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General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: oTRALFZo on August 29, 2025, 11:28:12 AM

Title: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: oTRALFZo on August 29, 2025, 11:28:12 AM
I have been watching many videos of the Pacific and Eastern sides and just wondered which, IF you had a choice one I would rather end up in. I am talking bomber, fighter (not Infantry)

It seems as though the Euro campaign had VERY skilled pilots on the German front and Flak for bombers were absolutely horrific. I have heard some stories towards the end of the war that the Luftwaffe secretly treated downed pilots much better than the Japanese did  (I heard bomber pilots on both fronts were the exception as all sides loathed them).

Which would you choose if you were to go back in time but not knowing the outcome of the war.
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: horble on August 29, 2025, 11:39:29 AM
It seems to me that being assigned to a 4 engined naval patrol aircraft operating in the Atlantic would probably the gig least likely to get you shot down but I don’t know where to look up survival rates so I expect someone who knows better will be around to tell me it was a death sentence  :D
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: Eagler on August 29, 2025, 12:10:06 PM
Chick's are better in Europe..

 :cheers:

Eagler
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: DmonSlyr on August 29, 2025, 12:16:42 PM
From a US perspective, either a P51D, P40 early on, and/or F4U. Fighter missions, not jabo, if I could choose. I'd fly the P47 too but not for jabo.

German plane would be the 109s for sure. Preferably probably the F model, and then g14 with goodies. ..

British- Spitfire for sure and then tempest later

Japanese - probably the a6m early and the Ki84.

Russian - la5/La7 probably

Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: Banshee7 on August 29, 2025, 12:30:41 PM
I think my plane choice is pretty obvious.  As to which front, probably the Pacific.  I hate cold weather.
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: AKKuya on August 29, 2025, 05:57:08 PM
Pacific Theater.  Stationed at Hawaii.  Enlisted Army Air Corps.  Beach Lifeguard assignment.

Beat that.
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: Canspec on August 29, 2025, 06:23:08 PM
It seems to me that being assigned to a 4 engined naval patrol aircraft operating in the Atlantic would probably the gig least likely to get you shot down but I don’t know where to look up survival rates so I expect someone who knows better will be around to tell me it was a death sentence  :D

Not four engine but two....the PBY's apparently lost about 11% during the war....not too bad....Early in my career I worked on a PBY in Canada that had a uboat kill in the war....also flew it once....its still flying around somewhere in the US....
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: Devil 505 on August 29, 2025, 06:24:12 PM
I'll follow the path my great uncle took.

US Navy PB4Y base on Bermuda.
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: Busher on August 29, 2025, 07:13:06 PM
Same as my father... mosquito night intrusions .. targets of opportunity.
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: whiteman on August 30, 2025, 12:38:10 AM
flying a cargo plane full of rubber dog $#!t out of Hong Kong.
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: uptown on August 30, 2025, 10:14:30 AM
 :rofl Whiteman

I used to like the idea of a ball turret gunner until I got educated on what that was actually like. Now adays I'm more into the PBY Black cats doing recon. A Storch pilot would be a good MOS too. I don't like getting shot at if I can help it.
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: Bolt on August 30, 2025, 01:00:03 PM
Was going to jump on the wagon with Banshee...but Kuya definitely got the right idea!  :cheers:
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: horble on August 31, 2025, 09:25:29 AM
Not four engine but two....the PBY's apparently lost about 11% during the war....not too bad....Early in my career I worked on a PBY in Canada that had a uboat kill in the war....also flew it once....its still flying around somewhere in the US....

That's awesome!  Good to see ya Gnat!  :salute
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: caldera on August 31, 2025, 09:48:05 AM
<-  In a Hellcat, flying top cover for the girls in Tahiti.

Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: LCADolby on August 31, 2025, 11:04:08 AM
Ground crew; I'd stand a better chance of survival. :old:
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: Captain Virgil Hilts on August 31, 2025, 12:20:37 PM
P-38, Europe as first choice, Pacific as second.
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: Oldman731 on August 31, 2025, 12:27:08 PM
Which would you choose if you were to go back in time but not knowing the outcome of the war.

I read Robert Johnson's book when I was in fifth grade.  From that time forward, I've thought that I'd like to have flown P-47s with the 56th Fighter Group.

- oldman
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: hazmatt on August 31, 2025, 12:41:47 PM
I'd be Hartmanns wingman. That way I know I'd survive :)
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: xanax on August 31, 2025, 01:16:57 PM
If I were a hairman, I'd have a small shop with maybe 3 chairs and open Wed. thru Sun. from 8am to 2pm. There'd be a good selection of magazines but no TV. We'd offer a shave and haircut only and first come, first served-no appointments.
The shop would be somewhere along the central California coast, preferably Big Sur area and the ocean can be seen through the front glass. Next door would be a small coffee shop that serves a nice sausage patty and eggs.

Oh "airman" you say? Oops. I'd fly for the Americans as you didn't have to "fly until you die" as the axis pilots did. I'm not sure if our allies such as the Brits or Canadians had mission limits such as we did. I'm fairly sure the Communists flew until they died as well.

I'd have liked a P-38 in the Pacific theatre.
Title: Re: If you were a ww2 airman
Post by: hazmatt on August 31, 2025, 01:32:28 PM
I'm fairly sure the Communists flew until they died as well.

I think the Japs did too.