old warrior

[mike siggins]

does any body know where the highest scoring airframe thats still surviving

[davebender]

I suspect some of our B52s have been dropping bombs for over 40 years. That must be close to the record for a combat aircraft.

[wheelsup_cavu]

I suspect some of our B52s have been dropping bombs for over 40 years. That must be close to the record for a combat aircraft.

Closer to 50 years.
The last B-52 was delivered in October of 1962.

This article is from June of 2005.
50th anniversary of B-52 delivery

This article is from March of 2008.
Upgraded B-52 still on cutting edge


Wheels

[GrauGeist]

Good question, Mike...

I wonder if any of the Bf109 or Fw190 aircraft of the Experten are still intact...those would be probably some of the higher scoring machines around as far as fighters go...

[riacrato]

They actually switched planes several times in their career. If any of the Finnish 109s or Buffalos still exist, that would be my bet.

[davebender]

Entered service with the USN and USMC during 1956. Some foreign nations still operate this aircraft.

[FLYBOYJ]

If we're talking air to air combat there's a number of Bf-109s in existence (not all flying of course).

List of surviving Messerschmitt Bf 109s - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

At the USAFA Steve Ritchie's 5 kill F-4 is on display as for bombers that saw combat you have Diamond Lil at USAF and Strawberry Bitch at the USAF Museums at Dayton Ohio.

There's a company in Colorado Springs restoring a P-38 that had a number of aces fly it.

[Airframes]

There's also the forward section of the B26 in the Museum of the Air Force, formerly the USAF Museum. Over 120 ops IIRC.
And, of course, Lancaster 'S for Sugar' in the RAF Museum.

[drgondog]

Joe - is it documented that he scored all five in the same F-4?

I would be so suprised that any LW aircraft of significance survived the scrap heaps, ditto Soviet MiGs etc or any US fighter prior to Vietnam..have no idea regarding Britain birds from WWI or II

One that might have survived is Toon's (?) from Vietnam as he was a national hero.

Another possiblity is Rickenbaker's Spad (if original) at Smithsonian.

I know the F-4 named Scat that I saw at DM last year was not original

[diddyriddick]

This is a link to a BF-109 G2 flown by Heinrich Ehrler, who is credited w/ 208 victories.

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