 | ...searching for the best USAAF interceptor...| Aviation Discuss ...searching for the best USAAF interceptor... in the World War II - Aviation forums; Actually, the USAAF had little use for an hi alt interceptor, but assume because of some strange reasons the USAAF ... |
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07-07-2006, 02:22 PM
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#1 | | Senior Member
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| ...searching for the best USAAF interceptor...
Actually, the USAAF had little use for an hi alt interceptor, but assume because of some strange reasons the USAAF would need a hi alt interceptor by mid 1943 t deal with heavy bombers. Which would You choose for this role?
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07-07-2006, 02:26 PM
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#2 | | Senior Member
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| The P38 of course. Thats what it was designed for in the first place.
In 1945, I bet the F4U-5 would have been even better.
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07-07-2006, 02:54 PM
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#3 | | Senior Member
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| P-38W
Thinner wing section, about 10-12% chord thickness. No wing fuel tanks. 2xMerlin 61 with 5 blade paddle props. Armament 4xHispano Mk V in the nose with 150/200rpg. Might be able to fit a single 57mm Molins gun into the nose, definitely a 40mm S but with some HE shells. | |
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07-07-2006, 03:03 PM
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#4 | | Senior Member
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Country:  | A-20 with a big weapons refit, or a P-38
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07-07-2006, 03:11 PM
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#5 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
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Country:  | If they would of gotten the bugs worked out of it.... 
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07-07-2006, 03:18 PM
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#6 | | Senior Member
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| Quote: |
Originally Posted by mosquitoman A-20 with a big weapons refit, or a P-38 | An A20? are you kidding?
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07-07-2006, 03:35 PM
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#7 | | Minister of Whoopass
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Country: | I hope so..... I have to go with the P-38 as well, as syscom stated, it was designed for that very same mission...
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07-07-2006, 03:49 PM
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#8 | | Senior Member
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Country: | They got used as nightfighters, so why not if it just needed to take down bombers. Put enough guns in the nose et voila. Or of course you could use a Black Widow
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07-07-2006, 03:51 PM
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#9 | | Senior Member
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Originally Posted by mosquitoman They got used as nightfighters, so why not if it just needed to take down bombers. Put enough guns in the nose et voila. Or of course you could use a Black Widow | And they didnt have much success at all. It was designed as a low level attack bomber, not a high altitude fighter.
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07-07-2006, 05:30 PM
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#10 | | Senior Member
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| The A20 is close to the last thing I expected to see on this thread: worse top speed, worse time to altitude figures, large target size...
Was the P-38W avaible in mid 43?
What do you think of a revised P-39 with superturbochargers for hi alt performance?
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07-07-2006, 05:49 PM
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#11 | | Senior Member
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| P-38. We're talking about mid 1943. For bombers, it's armament would also have been better than any six .50 wing mounted arrangement.
Later in the war, I would add the P47M. Its turbo-supercharger maintained 2,800hp all the way up to 32,000ft and she could do 472mph (there were reports of mechanics in the field getting about 490mph through tweaking). Also, she had eight .50's.
The F4U-5, I believe, was the first post war production variant of the Corsair. | |
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07-07-2006, 05:50 PM
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#12 | | Senior Member
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Country: | I would agree with the P-38 (or the XP-58 ), they would of done the job.
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07-07-2006, 06:09 PM
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#13 | | Senior Member
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Country: | Quote: |
Originally Posted by syscom3 The P38 of course. Thats what it was designed for in the first place.
In 1945, I bet the F4U-5 would have been even better. | The F7F would be hard to beat in 45. The F8F at the end of the war would be slightly better since it was a designed intercepter. | |
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07-07-2006, 06:27 PM
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#14 | | Senior Member
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Originally Posted by davparlr The F7F would be hard to beat in 45. The F8F at the end of the war would be slightly better since it was a designed intercepter. | I thought the F7F had problems of various degree's that really werent solved untill '46.
F8F? Hmmm, have to think of that. I know it had some range issues.
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07-07-2006, 06:29 PM
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#15 | | the old Sage
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Country: | Ta 152H-1 ....................... ah wait a minute this is US right 
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