Best Nightfighters of WWII

Irrelevant, since the Mossie was in service about two years before the P-61. I could ask how many kills did the Mossie night fighters get in the Pacific? None. They weren't there.

The question was Best, not most successful. They don't always equate. That would be like saying the He-219 was a terrible nightfighter because it didn't get as many kills as the Me-110.

 

the full span control system unique to the Widow did very well for the 9th AF Widow crews as through per-interviews when I wa a member of the former US nf's assoc. like I said up above the a/c was a true performer in the night ground assault role with several different arms set-ups including Naphalm.

question is best is a what if, it is the best in the controls of the pilot and crew in their own eyes and minds

 

Mosquito V P61 the Mosquito wins hands down fact
He -219 is like the P61 sound great on paper but not great in the air + slow

 

the He 219 was not slow but insufficient engine's on tap. the thing was large like the Widow which is granted. too few to make any real difference, ejection sytem was a very unique item will grant that and saved many crews. firepower initially was too great and burdonsome on the A/C re: the I./NJG 1 crews had the cannons reduced in number

 

What the point of a night fighter if it does not get kills
What impact did the p61 have in ETO
You say the P61 came two years after the Mosquito but it was still 80 mph slower ,

Your just basing your facts on Top Trumps facts witch can't for nothing in battle

 

The Me 110 and the JU 88 were about the best in terms of kills - the most effective night fighters at least until late in the war, were necessarily crewed by more than a single pilot as "two pairs of eyes are better than one" even when the plane is equipped with radar.

The ME 110 was almost useless as a heavy fighter in the daytime but at night, it was almost tailor made for the chore. It had long range, long loiter time, dependability of two engines and crew of two and was of course, faster than any 4 engine bomber the allies had.

The JU 88 was just as good, probably the fastest prop driven bomber the Germans had, long loiter time, and very good visibility in all directions available to the crew. Also plenty of room in the aircraft for stuffing in the various radar sets the Germans were always developing while playing catch-up to the British models.

 

Ju 88G was superior in every way to the Bf 110G-4 as mentioned continously by the veterans that flew it

 

That what matters what the crew think

 

lets face it guys in the ETO the US crews were overjoyed when they received the Widow, a crate they could now finally call their very own, and that was most important for morale

 

The bf110 G4,far as i know its got the kills to back up its claim.

 

1. Maybe it has revolutionary technology. I.E. P-80 Shooting Star- first US Jet fighter but virtually no combat experience until nearly 5/6 years later in Korea.

2. Ask that question again and you're dead... j/k. It didn't have an impact, at all. Stop asking it.

3. Speed isn't everything. The Me-262 was faster than anything the Allies had at the time, yes, but reports had come in that sustained flight in an Me-262 eventually caused the engines to overheat and melt.

4. You're defending the fact that the Mosquito is British and the fact that the P-61 is American.

 

I like the P61 & have read loads of books about it & going on that know it was not a class act
Speed does matter when trying to shoot down a bomber
Why do you think the German made a Me 262 night fighter , it was because none of there other night fighters could catch the Mosquito's
The reason why the Me 262 engine's failed was because lack of special alloys for the engine parts & nothing to do with speed
The US air force wanted Mosquito it was that good
I think it you who is saying the p61 is best as it American but don't back it up with facts

 

It may be fairer to say that the P-61 was potentially the best nightfighter of WWII, but then, the He219 also had considerable potential ( given sufficient development ).

But potential is one thing ( maybe best discussed - endlessly - as a 'What If?' ). Actual combat performance is something else again.

 

actually uk your statement about catching Mossies and the 262 is not quite correct.....thew Bf 109G-6/AS did quite well given the task and the area covered, still in late 44 the Mossies were not considered a viable threat only when the twin engine LW nf's came under closer scrutiny in the air that the BC and TAC Mossie NF's became literally lethal in thought to the LW crewmen, some in fact never saw or felt the sting of a Mossies 4 cannon arm

think this thread or several posts is just alot of banter getting nowhere you guys are not posting any facts to back your claims in many reagrds. the Mossie had a proven track record the 61 came late did a number on many Japanese a/c. it was hardly felt in the ETO except to cahse Ju 188's and a few Ju 87D sometimes with disastrous results. the US because of pride and it is accepted by the US NF association members needed an a/c to call their own as I have stated. the P-61 filled the bill in the eyes of the crews, it had much in the way of technical advances over the single pilot P-38 with an assistant pair of eyes and radar op to boot. The widow was a large crate like the Uhu and could not and would not turn on a dime. the Uhu was not equipped with rear warning radar as standard neither was the Bf 110G-4 until 1945.

really bothersome that a well read and first hand experienced author has not established a book covering the tech and comparison aspects of the nf's of both sides to justify everyones claims of "best"

 

The problem is best is usually defined as best technically or best in terms of measurable performance characteristics. As you say combat performance is another matter. Indeed the better the combat performance in some ways the less likely a plane is to qualify as "best" especially if you are looking at the whole war. The newer design with the more advanced equipement has a better shot at that title than the old standby that's been given upgrades for the duration.

In that regard the F7F saw service but not combat. How would you rate the night fighter version of it compared to the other planes mentioned?

 

I'm sure the F7F Tigercat would have performed extremely well, as would the Gloster Javelin ( or maybe the Mossie NF36 ) if they could have been developed in time....

Sorry, but as I've said many times before, 'What Ifs' just aren't my thing. The supreme nightfighting test of WWII ( and probably of all time ) was IMPO in the night skies over Continental Europe, and so my own interest is really just in the men and aircraft involved.

 

The heinkel HE-219 was undoubtedly the best night-fighter of the war.

 

On paper maybe

 

what nonsense, I.NJG 1 had the craft had the He and did not want to go back to the outdated Bf 110G-4. as for the Uhu being the best.............in a word..............Nope !

again a person would have to ask the crews. Martin B, was fortunate to have interviewed/spoken with one of I./NJG 1's pilots who thought the Uhu was outstanding. so maybe in the eye of the holder