Best Aircraft in Many Different Roles Part II

[mosquitoman]

It would be a close one ut I'd take a Beau every time

[the lancaster kicks ass]

firstly the P-38 wasn't a heavy fighter, and secondly i'd take the beau as well, a huge punch and could take allot of damage..........

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

The P-38 may not have been a heavy fighter but this sure as hell is heavy eneough:

XP-38:
Four 23mm Madsen Cannon with 50 r.p.g.
Four .50 Colt-Browning MG 53 m.g. with 1,000 r.p.g.

YP-38: 37mm Oldsmobile cannon, two .50 and two .30 machine guns

P-38: 37mm Oldsmobile cannon and four .50 machine guns.

P-38E:
20mm Hispano M1 Cannon with 150 rounds
Four .50 Colt-Browning MG 53-2 m.g. with 500 rounds per gun.

P-38L:
20mm Hispano M2(C) Cannon with 150 rounds
Four .50 Colt-Browning MG 53-2 m.g. with 500 rounds per gun.

And now lets compare it to the Beaufighter and the Bf-110

Messerschmitt Bf 110 C-4/B

Armament:
Nose Fixed firing forward
Four 7.9mm MG 17 Machine Guns with 1,000 rounds per gun
And
Two 20mm MG FF Cannon with 180 rounds per gun

Rear Gun in flexible mounting in rear cockpit
One 7.9mm MG 15 Machine Gun with 750 rounds.

Messerschmitt Bf 110 C-5

Armament:
Rear Gun in flexible mounting in rear cockpit
One 7.9mm MG 15 Machine Gun with 750 rounds.

Messerschmitt Bf 110 D-3

Armament:
Nose: Fixed firing forward
Four 7.9mm MG 17 Machine Guns with 1,000 r.p.g.
And
Two 20mm MG FF Cannon with 180 r.p.g.

Rear Gun: In flexible mounting in rear cockpit
Two 7.9mm MG 15 Machine Gun with 750 rounds.

Messerschmitt Bf 110 G

Armament:
Nose: Fixed firing forward
Two 30mm Mk 108 Cannon with 135 rounds per gun
Two 20mm MG 151 Cannon with 300 rounds(port) and 350 rounds(starboard)
And
Two 20mm MG 151 Cannon in Schrage Musik installation (Firing Obliquely forward)
Or
Two 7.92mm MG 81 in rear cockpit

Optional:
Waffenwanne 151Z ventral tray housing two forward firing 20mm MG 151 cannon

ARMAMENT:
Four 20mm Hispano cannon fixed under nose.
Ammunition: 60 rounds per gun.*
*Initially hand loaded drums, later belt fed.
One .303 in. Vickers K aimed by observer.

Fighter Marks, in addition to above:
Four .303 in. Brownings fixed in starboard wing.
Two .303 in. Brownings fixed in port wing.

So with the exception of the Bf-110G, and some Fighter marks of the Bristol Beaufighter, the P-38's firepower was no different then either aircraft. The Bf-110 would outfly a Beaufighter and the P-38 would outfly both of them and the firepower was about the same. How about that.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

the beau would have no problem sticking with a Bf-110, she also had a supprisingly low wing loading and so was suprisingly manouverable.........

[evangilder]

One note on the 37mm armed P-38, it only carried 15 roounds! Not much ammo if the the fit hits the shan.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

and the beau could take more punishment than the P-38 and Bf-110..........

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

But they would still fly circles around the Beau.

[cheddar cheese]

The P-38 can take plenty of damage thankyou very much...

[the lancaster kicks ass]

but not as much as the beau.........

[cheddar cheese]

Probably not, but the P-38 is far faster and more manoeverable and therefore less likely to sustain damage,

[the lancaster kicks ass]

but if the beau can get a few shots on it it's got a good chance of taking the P-38 out...........

[cheddar cheese]

Thats the thing though - It couldnt get a good shot at the P-38. P-38's are quite tough you know, it would take more than "a few shots" to take it out, unless you wasted the pilot...

[the lancaster kicks ass]

yes but we are talking 4x20mm and 6x.303............

[cheddar cheese]

Im fairly sure the .303 would do pretty much bugger all. the 4x.50 and 1x20mm would easily cope with a Beau, and added to the the 100mph speed advantage, superior climb and dive rate, superior roll rate and superior manoverability and its almost certain that the P-38 would have it.

[Concorde247]

I seem to remember 618 sdn being formed with mossies to use a smaller version of the bouncing bomb against German battleships... Lanc said "anti tirpitzing" as a role for the mossie, i think this is what he meant .