For us gun nuts, YB-40 escort bomber
B-17 with no bombs, massive amount of ammunition, and 20 50 Cals.

After all a failed experiment
Does well when escorting the fulled loaded bombers inbound, but after the bomber dropped their bomb load, the YB-40 was heavier, and cannot match the speed of the empty bombers exiting the target area.

bump for day shift

It WAS the baddest of the bad. Two thirds of all aircraft shot down in the Pacific were shot down by pilots driving the "Grinning Monster."

It's a little known fact that the Hellcat was EVERY BIT AS FAST AS THE CORSAIR in the main stage blower setting above 5,000 feet.

Short of it is that they utilized different airspeed indicating systems. The NAVY delivered a corsair to Grumman and told them to make up the speed difference. The speed difference was a bit of a mystery as both planes were similar in size and weight and had the SAME prop and the SAME engine.

It was discovered that when flying both the corsair and hellcat in formation at the SAME speed there was a difference in the indicated airspeed. Imagine a ford and chevy with the cruise control set at 55 in both cars, but the ford speedometer indicated 65.

Grumman copied the airspeed indicating system of the corsair and put it onto the hellcat and the speed difference was solved.

Source is an article written for flight journal magazine by Corky Meyer a Grumman test pilot. Title of the article was Corsair vs Hellcat.. Or, vice versa I forget. Either way if you can get hold of it it's a great read...Hog

I like them all but I'll take the P-38 as favorite.

F4U Corsair
























































 
 
 

My overall favorite is the ME Bf 109, however the Brewster Buffalo performed excellently in the hands of Finnish fighter pilots.

Well the P-51 is an awesome piece of equipment.

However in my opinion the best US fighter to see action in WWII was
the Corsair.

I had the oportunity to visit with one of the pilots at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum
in Addison, TX one day. He has flown all the major warbirds and prefers the Corsair.

Close runner ups would be the P-47N, P-38 and Hellcat.

For me personally, I would want to fly the P-38 because it's awefully nice to have two
engines.

I had to honor of shooting a pic of an old pilot and veteran of WWII and Korea

He wanted a portrait to put on his casket as he knew that his time was near (cancer)



He asked if it was ok to wear his wings and jacket and I said "No problem Les,

BTW, What was your all time favorite plane? (you flew)" (He crop dusted for 40 years)

Without hesitation he said the P-51D

He rattled off why the "D" model was superior and all and he then said "Why do you ask?"

I answered "Oh, I thought you might say the P-47" as I know he was flying at the tail end of WWII in Europe



The real reason I asked is I wanted to 'Chop the plane into the background without him knowing...

When he saw the finished image, I think the dust in the room may have gotten to him a little



I did not find out until later that he had passed but I understand this pic was on his coffin as he had requested



RIP Les A Warner  

Warhawk

I like that big durable R-2800 radial

...and these 3 had it.

GREAT story, thanks for sharing it.

P-51D