a carrier.

 

[MrBishop]

Hah! I see the bottom-banner is for RC planes

I used to work for a hobby shop - summer job
One year we got a special order from a lady..she came in and wanted to buy an RC plane for her son - professionally finished - as a gift. She bought the Corsair kit, motor, remote, gas-tank etc etc...she even bought the flour-bomb (little plastic 'bomb' filled with flour that split open upon impact)

We had a pro-builder associated with the store. The guy was a friggin’ artist! Built that Corsair like nuthin’ you’ve ever seen. The lady was overjoyed and left.

Came back 2 weeks later steaming mad! Screaming about our incompetence at building, selling her crap products etc… The damn plane didn’t stay in the air more than 2 minutes before it crashed..nuthing left but splinters..she has the whole thing on video. She’ll sue!

Showed us the video.. there’s the Corsair taking off…a bit wobbly, off she goes into the air (too steep), it goes into a soft turn and then flips over. (Not a surprise there..they’re built to fly upside-down so that they can turn on a dime – gull-wings) Then the plane nose-dives into the sod. Gone!

A quick shot of her son…devastated. He’s 13. The plane was his Bar Mitzsfah gift. He’s never flown an RC plane before…and he’s training on one of the toughest planes to fly.

After we’d calmed her down… we put her in touch with a trainer, sold her a ‘dumb stick’ training plane and offered to set up the plane for her and clean the engine for free.

 

[chcr]

I've seen a P-51 and a Spitfire fly at an air show. Also saw a B-17 and a B-25. Got to walk around in the B-17 (if you can call it walking, those things are tight) and look in the cockpit of the P-51. The Confederate (Commemorative now) Air Force guys said they had a Corsair but it wasn't there.

 

[JTP]

When up to speed, the Messerschmidt 262 was awesome. Slow take-off and landing speed made it vulnerable, though.

 

[paul_valaru]

Not fighter plane, but my fave has always been.

b-17

 

[MrBishop]

The Flying Fortress

 

[GrandCaravanSE]

I've seen a P-51 and a Spitfire fly at an air show. Also saw a B-17 and a B-25. Got to walk around in the B-17 (if you can call it walking, those things are tight) and look in the cockpit of the P-51. The Confederate (Commemorative now) Air Force guys said they had a Corsair but it wasn't there.

The P-51 in just about anybodys opion is the best in the europe front, it had the most power, and was one of the fastest, i even remember hearing that a a couple P-51D's shot down some ME-262. The P-38 lightning was the best during the Pacific front, the front mounted guns made it great for low flying strafing missions. i really enjoy alot of the projects that come out of Skunkworks. another cool plane is the Twin Mustang!!!

 

[Gato_Solo]

B-26 for bombers, and the P-38 for a fighter.

I always liked the P-47 Thunderbolt. But then, I used to fly the Thunderbolt II, so maybe I'm a little biased. I love radial engines. They run on testosterone!!

A warthog? The ones they wouldn't fly over Baghdad due to vulnerability?

 

[Altron]

Well, the Mustang was great because the range let it escort bombers all the way across Germany.

I think the Thunderbolt was really cool... I built a model of one back in the day.

The coolest looking is definitely the Warhawk though... with the Flying Tigers paint.

 

[Frodo]

A warthog? The ones they wouldn't fly over Baghdad due to vulnerability?

That's the one. We were the redheaded, bastard, stepchildren of the Air Force. The Pentagon tries so hard to get rid of it, but everytime they get close, a war breaks out and it kicks butt. Much better than the F-16 Lawn Dart.

 

[GrandCaravanSE]

I always liked the P-47 Thunderbolt. But then, I used to fly the Thunderbolt II, so maybe I'm a little biased. I love radial engines. They run on testosterone!!

I am pretty sure they stopped makeing those right? don't they still make upgrades for them though. oh yes they do kick but, i hope they never get rid of them.

 

[Frodo]

I am pretty sure they stopped makeing those right? don't they still make upgrades for them though. oh yes they do kick but, i hope they never get rid of them.

1986 was the last year off the line. They are upgrading the electronics and calling it the A-10C. I know they are working on fixing cracks in the wing spars. I guess we "rode 'em hard and put 'em up wet" too many times!! A-10s and F-4s were my two favorite fighters to fly.

 

[nalani]

B-26 for bombers, and the P-38 for a fighter.



A warthog? The ones they wouldn't fly over Baghdad due to vulnerability?

I saw this thread and I meant to ask Chris what his thoughts were .. wanted to see if they'd be the similar to yours .. but of course, I forgot .. BOO on me