Author Topic: A question of numbers? (related to P47, P51, P38...the German view......)  (Read 1792 times)

Offline gripen

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A question of numbers? (related to P47, P51, P38...the German view......)
« Reply #90 on: October 01, 2002, 04:40:33 AM »
Well, there is not much reason to start same old discussion again. Here is a thread  which contains pretty much information about the P-51 and P-38. And sources are claimed and mostly easily available, same can't be said about those P-38 fantasies...

gripen

Offline hazed-

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A question of numbers? (related to P47, P51, P38...the German view......)
« Reply #91 on: October 01, 2002, 07:59:34 PM »
there now, no mention of Lufftwabble or Luftwhiner or nazi etc and the discussion becomes one i enjoy participating in!

J_A_B thanks for mentioning that p51b vs p38j stuff. Something i wasnt quite aware of as most of my reading concerns RAF or LW info.Seems to me youre right in that we cant really always tell the context of the quotes from the various flyers.Perhaps had someone asked immediately after  'and what about over 25k' his view would have been different.Who knows? perhaps he indeed had little knowledge and was wrong, we can never tell.
All i did was merely type out some info from a book i was reading and throw it out to the BB community.

Capt, as you say, and from what ive read you are right that the American airmen were outnumbered the majority of the time but as you have pointed out the teething troubles of their machines was matched on the LW side.They too had horrendous troubles with parts,weapon systems etc etc.Im now pretty sure we all got off on the wrong foot here.And i know who i blame for the great majority of these threads that turn into name calling drivel.Its a small band of people who seem to take great pleasure in insulting people.

Id just like to state that in my opinion the LW failed miserably to do what my own country managed which is defeat a larger force with a superbly trained airforce.The battle of britain was similar in many ways to the air war that came only reversed.What i find annoying though is the dismissal of the ability of many of the LW flyers and machines.They like you said, were undoubtedly good pilots and whatever the reason they failed it should never be forgotten.If only to remind us that we , the brits and americans and others , faced a superbly trained,experienced and equiped air force.I have no problem reading all about what they achieved because deep down i realise the better they were the better we had to be to beat them.

When i see this over the top praise of machines we had, the constant belittleing of what they had, and im sorry but it does always seem to be Americans talking about the p51 or p38 or p47 etc, it tends to drive me up the wall :).I can accept a love for the machines because i too love the spitfire etc but its the blatent dismissal of others and the constant claim that only these machines won the war etc.It simply isnt true.They did help push the war further and further inland but the bombing campaign, just as the land war alone did not win the war.It was the whole thing, including in no small part what the Russians did,that eventually defeated the Germans.

ok i got a bit too deep but i think you understand what i mean.These idiots who come into these boards shouting 'the p51 won the war' really are the biggest fools our countries produce. :D
We should be able to listen to all information we find with an open mind.I for one have started to change my mind about the strength of the p38, for instance, through noticing more and more references to it being structurally sound and strong and so it should be for those who have a wrong idea of other aircraft.


Offline hazed-

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A question of numbers? (related to P47, P51, P38...the German view......)
« Reply #92 on: October 01, 2002, 08:16:52 PM »
btw after reading that thread again that gripen pointed to above a couple of posts, sheeeeeeesh capt virgil you know TOO much about the p38!! lol you need to get out in the fresh air :)

Offline Arlo

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A question of numbers? (related to P47, P51, P38...the German view......)
« Reply #93 on: October 01, 2002, 11:46:57 PM »
No way. Everyone knows a pair of B-29s won the war. :D

Offline Widewing

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A question of numbers? (related to P47, P51, P38...the German view......)
« Reply #94 on: October 02, 2002, 12:28:47 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by hazed-
ok looks respectable on the surface. and I truelly hope you are telling the truth about these contacts.


Stan Richardson, Art Heiden and Warren Bodie are all personal friends of mine. Stan and Art have contributed their time and photos to several magazine articles I have had published. Warren and I have co-authored numerous magazine pieces.

I can vouch for Virgil knowing each of them.

Heiden states, "I remember an amusing incident, Apr '44. We had run into a real mess and the Luftwafe was bouncing everybody. My flight had just been bounced, did the break, and the Luftwaffe kept on going. While I was on guard, I saw this other flight get bounced. While the rest of that flight did a halfhearted break, old tail-end Charlie's P-38 emitted a cloud of exhaust smoke (thought he had been hit), saw his nose come up and wrap up his turn. Before I could think, old #4 was in the lead of that flight. Impressed the hell out of me. Turned out to have been Fiebelkorn -- he was off to a good start."

And:

"Nov. 43, P-38Hs and P-51Bs beginning ops, find themselves in a climate environment none had experienced before and a superior opponent with 10 times the numbers. Forced to take the bombers to, over and withdraw them. Lucky to get half of what they had to the target after aborts/early returns. Sometimes as few as four fighters made it to target under attack continuously going and coming. Five minutes of METO power was planned into the profile. Meaning that if you fought over five minutes you wouldn't make it home. Remember, you were being bounced continuously."

So much for the Luftwaffe not attacking the escorts.....


My regards,

Widewing
My regards,

Widewing

YGBSM. Retired Member of Aces High Trainer Corps, Past President of the DFC, retired from flying as Tredlite.