Greatest Fighter Aircraft of All Time

[syscom3]

The Spit-FW-P51 were all so evenly matchd that the decider is the range of each.

Thats why the P51 was the best of them.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

they're not asking for the best, they're asking for the greatest, if we're looking for the best it's the F-22 or summit like that, no, the greatest is something completely different, which was the best between the Sea fury and spitfire? the sea fury, which was the greatest? the spitfire, everyone's heard of the spitfire, P-51 and to some extent the -109, because they're legends, ask someone in Britain to name a fighter they'll say the spitfire, even though later fighters were better, ask someone in america to name a fighter they'll say the P-51, far from the best fighter but a legend all the same, in germany they'd say the -109, again not the best fighter but a great fighter, you see greatest doesn't mean best, greatness is a measure of it's legend..........

[pbfoot]

The Fokker D7 has to be considered as one of the greatest it was considered enough of threat that it was mentioned in the 4th paragraph of the document and it reads as such
Four .. Surrender in good condition by the german armies of the following war material 5000 guns(2500 heavy 2500 field) 25000 machine guns 3000 minenwerfer 1700 airplanes (fighters bombers_ firstly all of the D7s and all of the night bombing machines ...
has any other aircraft ever had that much attention U boats and german naval assets were mentioned 19 paragraphs later

[Henk]

Yep, lanc I see what you mean. The Fw-190 could out turn the latest model of the Spitfire and the Spit could not keep up, but it also had to do with the Pilot.

The Spit is very famous aircraft just like the Bf-109, but I would rather give the honor to the Hurricane than the Spitfire. The guys in their Hurricanes did great work with the aircraft they had and it was actually the guys in the Hurricanes who did the work in the early stages of the Battle of Britton.

Henk

[syscom3]

But it was the P51 that had the greatest impact on the war.

For propellor driven aircraft, I say its the P51.
For jet engined aircraft, its the F4.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

The guys in their Hurricanes did great work with the aircraft they had and it was actually the guys in the Hurricanes who did the work in the early stages of the Battle of Britton.

whilst true, remember it was the spit that did most of the work for the rest of the war........

[Henk]

I agree with you there lanc mate.

Henk

[Gnomey]

It still is a point that the Hurricane is the forgotten hero of the Battle of Britain. I agree the Spitfire did do most of the work for the rest of the war.

[plan_D]

Come 1943, the Hurricane did nothing in the ETO. It was out-classed, plain and simple. The Fw-190A and Bf-109F would slaughter any Hurricanes in the air. And while the Hurricane did most of the work in the Battle of Britain, after that the Spitfire carried the burden of the Fighter Command solely on it's own shoulders. The Typhoon and Tempest barely made an impact in the aerial combat.

And the Fw-190D and Spitfire XIV were even matches, it had all to do with the pilot.

[Henk]

Not in the turns mate. The Spit could not do it as fast as the Fw-190.

Henk

[plan_D]

At low speeds the Spitfire was a faster turner than the Fw-190D, at high speeds the Fw-190D was faster. The Fw-190D had a faster roll in all cases.

[Henk]

Yes, the German pilots used the turn and roll to out turn the Spit, but if the German pilot did that to long the Spit pilot could shoot the Fw-190, because the Spit is then behind the Fw-190, because it is slower. So pilot does make or break the battle.

Henk

[syscom3]

And in the meantime, the P51 with its 10 hour endurance, just fly's high above them waiting for them both too run out of fuel.

[plan_D]

While the P-51 is sitting high up there waiting, the Fw-190 is ripping the bomber formations to pieces.

[syscom3]

The Fw190 is down low proving to the Spitfire who was best.

Besides, the B24's and B17's were up above 20,000ft, not down near the ground.