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re: WWII Thread: Lesser known aircraft that you like
Posted on 4/5/16 at 11:47 am to Darth_Vader
Posted on 4/5/16 at 11:47 am to Darth_Vader
Messerschmitt ME 323
1
Posted on 4/5/16 at 11:47 am to Count Chocula
quote:
F4
In its day, best in the sky (with a correctly trained pilot)
One of the best fighters of the war. But it almost never got to earn that title due to early teething troubles when it was first introduced. It was so bad the Navy rejected it and gave it to the Marines instead....
quote:
The U.S. Navy received its first production F4U-1 on 31 July 1942, but getting it into service proved difficult. The framed "birdcage" style canopy provided inadequate visibility for deck taxiing. Even more seriously, the machine had a nasty tendency to "bounce" on touchdown, which could cause it to miss the arresting hook and slam into the crash barrier, or even go out of control. The long "hose nose" visibility problem and the enormous torque of the Double Wasp engine also created operational problems.
Carrier qualification trials on the escort carrier USS Sangamon, on 25 September 1942, caused the U.S. Navy to release the type to the United States Marine Corps.[39] Early Navy pilots spoke disparagingly of the F4U as the "hog", "hosenose" or "bent-wing widow maker".[40] After all, the U.S. Navy still had the Grumman F6F Hellcat, which did not have the performance of the F4U but was a far better deck landing aircraft. The Marines needed a better fighter than the F4F Wildcat. For them, it was not as important that the F4U could be recovered aboard a carrier, as they usually flew from land bases. Growing pains aside, Marine Corps squadrons readily took to the radical new fighter: The Corsair would always be more of a USMC fighter than a USN fighter. The type was declared "ready for combat" at the end of 1942, though only qualified to operate from land bases until carrier qualification issues were worked out.
LINK
Posted on 4/5/16 at 11:48 am to Darth_Vader
quote:
A World War II pilot is reminiscing before school children about his days in the army air corps.
"In 1942," he says, "the situation was really tough. The Germans had a very strong air force. I remember, " he continues, "one day I was protecting the bombers and suddenly, out of the clouds, these fokkers appeared.
(At this point, several of the children giggle.)
I looked up, and right above me was one of them. I aimed at him and shot him down. They were swarming. I immediately realized that there was another fokker behind me."
At this instant the girls in the auditorium start to giggle and boys start to laugh. The teacher stands up and says, "I think I should point out that 'Fokker' was the name of the German-Dutch aircraft company"
"That's true," says the pilot, "but these fokkers were flying Messerschmidts."
Posted on 4/5/16 at 11:50 am to JumpingTheShark
Posted on 4/5/16 at 11:51 am to seeinspots
It was based on the Horten 229 (Ho 229) prototype sorta kinda, the set designers then took liberties with it.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 11:53 am to soccerfüt
I think the Smithsonian (or someone) has at least one of these 229's in storage. I think it's in rough shape though.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 12:05 pm to JumpingTheShark
quote:
Kalinin K-7
I always found it interesting that even going back to WWI the Russians were on the forefront of heavy bomber development...
Ilya Muromets (WWI)
TB-3 (early 30's)
PE-8 (Late 30's - Actually had some during WWII)
But for some odd reason they never tried a real stratigic bombing campaign against the Germans. And they generally neglected their heravy bomber force throughout the war. Only when they got their hands on an interned B-29 did the Russians again produce a heavy bomber. Of course it was a direct copy of the Superfortress...
Tupolev Tu-4
Posted on 4/5/16 at 12:18 pm to chinhoyang
quote:
His favorite plane to fly (even better than an F4) was the Tigercat:
Saw a Tigercat at an air show when I was a kid, it's kind of hard to tell from photos just how massive those two engine's are, but they are huge.
One of my favorite prop planes.
Grumman Ironworks - Hellcat and Tigercat and Bearcat - Oh My!
WWII Warbird Engine Start Medley
I've always liked the De Havilland Vampire too.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 12:20 pm to Darth_Vader
quote:You've heard the story about the TU-4 Aviation Day '47 fly-over?
Only when they got their hands on an interned B-29 did the Russians again produce a heavy bomber. Of course it was a direct copy of the Superfortress...
