What is your favorite World War 2 fighter?

[Mathman]

Hello all, I was just curious as to what everyone's favorite World War II fighter is.  I am not asking what is the best, just what is your favorite and why.

I'll get this started.

Favorite: F6F Hellcat

Why:  Tough to say why.  Its not the prettiest plane.  Not the greatest in the performance department.  It just has a certain elegance of purpose to it.  It was arguably the greatest carrier fighter of all time.  To me, someone very interested in naval aviation, it is tough not to like it.  I think the hook really got set though, when I got to sit in one when I was in high school.  I dunno, just one hell of a plane that came along at the right time.

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"Any American fighter near Orote Penninsula.  I have forty Jap planes surrounded and need a little help."
-Ens. W.B. "Spider" Webb during the Marians Turkey Shoot

[Nath-BDP]

Fw 190 A/D/Ta 152

Looks mean, tons of Rüstaze, alot of guns... what else could you ask for?

   

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Geschwaderkommodore JG 54
"Grünherz"

 

Aces High Scenario Corps

[This message has been edited by Nath-BDP (edited 08-11-2000).]

[popeye]

P-40

Looks cool, and has a "winning against the odds" history.  Guess I just side with the underdogs.

Also, was one of my favorite WB rides.

popeye

[Ripsnort]

P61 Black widow, followed closely by F4U.

Oh, saw one at an airshow in Minnesota at age 3.  Been in love  with the ugly thing ever since.

I might add, that at age 5, my dad took me to the airport (we lived in Minnesota) where I saw my first 727 Boeing Jet. I told him that I was going to work for Boeing at age 5.  Guess where I work?   Hired in at 18 years old, the very first production part I worked on was a spares order for a 727.  



[This message has been edited by Ripsnort (edited 08-11-2000).]

[Beefcake]

B25J Special Model, with the 12X50s package in the nose. I also love the F6F Hellcat too.

[Karnak]

Spitfire MkXIV.  No question about it.

 

Sisu
-Karnak

[ra]

Jug, all other planes are pretenders.

ra

[miko2d]

 Black Widow? A fighter? Since when did a large multicrew plane with moveable offensive armament and maneuverability of a medium bomber was considered a figher?
 An interceptor, a "night figher" (along with Ju-88), a gunship - yes.
 A very interesting exotic plane. A welcome addition to the AH, if ever.
 But not a "pure" figher any more then Ju-88 was.

 Germans and Japanese could have used that one against the allied bombers. What did allies needed it for? Why did they bother to produce it? Porc barrel appropriations?

 I-16 is a very nice and interesting plane. It had an amasing maneuvrability, considerable speed for its time and multiple cannon armament years before others abandoned their low-caliber peashooters.

miko--

[This message has been edited by miko2d (edited 08-11-2000).]

[easymo]

KI 84

[Downtown]

 

Quote from Claire Lee Chenault commander of the American Volunteer Group in Burma and China from Aug 1941 (First Combat Dec. 20 1941) through disbandment on July 4, 1942.

"Looks mean as hell!"

Same as Popeye, it wasn't the fastest, best turner, prettiest, or most devistating.  But it was there when it was need and a did all the work that the folks in their pretty ponies disdained.

Like the I-16 it's pilots occasionally rammed other aircraft when they ran out of ammo.

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"Downtown" Lincoln Brown.
    lkbrown1@tir.com    
 http://www.tir.com/~lkbrown1
Wrecking Crews "Drag and Die Guy"
Hals und beinbruch!

[JoeMud]

 

Ditto

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"..he shoots fire out of his eyes and lightning bolts out of his arse..."

[Lephturn]

Jug  Jug  Jug  Jug.

It's Big.  It's Bad.  It has lots of big guns.

It has a big engine.  It's fantastically tough.

The jug is the best BnZ ride in the allied arsenal, hence it is my favourite.

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Lephturn - Chief Trainer
A member of The Flying Pigs  http://www.flyingpigs.com


"My P-47 is a pretty good ship, she took a round coming 'cross the Channel last trip.
Just thinking 'bout my baby and lettin' her rip, always got me through so far."
 - Steve Earl

[Ripsnort]

Joemud! Hey,!!  How's the AH hold-out going?  Withdrawls? Shakes?  

[Duckwing6]

F4U-1D

Stood next to one when he fired up that engine .. was hooked from then on.

[HABICHT]

109, all variants!

the fighter of all fighters