The Ta-152.... The Best High Altitude Fighter?????

[cheddar cheese]

I can see your point there RG.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by RG_Lunatic

I disagree. When we start talking about "what if" the Luftwaffe had survived and been strong in the summer of 1945 and beyond, the P-80 is a legitimate plane for consideration.

=S=

Lunatic

If you put it that way yes you are correct and it should be considered then but what I mean is as a whole you do this.

[KraziKanuK]

Originally Posted by RG_Lunatic

Actually, the sources I've seen indicate a 2000 lbs bomb, not "2000 lbs worth of bombs", indicating a single bomb on a center station.

Lots of room under the P-80's fuselage to mount this bomb. And it would have to be to the rear of the speed brake. Nice GC then.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Nice pic.

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

If you put it that way yes you are correct and it should be considered then but what I mean is as a whole you do this.

It depends on the context of the specific post I'm replying to. If we are talking about how things were the that is different than if we are talking about significant "what if's".

=S=

Lunatic

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Okay whatever man.

[GT]

Update.

[lesofprimus]

There were several....

You dont read many of the other topics and posts here do u??? There have been great discussions here concerning what ur asking. Maybe u should read some more of the Topics and posts that some of the more esteemed members here were kind enough to research and post for us.........

[DAVIDICUS]

If the Ta-152 was pressed into wide service earlier, I suspect the Americans would have countered that threat with the XP-47J.


Image was taken in November of 1943.





From: http://home.att.net/~historyzone/Sev...Republic7.html

The J was fitted with a high output version of the P&W R-2800. Specifically, the R-2800-57. This engine made 2,800 hp @ 2,800 rpm at 35,000 feet. This is in War Emergency Power.

The aircraft actually attained 507 mph at an altitude of 34,300 feet. 2,800 hp is 133% of rated power. At military power (100%), the XP-47J could sustain 470 mph. 435 mph was attained at 81% of it's rated power (1,700 hp). All performance figures were obtained at 34,300 feet.

The J model was an especially good climbing fighter too. It had a climb rate at sea level of 4,900 fpm. At 20,000 feet, it was still rocketing up at 4,400 fpm, and got there in 4 minutes, 15 seconds. Time to 30,000 feet was only 6 minutes, 45 seconds. Now that's an interceptor! Yet it had a usable range of 1,075 miles. Rather impressive performance.

Nor was this a stripped down hotrod. It was fully armed and carried ballast in the wings equal to 267 rds per gun. The aircraft was flown to a height of 46,500 feet and was capable of a bit more.

Originally designed to defeat the FW-190 series fighters, the XP-47J certainly would have exceeded this requirement. In point of fact, with its critical Mach of .83, it had the potential to chase down Me-262's by utilizing a shallow dive, taking advantage of its superior service ceiling.

[Erich]

th Tank actually was destined to fly above 42,000 feet and using the glider mode drop down on P-51 escorts and then zoom up and flip over and repeat....

[lesofprimus]

This is true... Loos actually got a few kills doing that same manouver...

[Udet]

Interesting phenomena...

...that superb German fighters which effectively saw service during the final days of the war are put into "doubt" due to the limited numbers reaching fighter units but unexplicably predict an alleged "superiority" of whatever of their designs which did not see any action during WWII.

Since the Ta 152 saw service and proved being a top machine I am more than convinced this allegedly superior plane -which did not see service- could be surpassed.

If we decide to play in the same pond, the Do 335, which did not see service, but got duly tested could also be a superior machine if compared to this particular USAAF fighter.

[evangilder]

I have to agree in this case. We can only speculate how the XP-47J would have faired in aerial combat. The speed and climb rate are impressive, but that doesn't say how it would be in a dogfight. The Do-335 is said in some circles to have been the finest piston fighter of all time. It too was an impressive aircraft, but also untested in combat.

[DAVIDICUS]

Gentlermen, before we all get our panties in a bunch, all I said was, "I suspect the Americans would have countered that threat with the XP-47J." I never said that the XP-47J would be superior.(I was thinking it however. )

We do know that the XP-47J was flying during the latter part of 1943 and was developed specifically to handle the Fw-190. How it would have actually fared in such combat had it gone into production we will obviously never know.

It should be borne in mind though that this was not an entirely untested and new combat design. It was essentially just a lighter and more aerodynamic P-47 Razorback with a 2,800hp "C" series turbo-supercharged engine within a close fitted cowling. I understand that it employed the same wings, tail, rudder and control surfaces.

[evangilder]

Hey now, leave my panties out of this!