 | Where does one find....| Aviation Discuss Where does one find.... in the World War II - Aviation forums; I admit I have some doubts in my mind. Only around 110 Whirlwinds were built. To get 275 kills would ... |
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06-11-2005, 06:31 PM
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#16 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London
Posts: 2,794
| I admit I have some doubts in my mind. Only around 110 Whirlwinds were built. To get 275 kills would be an unbelievable performance. It was a good plane but that good?
In addition the Spitfire total seems low compared to the Hurricane. In service all over the world from the first to last day of the war and to only claim just over twice the kills.
The USA claims also seem high in comparison to the Spitfire. These were good planes certainly, but the P51 and P47 didn't join combat in any numbers until mid 1943 giving them 2 years in combat compared to the 6 years frontline service of the Spitfire.
Something doesn't quite gell here | 
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06-11-2005, 06:51 PM
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#17 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 7,945
| Spitfire kills
Remember that once the longer ranged P47's and P38's began chasing the Luftwaffe into Germany, the numbers of Spitfire combats declined drastically.
In the Pacific, the Spitfire was not a factor at all. Its short range made it useless. | |
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06-11-2005, 06:57 PM
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#18 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 28,863
Country:  | And Glider remember that no where does it say Luftwaffe aircraft killed. It says Axis aircraft killed.
The Axis consisted of numerous countries indluding Germany, Italy, and Japan.
Who did most of the arial fighting in the Pacific? The US. (Yes the British did there fair share in the Pacific too but the US fought the most there) So the US kills account for avast amount of the Pacific theater.
Now again I never said these were confirmed but I dont think they are that far off.
__________________  US Army Blackhawk Crewchief 2000-2006 Classic ww2aircraft.net quotes: fly boy said: "isn't that the first jet bomber? becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles" "wait what ok who made the b-2 crash come on people that messed up its a b-2" "ah yes the mistel those things are so annoying is games and in real life" | |
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06-11-2005, 07:44 PM
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#19 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London
Posts: 2,794
| Deralder
I know what you said and of course the Pacific, but that I would have expected to be traded against the extra 4 years fighting that was done before hand.
That said if 110 Whirlwinds shot down 275 Germans, they must have been relieved that we didn't build a couple of thousand. Wouldn't have needed the Americans!! | |
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06-12-2005, 05:55 AM
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#20 | | Konfused with a 'K'
Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Turin, Italy
Posts: 20,412
Country:  | I had some thoughts about that Whirlwind figure too. If it was really that good, why didnt they stick some Merlins on it quicker than they did?!
__________________  with my one last gaping breath id apologise for bleeding on your shirt... | |
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06-12-2005, 08:07 AM
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#21 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,959
Country:  | Quote: |
Originally Posted by alder And Glider remember that no where does it say Luftwaffe aircraft killed. It says Axis aircraft killed.
The Axis consisted of numerous countries indluding Germany, Italy, and Japan.
Who did most of the arial fighting in the Pacific? The US. (Yes the British did there fair share in the Pacific too but the US fought the most there) So the US kills account for avast amount of the Pacific theater. | but the british figures should also include kills in the MTO, so i'd expect them to be higher than that.......
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"Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy." | |
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06-13-2005, 03:27 PM
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#22 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 28,863
Country: | Again no where in the my post am I saying that the figures are exact or confirmed.
Yes the British do account for the MTO as well as the ETO and the PTO just like the US kill figures.
You have to remember one thing that may shed a little light on the fact, once the US entered the war and broght over the P-38's and the P-51's they were taking the fight deep into Germany. They had further range and were escorting the USAAF bombers. The Germans were throwing everything they had up against them so the P-38's, P-51's, and P-47's were getting lots of chances at large numbers of German fighters. It was not uncommon to have hundreds of escort fighters escorting the B-17's and B-24's. This may account for the large numbers of kills. The USAAF fighters were flying deep into Germany where Spitfires could not until they had bases in France.
__________________ US Army Blackhawk Crewchief 2000-2006 Classic ww2aircraft.net quotes: fly boy said: "isn't that the first jet bomber? becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles" "wait what ok who made the b-2 crash come on people that messed up its a b-2" "ah yes the mistel those things are so annoying is games and in real life" | |
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