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If you could fly a fighter plane in the Pacific, which one would you fly?

Discussion in 'War in the Pacific' started by islandhopper5372, Jul 23, 2009.

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  1. Biak

    Biak Boy from Illinois Staff Member

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    Based on information from someone who flew there (my Uncle), I'd go with the P-47. He described it as rock solid and easy to fly. The P-47's could take a pounding and "get you home in one piece". The P-51 was more nimble, had better visibility and longer range but survivability of the "Jug" let you return to fight another day. One more note: He was there to see Col. Kearby go against Bong in his P-38 in a head to head Dog-fight. After calling it a tie, they switched planes and using the others aircraft fought to a stalemate again. So goes to show it's not always the plane.
     
    Biak, Nov 25, 2009
    #41
  2. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Over water? P-38 only. "In God we Trust, in P-38s we return."
     
    OpanaPointer, Nov 25, 2009
    #42
  3. brndirt1

    brndirt1 Saddle Tramp

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    I would have to go with the "Corsair", first off because of its visual appeal, and second because its reliability matched the P-47, and exceeded it in performance. Here is a good site which compared the P-51 and the F-4U head to head:

    Goto:

    Chance Vought F4U-4 Corsair

    Besides, I'm ex-Navy and can't help myself in spite of my own father being USAAF!
     
    brndirt1, Nov 25, 2009
    #43
  4. syscom3

    syscom3 Member

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    Are you sure about that?
     
    syscom3, Nov 25, 2009
    #44
  5. formerjughead

    formerjughead The Cooler King

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    Can't land a P-38 on a carrier
     
    formerjughead, Nov 25, 2009
    #45
  6. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    That's another plus! ;)
     
    OpanaPointer, Nov 25, 2009
    #46
  7. formerjughead

    formerjughead The Cooler King

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    Good point
     
    formerjughead, Nov 25, 2009
    #47
  8. Hufflepuff

    Hufflepuff Semi-Frightening Mountain Goat

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    I would go with the Corsair if I were on a carrier, but if I were flying from a land airstrip I'd go with the P-38J.
     
    Hufflepuff, Nov 25, 2009
    #48
  9. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Tricycle landing gear beats a tail-dragger any day on the tarmac.
     
    OpanaPointer, Nov 25, 2009
    #49
  10. USMCPrice

    USMCPrice Idiot at Large

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    F4U Corsair, hands down.
     
    USMCPrice, Nov 26, 2009
    #50
  11. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Bent-wing devil vs. Fork-tailed devil. We need a fusion.
     
    OpanaPointer, Nov 26, 2009
    #51
  12. panzer kampf gruppen 6

    panzer kampf gruppen 6 Dishonorably Discharged

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    F4U Vought Cosair
     
    panzer kampf gruppen 6, Nov 26, 2009
    #52
  13. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    For those of you who have chosen the single-engine airplane, have you ever navigated solo over a thousand miles of empty water? You get very sensitive to the sound of the engine. My preference is always multi-engine planes, but especially over water.
     
    OpanaPointer, Nov 26, 2009
    #53
  14. USMCPrice

    USMCPrice Idiot at Large

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    That is an interesting point because one of the modern Marine Corps requirements for aircraft is multiple engines, because they fly over water.
     
    USMCPrice, Nov 26, 2009
    #54
  15. Karma

    Karma Member

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    I'd fly a J1N1-S Gekko night fighter. Either that or a late war Zero.
     
    Karma, Nov 26, 2009
    #55
  16. yellowtail3

    yellowtail3 Member

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    Which plane to fly... well, on the US/Allied side... any 2nd generation US fighter will do, with P-51 being last choice due to relative fragility & possible glycol leak. Hellcat, Corsair, Lightning, Thunderbolt - all are so much better than the opposition, just an embarrassment of riches. But since a choice has to be made... prob P-38 or F4U, knowing I'd be just as happy in a P-47 or F6F. P-47 wasn't needed so much, as it's forte was high-altitude performance, and the Japs didn't have anything that could fly high all that well. Alright... I'll take the Grumman, because then I'd be flying off a carrier, and so getting much better food & warmer rack than on some sandbox full of mosquitoes.

    On the Japanese side? I think I'd defect... it was that bad.
     
    yellowtail3, Nov 29, 2009
    #56
  17. A-58

    A-58 Cool Dude

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    I noticed that nobody wants to fly a glider. The army had two glider infantry regiments in the PTO....
     
    A-58, Nov 30, 2009
    #57
  18. Fallschirmjäger 1

    Fallschirmjäger 1 Member

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    Corsair for sure.
     
    Fallschirmjäger 1, Nov 30, 2009
    #58
  19. surfersami

    surfersami Member

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    The F4U-4 was probably the best single engine fighter of the pacific. It was fast, reliable, heavily armed and could carry more than the P-47. It was manuverable, and had it been put aboard carriers at the same time and in the same numbers as the F6F it would probably had matched it's kill ratio. The Marines who flew it loved it, I knew a Navy pilot who requested it over jets in Korea for ground attack missions.
    Being an ex-Navy guy it would be a first choice. But flying over water two engines sure makes you sweat less on long open water flights. The P-38 was also the moount for the two highest scoring aces the US had.
    Although, if "Gramps" Boyington would not have been shot down he would have been the highest scoring ace! He told me so at an airshow at NAS Lemoore in the 70's!!!
     
    surfersami, Dec 4, 2009
    #59
  20. coastwatcher

    coastwatcher Member

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    I would fly the F4U Corsair because I think they look cool. Also, Ba Ba Blacksheep (Blacksheep Squadron) was my favorite show growing up and the F4U was what Robert Conrad (Pappy Boyington) and the other members of the squadron flew. My overall choice, though, wouldn't be a fighter plane but the PBY Catalina. I think these are some of the greatest planes ever made.
     
    coastwatcher, Dec 10, 2009
    #60
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