You think 51 better than the 38 huh?

[bkbandit]

Originally posted by Widewing


Besides, the F4U-1D can slap the snot out of either of them, should they attempt to turn with it.



Widewing

I hear that, i fight 38s and 51s with my f4u and just swing it around and put the guns on him.

38 v 51, thats a hard one. i would go mustang, ur faster a smaller target to hit, u have better views.  i have had fights in a 51 against 38s.when he turns and gives u that flat surface u have to hit somethin. BUt i have hit it and have seen the thing fly with one engine and still move like nothin happened.  I cant say whats better, its not one of those big match ups that come to mind like spit v 109, or hellcat v zero.  51 and 38 werent built to fight each other but in a fight between the 2 i go with mustang.

[Squire]

"No, the P-38 had MORE range than the P-51. PERIOD. First Allied fighters over Berlin? P-38's, on consecutive missions, the 55th FG on one, and the 20th FG on the other, before a P-51 ever graced the skies of Berlin. Weeks before a P-51 went to Berlin."

The Berlin missions were in March of 1944, by which time 4 FGs were using the P-51B.

Secondly, it wasn't a question of what USAAF fighter 1st flew over the capital, and I dont recall stating the P-38 was short ranged.

As far as ranges, there are endless quotes for both types, based on all sorts of different manifold and alt settings, combat range, ferry range, ect ect ect, so im not even touching that. Suffice to say, the P-51 easily outranged the P-47, and was comparable to the P-38, while being a single engined fighter.

Lastly, the choice for the Merlin P-51, as I said, was primarily its range, and the performance of its powerplant. Undoubtably there were other factors that convinced the USAAF to go with it as its primary type for the 8th AF Fighter Command.

[J_A_B]

"The only recorded 6 kill sortie in the USAF was flown in a P47."

I don't know about the P-47's service with the USAF (heh heh), but quite a few USAAF pilots had 6-kill sorties and one or two men scored 7 on a single flight.  
For the record for any American pilot, USN pilot David McCampbell shot down 9 Japanese with his F6F on a single mission (his wingman, Ens. Rushing, shot down 6 on that same flight).



P-51's could do basically the same job as the P-38 (debateable as to which is "better", but they were both quite capable).  However, the Mustang was cheaper and quicker to build, easier to supply, and easier to train pilots for.  While some individual pilots may understandably prefer the P-38, the choice to choose the P-51 is a no-brainer when you consider the issue on a large scale.  A single P-38 can't be in two places at once, but two Mustangs can.  The P-38 was just too expensive and complex for its own good.  


J_A_B

[Morpheus]

how this went from the P51 in AH vs the 38 in AH to real world bull**** is beyond me. Well, i guess its to be expected with this crowd.

[Mathman]

I agree with everyone in this thread.  The F6F is the best plane ever.

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by Mathman
I agree with everyone in this thread.  The F6F is the best plane ever.