Was the P-47 A good Dogfighter?
He would go on to shoot down 28 enemy aircraft to become America’s top ace in Europe. All of the kills would come at the controls of the P-47, one of the most rugged fighter planes of the war. It was unparalleled as a ground-support aircraft and it was also a great dogfighter.”
What was the most durable plane in ww2?
For instance, there is evidence to suggest that the aircraft often mentioned as the most rugged of World War II—the B-17—was, in fact, stouter than its stablemate, the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. “The B-17 had a huge wing,” says archivist Dan Hagedorn of the National Air and Space Museum.
Was the P-47 a good plane?
The P-47 proved to be a formidable fighter-bomber due to its good armament, heavy bomb load and ability to survive enemy fire. The P-47’s survivability was due in part to its radial piston engine, which unlike comparable liquid-cooled engines, had a high tolerance for damage. The Thunderbolt’s eight .
What was the range of a P-47?
801.6 mi
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt/Range
Both had a top speed of around 440 mph (700 km/h). And while the P-47 could reach altitudes in excess of 40,000 feet (12,000 meters), its range of just over 800 miles (1,300 km) gave it half the legs of the P-51.
Who was the best pilot in ww2?
Top Image: Major Richard Bong courtesy of the US Air Force. Known as the “Ace of Aces” for his rank as the top American flying ace during World War II, Major Richard Ira Bong is credited with the downing of an impressive confirmed total of 40 enemy aircraft over the course of his career as a fighter pilot.
How many planes did the P-47 shoot down?
In the European Theater, P-47 pilots destroyed more than 7,000 enemy aircraft, more than half of them in air-to-air combat.
How many planes did the p47 shoot down?
Which plane shot down the most planes in ww2?
The number 1 is no surprise: the North American P-51 Mustang. Often and usually considered the best fighter of the war, the P-51 was a game-changer for Allied forces. Employed as a long-range bomber escort, the P-51 was unmatched by German planes, especially at high altitudes.
What was the fastest ww2 plane?
Messerschmitt Me 262
With a top speed of 540 mph, Germany’s Messerschmitt Me 262 was by far the fastest fighter of World War II. It was powered by jet engines, a new technology that was not always reliable. Still, the streamlined Me 262 looked—and behaved—unlike anything else in the skies over Europe, and Allied pilots initially feared it.
Which pilot shot down the most planes in ww2?
While serving in Germany’s Luftwaffe in World War II, Erich Hartmann flew more than 1,400 missions in the Messerschmitt Bf 109, enabling him to score an astonishing 352 kills.
Was the American p47 better than the German P51?
It is on par, if not better due to it’s armament than the P51. But it was in far too small numbers to be a decisive factor in the war. So no. The P47 and P51 were not technically better than the german planes. In one on one combat, an experienced luftwaffe pilot would always triumph.
Why do we hate the P-51 so much?
The P-51 was something else. It was an awful antagonist, in the truest sense of that word and we hated it. It could do everything we could do and do it much better. First off, it was hard to recognize. Unless you saw it from the side, it looked like a 109.
Why was the P-47 so popular with pilots?
The P-47 was a popular plane with pilots. Not only was it capable of absorbing staggering amounts of punishment, the cockpit was roomy and comfortable. Some fliers likened the aircraft’s seat to a lounge chair. Plus, the bubble canopy, which was added to D-model variants, afforded aviators enhanced visibility.
Why was the P-51 Mustang so important in WW2?
WITH ITS SLEEK LINES, nimble handling and lightning-fast speed, the North American P-51 quickly became a symbol of American air power in World War Two. And although the Mustang certainly helped win control of the skies over Europe and the Pacific, it was the less glamorous Republic P-47 Thunderbolt that was the real workhorse of the Allied victory.