Historic Aviation > Warbirds
is the P-47 Thunderboltreally one of the most fear aircraft durin WW2
Ramon:
Hello all,
Just my input on the P-47 Thunderbolt ;)
In my opinion one of the true heroes of WOII. It was effective in air combat but proved
especially supreme in the ground attack role. With 8 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine
guns, up to 907 kg of bombs and 10 x 127 mm unguided rockets, was this massive
beast a true tank killer. And can be seen as the father of the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
With 1 Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59 twin-row radial engine producing 2,535 hp, and the
largest single-engined fighter, a real beast you could not f**k with. The P-47 Thunderbolt
just stood for ruggedness and dependability.
Regards, Ramon.
Webmaster:
I think because of the number deployed and kills achieved with it, it overshadows the success of the Hawker Tempest.
tigershark:
A little off topic but I've watch hundreds of WW-II documentary over the years and I'm puzzled by one thing I'm embarrassed I don't know the answer. It seem watching all the old films near the end of the war that the fighters began hitting trains and other targets on the way back. Was just because near the end of the war that American and England's aircraft numbers were so high? Why weren't fighters used that way the entire war? Seems like it would have work in 1942 and 1943 just as well even if just in France.
Ramon:
--- Quote from: Webmaster on September 15, 2007, 12:15:42 AM ---I think because of the number deployed and kills achieved with it, it overshadows the success of the Hawker Tempest.
--- End quote ---
Hello Niels.
Indeed also a very nice and effective aircraft, but I still find the P-47
a little bit more impressive and beautifull. And as you have stated
was this aircraft indeed not as much used as the P-47.
And with everything are a lot of aircrafts of WOII overshadowed by
other aircrafts. If you have to believe the media and some of the history
books, did only flew the P-51 Mustang and the Spitfire during WOII.
While also the P-38 Lightning, Hawker Hurricane and the Bell P-39
Airacobra played an important role during WOII.
Anyway, I love the sound of those golden oldie birds and for example the
Packard Merlin V-1650-7 liquid-cooled supercharged V-12 engines.
Regards, Ramon.
Webmaster:
--- Quote from: nonpilot on September 15, 2007, 02:27:16 AM ---A little off topic but I've watch hundreds of WW-II documentary over the years and I'm puzzled by one thing I'm embarrassed I don't know the answer. It seem watching all the old films near the end of the war that the fighters began hitting trains and other targets on the way back. Was just because near the end of the war that American and England's aircraft numbers were so high? Why weren't fighters used that way the entire war? Seems like it would have work in 1942 and 1943 just as well even if just in France.
--- End quote ---
Air dominance... in the early years the Germans had total control of the air space, this began to slip drastically in the final years. Fuel shortages, crippling German industry, and maybe leadership problems within the Luftwaffe as well probably also played a part. The range of allied aircraft had increased, giving them more time to fight, not just the new types, but also all the modified and new versions with all the bugs worked out and better engines. Also perhaps most important, the US war industry was really up to speed then and sufficient numbers were deployed to have aircraft available for these seek-and-destroy missions. Another thing is that the (RAF) aircraft were first needed to fight the battle in Africa, before moving to Europe's mainland, not much railroads there.
Alyster can probably tell you a lot more about it than me.
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