P-51 Mustang or F4U Corsair - Aircraft of World War II

elmilitaro · 04-05-2006, 06:50 PM

Hey guys, which would ypu argue as the better plane in your eyes.

lesofprimus · 04-05-2006, 07:18 PM

Gotta be more specific than that elmil....

But.........

In anything except escort duties, the Corsair is my choice, hands down, no questions asked....

wmaxt · 04-05-2006, 07:35 PM

Long range Escort P-51. Anything else F4U-4, the 1D model is about equal in some ways but with less speed, less load capacity and less range.

wmaxt

Aggie08 · 04-05-2006, 08:18 PM

Is both a good answer? I'd give the mustang the looks award and give the corsair the edge on performance.

syscom3 · 04-05-2006, 08:45 PM

The P51 had better pilot visibility.

R988 · 04-06-2006, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syscom3

The P51 had better pilot visibility.

F4U could pretty much open the throttle and no care who was behind

I think I'd take the F4U if it's my butt on the line, they are pretty tough, might be a tad tricky to fly though, landing one on a carrier would be 'interesting' to say the least!

Nonskimmer · 04-06-2006, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aggie08

Is both a good answer? I'd give the mustang the looks award and give the corsair the edge on performance.

IMO, the Corsair takes the looks category and performance.
It was a tough mother that was as at home melting out hurt to Japanese ground troops as it was chopping up enemy fighters.

Quote:

Originally Posted by R988

...might be a tad tricky to fly though, landing one on a carrier would be 'interesting' to say the least!

In the beginning it was, but this was eventually dealt with. Modifications to the landing gear and British carrier experience with the Corsair helped to ease the difficulty.

Wurger · 04-06-2006, 08:55 AM

Hi !!!

[QUOTE=R988]F4U could pretty much open the throttle and no care who was behind

It is not true.I agree with Syscom3.The pilot visibility during a dogfight has a significant meaning.We should remember that in WW2 fighter attacks were mostly carried out from the Sun and others unexpected directions.Therefore,a pilot who wanted to avoid an enemy attack, should notice it as much as possible using his own eyes.Besides,speed of a nose-diving plane increased, so a target could avoid an attack if it could be faster at once and in significant value.If not,the pilot of a target aircraft had to see in advance that he was attacked.Without a visibility it wasn't possible.

elmilitaro · 04-06-2006, 09:01 AM

True.

Wurger · 04-06-2006, 09:26 AM

So,why the fighter pilots in WW2 could have their collar uniforms opened at the neck ?

lesofprimus · 04-06-2006, 09:39 AM

I agree with NS here 100%....

davparlr · 04-06-2006, 12:14 PM

Two fine warbirds. My comment of interest which probably, has no significance to the argument, is that the P-51 and the F4U actually fought against each other in combat. In 1969, in the "World Cup War", El Salvador and Honduras used both P-51 (albeit, the Cavalier P-51s with jury rigged gunsights) and F4U in combat. It seems an F4U shot down a P-51, but the same pilot then went on and shot down two F4Us, which tells more about the pilot than the capibility of the aircraft. An F4U was shot down by a T-28, which says,..... what??

FLYBOYJ · 04-06-2006, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davparlr

Two fine warbirds. My comment of interest which probably, has no significance to the argument, is that the P-51 and the F4U actually fought against each other in combat. In 1969, in the "World Cup War", El Salvador and Honduras used both P-51 (albeit, the Cavalier P-51s with jury rigged gunsights) and F4U in combat. It seems an F4U shot down a P-51, but the same pilot then went on and shot down two F4Us, which tells more about the pilot than the capibility of the aircraft. An F4U was shot down by a T-28, which says,..... what??

Col. Soto of the HAF got 3 aircraft.

My old neighbor gave him combat training, here's his plane...

Here's a Bio...http://www.au.af.mil/au/goe/eaglebios/98bios/soto98.htm

Nonskimmer · 04-06-2006, 12:52 PM

Interesting stuff, Joe.

Twitch · 04-06-2006, 01:37 PM

Well at least this isn't the bogus "which one could 'out dogfight' the other?" sillyness I've seen people taking seriously around here. I like both these planes depending on the mood I'm in. I'd certinly defend either as excellent due to their combat histories. And as the Air Force and Navy have laid down the requirements that make sense I'd go with- The P-51 in combat over land masses and the F4U for use over water against any enemy of the era.