Posted on 4/5/16 at 12:24 pm to soccerfüt
quote:
You've heard the story about the TU-4 Aviation Day '47 fly-over?
No. Please, do tell.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 12:32 pm to Darth_Vader
We knew that the Russians had three flying B-29s from the Pacific theater that were interned after WWII. Repeated requests by the US for the return of the planes were denied by the Soviets. Stalin had them reverse-engineered into the TU-4 and we knew nothing about it.
Fast forward to Aviation Day in August of 1947 when the Western press watched as three B-29 do a flyover. No big deal, everyone knew the Soviets still had them. And then immediately following those three was what seemed to be a fourth B-29 but it was really the first TU-4.
The shiite hit the fan at the new DoD.
Fast forward to Aviation Day in August of 1947 when the Western press watched as three B-29 do a flyover. No big deal, everyone knew the Soviets still had them. And then immediately following those three was what seemed to be a fourth B-29 but it was really the first TU-4.
The shiite hit the fan at the new DoD.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 12:45 pm to soccerfüt
Ah, OK. Yeah I can see how that would make the shite hit the fan.
But even with that, the B-29 was already dated as we had its replacement in the wings....
The B-36 Peacemaker
But even with that, the B-29 was already dated as we had its replacement in the wings....
The B-36 Peacemaker
Posted on 4/5/16 at 1:01 pm to Darth_Vader
In the spirit of the OP (after I got my obligatory paratrooper post in), I give you the Northrop P-61 Black Widow;
Posted on 4/5/16 at 1:04 pm to Darth_Vader
quote:What would have been cool is if they had shown a B-17 in that pic as well for further perspective.
The B-36 Peacemaker
Posted on 4/5/16 at 1:05 pm to Darth_Vader
We are poor little lambs who have lost our wayyyyyy.
The FG1 Corsair.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 1:09 pm to Wolfhound45
quote:
What would have been cool is if they had shown a B-17 in that pic as well for further perspective.
Here you go....
Posted on 4/5/16 at 1:11 pm to Darth_Vader
Speaking of the F4U, there's a 92-year-old retired Marine (20 year vet) pilot at the World War 2 Museum, Arthur Arceneaux. He flew the Corsair at Okinawa. I didn't realize Marine pilots could be carrier based until talking to him last month. Talking to him was the highlight of my visit, just blew me away.
Art's Story
Art's Story
Posted on 4/5/16 at 1:14 pm to alphamicro
My dad was good friends with a guy who was a Marine pilot in WWII. Had a couple shot out from under him, but I believe he gave as good as he got. Old dude was a trip, and could fix anything mechanical. I'm sure he had lots of practice on little patches of sand in the Pacific. One of the few war vets I have met who would actually talk about it.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 1:19 pm to Darth_Vader
Big fan of the Catalina myself.
I think the B-25 Mitchell, which is of course the bomber used in the Doolittle raid launched from the USS Hornet, is just a fine airplane.
Probably not a lesser known but since you didn't mention it, the F4U Corsair is pure awesomeness. Whistling Death.
I think the B-25 Mitchell, which is of course the bomber used in the Doolittle raid launched from the USS Hornet, is just a fine airplane.
Probably not a lesser known but since you didn't mention it, the F4U Corsair is pure awesomeness. Whistling Death.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 1:26 pm to Darth_Vader
quote:
The B-36 Peacemaker
The single biggest boondoggle in USAF history to date
Short synopsis: The new USAF wins a struggle with the USN over which service is dominant. The Air Force claims the B-36 made carriers obsolete. Truman backs the AF, cancels the USN's first supercarrier. This leads to the "Revolt of the Admirals".
Ironically, the B-36 never works. The engines used were designed to pull the aircraft forward. The B-36 mounts them in pusher configuration. As a result, the engines over heat, and fires were a constant issue. Also, the configuration caused a distinctive sound-wave that preceded the aircraft. Before the aircraft showed up, any potential enemy would have long been aware it was on the way.
Add to this, jet fighters were becoming common. The B-36 was helpless against them. The plane is never used in combat.
Fast forward to today, supercarriers are America's main weapon of choice...just as US Navy admirals predicted they would be.
This post was edited on 4/5/16 at 1:34 pm
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