What was the best "TurnFighter" of WW2

[Jase]

Not most kills, best pilots,or best guns.  Which plane would outturn everything out there coalt same E and all things being equal?  No jets...not sure if late German jets turned well anyway.  Thx ahead of time for your thoughts...

+Jase

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+Jase ^Nomads^ AH
Fly-Nomadic
"To Everything Turn..Turn..Turn"

[Ghosth]

Late war German jets didn't turn at all!

All around top fighter for T & B has to fall to the A6m series or Zero's.

However, the KI-43 (which carried only 2 mg's) could turn inside of the A6m's.

Zeke's as they are affectionatley called by those who love them can fly circles around almost any WWII plane.

Want to know more about IJN/IJA Aircraft, I suggest this page. http://www.skypoint.com/members/jbp/ijna/ijnaf.htm

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Maj Ghosth
XO 332nd Flying Mongrels


[This message has been edited by Ghosth (edited 04-03-2000).]

[funked]

Actually a Ki-27 or A5M could turn inside of a Ki-43 or A6M.  There was a fair amount of complaining by pilots when these two "heavy" fighters were introduced!

Don't forget the PZL P.11 or the Polikarpov I-15 and I-16 which could turn circles around any of the later planes.

Probably some others I am forgetting!

Basically as the war went on, everybody discovered that turning didn't win battles.  Speed, guns, armor, and more speed were more successful.  So all the great turnfighters were seen in the first couple of years of the war.

[MANDOBLE]

 

Originally posted by Jase:
... coalt same E and all things being equal

It depends on the speed and altitude. For example, for low speeds and lo alt, japs ki43 and Zeke can outturn anything. But german 190A8 can outturn any jap plane flying both at very hi speeds and lo alt. And german Ta152 can outturn any Zeke or Ki43 at very hi altitude.

Your question is very diffuse and the answer depends totally on the initial conditions of altitude and speed (same for both planes).

As a side note, remember that flying low'n slow to be able to turn on a dime is just becoming the most easy target of all.

[Ouch]

Well,

I'd go with a couple of the Japanese Float planes.  The Bi-plane Type 0 Observation plane (Not the Float Zero, that's an entirely different plane) was about as manouverable as any modern acrobatic plane.  Just not as strudy ;-)

Also, I do know the WORST turnfighter in WWII.  At least if you define fighter as "any aircraft used to for CAP or Escort Duties."

It's the B-17 (in various configs).

The B17E (either E or F) was used as a CAP fighter by US Carriers in the South Pacific in at least 1 instance.  They flew in from ground bases, and circled the carrier as CAP (I'm not making this up) to protect from Torpedo and Dive bombers.  

Luckily for all involved, no enemy planes showed up.

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Ouch out
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[This message has been edited by Ouch (edited 04-03-2000).]

[blur]

Hate to burst some bubbles but the Focke-Wulf Fw 61 was the best turnfighter of WWII.  

[humble]

According to Bob Hoover the best turning airplane in WW2 (at under 10k) was the P39. Based on it's unusual engine position the plane was capable (in his hands at least) of outturning anything including a zeke (not sure which flavor). Now I'm not certain he took early war birds into accout. According to what I've read the Curtiss Hawk was easily best turning early allied plane and the early Italian fiats (not sure which model) were best acrobatic planes overall.

[juzz]

The best turning RAF fighter was the "Stringbag".    

Although I think the Fi 156 "Storch" would definitely outturn anything with wings too.    

Erm: blur, the Fw 61(aka Fa 61) doesn't have fixed wings, or guns either...  

[This message has been edited by juzz (edited 04-03-2000).]

[MarkVZ]

I'd agree on the Storch, while not much of a fighter, it could probably turn on it's wingtip  

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Mark VanZwoll
33rd Strike Group

[Cleaner]

Hmm, Thought I-16 and Yak-3 were some of the best turners in WWII.......

[Sundog]

I'll say the Gloster Gladiator or the CR.42 Falco. Didn't they fight over Malta at the start of the War? Someone also mentioned the I-15. I have to go with the Biplanes for best turn radious.

For monoplane....probably a Hurricane,I-16, Nate, Claude(?), or P-39.

[funked]

I like Sundog's list.

[rfa]

The P.11c would have to be on the list - this plane's turning radius was only limited by the pilots endurance.  

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S/L rf-a,
No. 303 (Polish) Sqn
"Kosciuszko"
Royal Air Force
"Northolt Wing"

[LLv34_Camouflage]

Here's some suggestions:

Brewster Buffalo (Finnish export model)
I-153 Chaika
Stuka


Camo

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Camouflage
XO, Lentolaivue 34
 www.muodos.fi/LLv34

"The really good pilots use their superior judgement to keep them out of situations
where they might be required to demonstrate their superior skill."


[This message has been edited by LLv34_Camouflage (edited 04-05-2000).]

[BBGunn]

I'd still vote for the Ki-43 with its combat flaps down at speeds under 220 mph.   One problem with the P-39 was a tendency to go into a flat spin due to its center of gravity being affected by the mid-engine configuration.   On the opinion of a WW2 warbird mechanic I knew the P-39 was not very effective in battle with zekes or oscars.