04-05-2006, 06:50 PM	#1
elmilitaro Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 405	P-51 Mustang or F4U Corsair Hey guys, which would ypu argue as the better plane in your eyes. __________________ "And when he gets to heaven, To Saint Peter he will tell; One more marine reporting, sir- I've served my time in hell." A marine gravemarker on guadalcanal

04-05-2006, 07:18 PM	#2
lesofprimus Minister of Whoopass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Long Island Native in Mississippi Posts: 17,506	Gotta be more specific than that elmil.... But......... In anything except escort duties, the Corsair is my choice, hands down, no questions asked.... __________________ My IL2 Video Tribute to My Grandfather: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtzN5RuNNJk

04-05-2006, 08:18 PM	#4
Aggie08 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 1,013	Is both a good answer? I'd give the mustang the looks award and give the corsair the edge on performance. __________________ "I had ten rockets on board, and as I wasn't particularly fond of head-on attacks, I salvoed the whole lot at him. The rockets didn't hit him but but they must have scared the bejesus out of him, for he did a steep turn to starboard... I let him have the full blast, all eight fifty-calibers. I had never seen an aircraft completely disintegrate in the air the way this Me-110 did..." Bill Dunn, 406th Fighter Group Matt

04-05-2006, 08:45 PM	#5
syscom3 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 10,283	The P51 had better pilot visibility. __________________ "Pilot to copilot..... what are those mountain goats doing up here in the clouds?"

04-06-2006, 08:55 AM	#8
Wurger Siggy Master Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Poland Posts: 13,972	Hi !!! [QUOTE=R988]F4U could pretty much open the throttle and no care who was behind It is not true.I agree with Syscom3.The pilot visibility during a dogfight has a significant meaning.We should remember that in WW2 fighter attacks were mostly carried out from the Sun and others unexpected directions.Therefore,a pilot who wanted to avoid an enemy attack, should notice it as much as possible using his own eyes.Besides,speed of a nose-diving plane increased, so a target could avoid an attack if it could be faster at once and in significant value.If not,the pilot of a target aircraft had to see in advance that he was attacked.Without a visibility it wasn't possible. __________________

04-05-2006, 07:35 PM	#3
wmaxt Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 1,175	Long range Escort P-51. Anything else F4U-4, the 1D model is about equal in some ways but with less speed, less load capacity and less range. wmaxt

04-06-2006, 09:01 AM	#9
elmilitaro Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 405	True. __________________ "And when he gets to heaven, To Saint Peter he will tell; One more marine reporting, sir- I've served my time in hell." A marine gravemarker on guadalcanal

04-06-2006, 09:26 AM	#10
Wurger Siggy Master Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Poland Posts: 13,972	So,why the fighter pilots in WW2 could have their collar uniforms opened at the neck ? __________________ Last edited by Wurger; 04-06-2006 at 10:59 AM.

04-06-2006, 09:39 AM	#11
lesofprimus Minister of Whoopass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Long Island Native in Mississippi Posts: 17,506	I agree with NS here 100%.... __________________ My IL2 Video Tribute to My Grandfather: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtzN5RuNNJk

04-06-2006, 12:14 PM	#12
davparlr Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,486	Two fine warbirds. My comment of interest which probably, has no significance to the argument, is that the P-51 and the F4U actually fought against each other in combat. In 1969, in the "World Cup War", El Salvador and Honduras used both P-51 (albeit, the Cavalier P-51s with jury rigged gunsights) and F4U in combat. It seems an F4U shot down a P-51, but the same pilot then went on and shot down two F4Us, which tells more about the pilot than the capibility of the aircraft. An F4U was shot down by a T-28, which says,..... what??

04-06-2006, 12:52 PM	#14
Nonskimmer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 8,871	Interesting stuff, Joe.

04-06-2006, 01:37 PM	#15
Twitch Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: City of the Angels California Posts: 809	Well at least this isn't the bogus "which one could 'out dogfight' the other?" sillyness I've seen people taking seriously around here. I like both these planes depending on the mood I'm in. I'd certinly defend either as excellent due to their combat histories. And as the Air Force and Navy have laid down the requirements that make sense I'd go with- The P-51 in combat over land masses and the F4U for use over water against any enemy of the era. __________________

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