The German Spitfire

[1K3]

The Germans were so close to have Spitfire-like planes in their service but the 109 was picked, for political reasons...

The Axis users such as the Spaniard Garcia Pardo had put it, " [He 112] is the Rolls-Royce among aircraft with the wrong engine".

The air war would have been VERY different if they had this plane...




 

[Lusche]

Originally posted by 1K3

The air war would have been VERY different if they had this plane...
 

I doubt that. Different, maybe. But VERY different? No. BOB would still have been lost, Britain would still not have been invaded and the allied bombing campaign 43-45 would have been the same.

[Raptor]

How was it's range compared to the 109? Top speed?

If it had longer endurance to stay over the fight then BoB might have very well turned out different.

[1K3]

Originally posted by Lusche
I doubt that. Different, maybe. But VERY different? No. BOB would still have been lost, Britain would still not have been invaded and the allied bombing campaign 43-45 would have been the same.

The result is still going to be an allied victory.  But an He 112 with Benz engine would have been a bit more competitive against the spitfire.

[Viking]

I agree with 1K3, the air war would have been VERY different if they had this plane. The LW would have lost even more spectacularly. The Messerschmitt won because it was significantly faster than the 303 mph Heinkel 112.

[humble]

in the world at its introduction. The problem isnt (wasn't) one plane being "picked"....but the fact that it was picked to the exclusion of all other development. The He-112 had certain significant advantages over the 109....canopy design and landing gear design to start with. The He-112 was actually the pre competion "favorite" but was handily out performed by the 109.

The real question is why the He-100 (which was clearly superior to the 109) was never put into production. It was the fastest prewar fighter in the world (413 mph). The plane was considered "similiar" to the 109 and the 190 was chosen for production. In the end this is particular decision is widely regarded as the single seed from which the destruction of the luftwaffe began. In the end leaving the germans with no primary fighter aircraft of current (meaning post 1939) design. Had the Germans simply moved beyond the 109 they would have been fielding significantly better planes in 1943 and beyond. So the real focus in on the lack of evolution, not the decision to chose the 109 at one particular moment. The fact that the 109 was clearly inferior to all 3 "late war" Italian fighters" shows how stagnant german development was (outside of the 262/163).

[Krusty]

The He-112 was more manuverable in tight turns, however it had other failings, including a complex wing shape and a more difficulties in production, as well as (if I recall) some problems pilots didn't like in the handling it showed during the  Spanish Civil War. Despite the politics at hand, I'm of the opinion that the 109 was the better aircraft, and the right choice was made for the wrong reasons.

[Krusty]

Originally posted by humble
The real question is why the He-100 (which was clearly superior to the 109) was never put into production. It was the fastest prewar fighter in the world (413 mph).

You forget, though, that they designed the He100 for speed. The record breaker was unarmed, using an experimental engine, and using surface cooling (no drag from a radiator). Even with production changes including retractable radiators under the fuselage, the wing loading was extremely high for the time (higher than the 109), the handling wasn't very good, as it was designed for speed above all (that elusive but coveted world speed record, my how the German aircraft companies fought and bickered for it!).

I don't even think the production models were armed, as there were only 13 made.[edit: 3 D-0s for japan, and 10 for propoganda] None saw combat, as they were only used as a propoganda display.


"In the end this is particular decision is widely regarded as the single seed from which the destruction of the luftwaffe began."

Hrm.. interesting... as I've never heard that before. Ever. From any source.

Most cite the 109 as being the true power behind the LW, and how the BOB was the start of the end.

[Lusche]

Originally posted by humble
[B . In the end this is particular decision is widely regarded as the single seed from which the destruction of the luftwaffe began.[/B]

Never heard such thing before.

[B@tfinkV]

that hunk of junk looks more like the bastard child of a C205 and an F4U.


to liken its image to the most beautifully crafted and attractive aircraft of all time is little less than an insult.

[Krusty]

You spitdweeb, you...

[1K3]

Originally posted by B@tfinkV
that hunk of junk looks more like the bastard child of a C205 and an F4U.


to liken its image to the most beautifully crafted and attractive aircraft of all time is little less than an insult.

Just admit, it's as attractive as the Spitfire (TM)

[B@tfinkV]

I will never relent!!1!!1


!!

1

[Sled]

Originally posted by B@tfinkV
that hunk of junk looks more like the bastard child of a C205 and an F4U.

I have to agree, when I saw the pictures, first thing I said to myself was.

that a 205 variant?

to liken its image to the most beautifully crafted and attractive aircraft of all time is little less than an insult.

P-51 was better looking, so was the F-4U for that matter.

[B@tfinkV]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGH


WE MUST PURGE THIS FORUM OF THE FILTHY HEATHEN SCUM!!!!!!















"there there, its ok precious, the nasty man doent know what he is saying, he will repent as we burn him at the stake, there there sweetheart...........whats that you say?......you love me?......i love you too precious, i love you too.."