P-51 Mustang (thread drift from the ACRO P-1 thread)

[VT1032]

Anyone know the relationship between the Corsair, P-47 and F6F?

Pratt & Whitney R2800...

There were actually a ton of planes and even some helicopters that used that engine, it turns out. You triggered my compulsive wikiapedia-ing...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_...p#Applications

[Robinson]

Man I've always loved the WWII fighters, and the Mustang is probably my favorite.

The Bearcat (F8F) was too late to see action, but it was a fantastic airplane.

Looks: Spitfire / P-51D
Performance: P-51D / F8F Bearcat
Ruggedness: P-40 / P-47
Old Faithful: F6F Hellcat

[TGS]

The Mustang was an okay plane, but nothing special. It's only real claim to fame was its range.

The F4F still smacked the shit out of the Japanese, the F6F absolutely raped them, and the P47, Hurricane, and Spitfire are what beat down the Germans. Let's not forget the P40, which was actually a pretty damn good fighter. The key was playing to their strengths and operating altitudes. These are the fighters that won the war. The P51 came in late when the war was already decided.

The P51 is like the FBI of fighters. As soon as PC is established (i.e. all the legwork is done), they come in and take over the case, prosecute, and take all the credit.

It's no secret that most aces who flew multiple platforms preferred other planes to the P51.

[UNM1136]

P-38, P-61, P-82. Is there a pattern forming??? Do I need help?

F-4U and P-51 both cool, too. Also like the P-47, F-6...

[Bere09]

P-51’s are exemplary but I’d take an F4U-4 over one any day.

This x1000. Corsairs were the sexiest WW2 fighters even though the Hellcat inflicted far more damage in the Pacific.

[TC215]

The Mustang was an okay plane, but nothing special. It's only real claim to fame was its range.

The F4F still smacked the shit out of the Japanese, the F6F absolutely raped them, and the P47, Hurricane, and Spitfire are what beat down the Germans. Let's not forget the P40, which was actually a pretty damn good fighter. The key was playing to their strengths and operating altitudes. These are the fighters that won the war. The P51 came in late when the war was already decided.

The P51 is like the FBI of fighters. As soon as PC is established (i.e. all the legwork is done), they come in and take over the case, prosecute, and take all the credit.

It's no secret that most aces who flew multiple platforms preferred other planes to the P51.

Yeah, I don’t know about all that. I know it’s cool to be “down” on P-51’s because people like them so much, but saying it was just an “okay” plane is a stretch. P-51’s had the most air to air kills out of any Allied fighter in the European theater, if I recall correctly.

I’ve not met anyone that hasn’t loved flying the P-51. I talked to a guy a couple weekends the go that currently flies a P-51 and a Corsair on the air show circuit, and he prefers the P-51 (Corsair has always been my favorite).

My grandfather started out in P-40’s, then got switched to B-17’s when there was a need for more bomber pilots. He was escorted quite a bit by P-51’s. The only P-51 related complaint he ever had was the lies that were perpetuated about the Taskagee Airmen. The plane he wanted to fly most, though, during the war was the P-47, but he never got to. Even towards the end of his life, he talked about wanting to fly the P-47.

I’ve been lucky and have been able to fly a few WW2 planes. I would jump at the chance to fly a Mustang.

[Robinson]

The Mustang was an okay plane, but nothing special. It's only real claim to fame was its range.

The F4F still smacked the shit out of the Japanese, the F6F absolutely raped them, and the P47, Hurricane, and Spitfire are what beat down the Germans. Let's not forget the P40, which was actually a pretty damn good fighter. The key was playing to their strengths and operating altitudes. These are the fighters that won the war. The P51 came in late when the war was already decided.

The P51 is like the FBI of fighters. As soon as PC is established (i.e. all the legwork is done), they come in and take over the case, prosecute, and take all the credit.

It's no secret that most aces who flew multiple platforms preferred other planes to the P51.

I don't know... I would argue that the P-51D was excellent in just about every way. It had range, good performance at both high and low altitudes, was dependable, and was good in a dogfight. The D model gave us total control of the skies over Europe. Units who wanted to keep their P-47s, also an excellent plane, probably felt that way out of pride in their Thunderbolts.

The F6F was definitely the scourge of the Pacific. I'm pretty sure it shot down more enemy aircraft than anything else in that theater.

[Wayne Dobbs]

Can we all agree that WWII produced the best looking and best performing fighters for the propeller era? I've always been fascinated with them and built most of the models of WWII warbirds as a kid in the 60s and 70s. They are a shining example of American exceptionalism in so many ways.

[Stephanie B]

OMG, buy a hundred Mustangs! Keep em in a hangar and sell ‘em 50 years later and make a killing!


Sorry, back on topic now.

Buy 100 Spitfires or Hurricanes, instead.

I’d like to have a F6F, the Zero Killer. Or a P-47. But I can’t fly anymore (medical), so it’s just dreaming.

[Redhat]

The Mustang was an okay plane, but nothing special. It's only real claim to fame was its range.

[COLOR="#FF0000"]- Uhm just no...speed, performance, firepower and range. The P-51 came in at a time when it was sorely needed as bombers were being decimated because the current crop of fighters could not maintain coverage on missions due to lack of range. The only "weakness" I ever heard of was the liquid cooled engine that if the cooling system got hit, it was out of the fight.
This made it slightly less suitable for ground attack missions./COLOR]

"The F4F still smacked the shit out of the Japanese"
The F4F was pretty well outclassed by the Zero which was the reason for introducing the F6F wasn't it?

"The P51 came in late when the war was already decided."
Disagree here, the Mustang decided the air war and put the nails in the coffin of the Luftwaffe