Best (single engined) fighters of WWII

[parsifal]

Doesnt the Me 262 actually have two engines. isnt this the best Single engined Fighters of WWII?

[Juha]

Uups!
Hello Parsifal
I stayed up too long last night, I corrected my mistake.

Juha

[lesofprimus]

Maybe if someone would post up the options for each year that were competeing against each other...

[drgondog]

It also briefly occurred to me that from late 1943 to EOW that the F4U may be the best single fighter because it could perform basically all he fighter roles very well - except very high altitude interception.

Escort, carrier/land based fleet defense and attack, fighter bomber, recon, night fighter.

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by lesofprimus

Maybe if someone would post up the options for each year that were competeing against each other...

Dan - your new avatar looks suspiciously like an A-10 or AC-130 victim who felt safe taking a midnight stroll? in a 'no stroll' zone?

[Marcel]

Originally Posted by parsifal

Doesnt the Me 262 actually have two engines. isnt this the best Single engined Fighters of WWII?

you're right

[MikeGazdik]

Originally Posted by drgondog

Dan - your new avatar looks suspiciously like an A-10 or AC-130 victim who felt safe taking a midnight stroll? in a 'no stroll' zone?

Im goining with AH-64 Apache.

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by MikeGazdik

Im goining with AH-64 Apache.

The low relative angle (if taken from a/c rather than an observing designator/shooter) suggests you might be right but that concentration looks like 30mm HEI

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by drgondog

The low relative angle (if taken from a/c rather than an observing designator/shooter) suggests you might be right but that concentration looks like 30mm HEI

I did not get to see the avatar, but the AH-64 uses 30mm HEI.

Hughes M230 Chain Gun can use 3 different kinds of rounds:

-M788 Target Practice (TP)
-M789 High Explosive Dual Purpose (HEDP)
-M799 High Explosive Incendiary (HEI)

Believe it or not, I actually saw an Apache that was giving us fire support on an air assault open up on a moving target (a motor boat in the water) with his 30mm and completely miss the target.

Sorry to keep this offtopic, carry on with the original discussion...

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

I did not get to see the avatar, but the AH-64 uses 30mm HEI.

Hughes M230 Chain Gun can use 3 different kinds of rounds:

-M788 Target Practice (TP)
-M789 High Explosive Dual Purpose (HEDP)
-M799 High Explosive Incendiary (HEI)

Believe it or not, I actually saw an Apache that was giving us fire support on an air assault open up on a moving target (a motor boat in the water) with his 30mm and completely miss the target.

Sorry to keep this offtopic, carry on with the original discussion...

Chris - good info. I actually thought the AH-64 had a 25mm Chain Gun. That chin mount, however, like the Cobra, is not the most stable base for precision fire - in comparison to A-10.

I fired the 20mm on the AH-1J chin mount and was unimpressed with inherent accuracy... and suspect the AH-64 not much better.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by drgondog

Chris - good info. I actually thought the AH-64 had a 25mm Chain Gun. That chin mount, however, like the Cobra, is not the most stable base for precision fire - in comparison to A-10.

I fired the 20mm on the AH-1J chin mount and was unimpressed with inherent accuracy... and suspect the AH-64 not much better.

It is actually very very accurate (I think the case I was talking about was a fluke). I sent you a PM though, since I do not want to continue to derail this thread.

[Amsel]

I would vote for the Me 109 G6 A/S.

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by Amsel

I would vote for the Me 109 G6 A/S.

over an Fw 190A8?

[Amsel]

I'm partial to the Me109. The G6/AS was the best variant in my opinion. I do like the Fw 190A8 the second best.

[Clay_Allison]

I could never vote for the 109. Everything I've read about the landings is borne out watching oen take off and land. It would scare the crap out of me. That sadly goes for the F4U as well.

I think most of the problems with the 109's accidents are due to operation from unimproved runways when they weren't meant to be, but if I want to talk about the greatest fighter, I want one that can be operated anywhere.

I have more emotional connection to a half dozen fighters than I have to this one, but time after time the P-51 comes at me as all around good in every prossible category. As much as I hate the concensus in anything, it's just the runaway best. It had the ceiling, speed, range, firepower, durability, turning ability, mass-production readiness, climb rate and lack fo bad habits that made it ridiculously well balanced.

Of all the things that impress me about the Mustang though, as an enemy commander I would most fear its' range. It could show up anywhere and give you hell and make it home with a few gallons left in the tank as it taxied in. That is devastating.