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Top Ten Fighters

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19 June 2008, 14:50
TrapperP
Top Ten Fighters
We recently ran a thread here about the "Best" fighter of WWII I beleive and thought it worthy of note that the Military Channel is running series of "Top Ten" things, one of which is the Top Ten Fighters.
Thought you might find this interesting.

Top Ten Fighters:
1 - P51D Mustang
2 - F15 Eagle
3 - F4 Phantom
$, % Tie between the F86 Sabre and the MiG 15
6 - Spitfire
7 - ME262
8 - Sopwith Camel
9 - Harrier
10 - F22 Rapture
The list was developed with a set of data that referenced such things as innovation, length of service, armamant, fear induced facctor, etc.
I still wonder how you could produce such a list, rank the Mustang as no. 1 and not even have the P47 on the list?
Anyone have any comments here?

If you ain't livin' on the edge, you're takin' up too much space...

trapperP
19 June 2008, 21:05
MyNameIsEarl
While I am not a pilot I enjoy learning about planes and their history. I am not sure who did the Top 10. But I have serious issues with that curly headed idiot from Britian. I agree that the P-47 should be in there. There top 10 combat rifles show was just as bad.
19 June 2008, 22:35
ireload2
quote:
Top Ten Fighters:

1. F4U
2. P-47
3. P-51
4. P-38
5. F6F
6. P-40 tie
6. Spitfire
7. BF-109
8. A6M
9. Hurricane
10.FW-190

Ranked in order of bringing my butt back.
The ME-262 would never make the list.
19 June 2008, 22:44
TrapperP
quote:
Originally posted by ireload2:
quote:
Top Ten Fighters:

1. F4U
2. P-47
3. P-51
4. P-38
5. F6F
6. P-40 tie
6. Spitfire
7. BF-109
8. A6M
9. Hurricane
10.FW-190

-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>
Interesting list, interesting order of rank - but you left out one very important aircraft. The Me262 would have to be on any such list; I think the Me262 and the B747 were the two greatest single advances in the history of aviation - just my own opinion.


Lord, give me patience 'cuz if you give me strength I'll need bail money!!
'TrapperP'
19 June 2008, 23:05
Macifej
Single Piston Engine Fighters...

1) Sea Fury
2) FW190D
3) P-51D

Other
20 June 2008, 09:46
jetdrvr
quote:
Originally posted by TrapperP:
quote:
Originally posted by ireload2:
quote:
Top Ten Fighters:

1. F4U
2. P-47
3. P-51
4. P-38
5. F6F
6. P-40 tie
6. Spitfire
7. BF-109
8. A6M
9. Hurricane
10.FW-190

-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>
Interesting list, interesting order of rank - but you left out one very important aircraft. The Me262 would have to be on any such list; I think the Me262 and the B747 were the two greatest single advances in the history of aviation - just my own opinion.


Don't forget the DC-3/DST, singularly the most revolutionary airplane ever built. The Plane that Changed the World. And still is.
21 June 2008, 00:51
namibiahunter
My top ten list:

Vought F4U Corsair
Supermarine Spitfire
Fokker D.VII
Hawker Hurricane
North AmericanP-51 Mustang
Messerschmitt Bf-109
MiG-21 "Fishbed"
North AmericanF-86 Sabre
Mitsubishi A6M Reisen "Zeke" and "Zero"
Grumman F-14 Tomcat

I chose those because of the impact they had in the war theatre that they fought in.

Namibiahunter



.
24 June 2008, 11:36
jetdrvr
The P-38 deserves a spot near the top. The two leading American aces of WW II, Richard I. Bong and Tommy McGuire, were P-38 drivers. Bong had 40 kills and would have gotten more, but they pulled him out and gave him the Medal. The P-38 accounted for Admiral Yamamoto, also. McGuire was killed in a stall/spin. Bong later died at the ripe old age of 26 after a flameout while testing the F 80.
26 June 2008, 08:48
surestrike
History tells us that it is the one that the most experienced talented pilot is flying on that particular day.

It seems that in a visual fight that instructor pilots at top gun and red flag flying A-4s and other ancient out dated fighters regularly wax the asses of our young jocks flying much more capable airframes.

Something about age and treachery I believe. Wink



29 June 2008, 03:48
jetdrvr
All true...
29 June 2008, 07:54
ireload2
quote:
Originally posted by surestrike:
History tells us that it is the one that the most experienced talented pilot is flying on that particular day.

It seems that in a visual fight that instructor pilots at top gun and red flag flying A-4s and other ancient out dated fighters regularly wax the asses of our young jocks flying much more capable airframes.

Something about age and treachery I believe. Wink


Not quite true.....
One characteristic of fighter aircraft is greatly underrated by many that glorify the attack. The ability to absorb battle damage is often the deciding factor.
There are many accounts of Axis pilots that turned away from head to head passes against US radial engine planes and the P-40.
Saburo Sakai mentioned that he knew of only 2 Japanese pilots that survived dogfights against both the Mustang and the Hellcat.
The Japanese in particular suffered because their AC did not take battle damage well.
29 June 2008, 16:31
hardin284
F-14
26 July 2008, 00:15
DB Bill
The big advantage the P-51 had over all of it's rivals was exteneded range that allowed it to escort B-17's deep into Germany....without the P-51's extended range it might have been a much longer war.


DB Bill aka Bill George
30 July 2008, 08:02
ireload2
quote:
Originally posted by Macifej:
Single Piston Engine Fighters...

1) Sea Fury
2) FW190D
3) P-51D

Other


Mac
I think all your choices Big Grin have more than one piston.
30 July 2008, 14:55
jvw375
I think the French Mirage III should be in there as well. In Israeli hands it shot down more Mig's and Sukhoi's than either the F-15, F-16 or F-4.

We used them pretty succesfully over Angola a few years back as well.

One of the most elegant aircraft ever built, in my opinion.
30 July 2008, 19:19
Montana Maddness
Well I'm no pilot, but I love aircraft and have read a bit about warbirds. It seems to me that the F14 Tomcat would have been on everyones list had they ever let it be used up to it's full capibilities.
Also the F16. Awsome as far as a pure fighter goes.
MM


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.../watch?v=qVQc386js7g

www.setfreesoldiers.com
www.soldiermade.com


Montana Maddness
Set Free Ministries MT.

7 days with out meat makes one Weak!
01 August 2008, 17:03
Elie Kopter
My list, any order

Lockheed P-38 Lightning
Supermarine Spitfire
Vought F4U Corsair
Hawker Hurricane
North AmericanP-51 Mustang
Messerschmitt Bf-109
Dewoitine 520
North AmericanF-86 Sabre
Mitsubishi Zero
Messerschmidt ME 262
Grumman F-14 Tomcat
Dassault Mirage III
Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker