Best Jet of WW2?

[jer]

You forgot the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, which qualifies as a WWII jet, since it did enter USAAF service just before the end of hostilities. The first squadron was in shipment to Europe, where it was expected to participate in the first jet vs jet combat with the ME 262, when Germany surrendered. Being too short ranged for use in the Pacific, the type did not see actual combat in WWII. Re-designated F-80, the Shooting Star did go on to see combat against MiGs in the early stages of the Korean war. Soon outclassed by newer fighter types, though, it served out the rest of that war in the ground attack role. I would say that the P-80 was hands down the best jet of WWII, since it was the last jet produced in that war and continued on into the next era of jet combat.

Already been through this Jer.

There were two P-80's in Italy and two in Britain a month or two before VE day. There were about 50 of them by the end of June in the USA, and more rolling off the assembly lines. There is little doubt that had the War in Europe not been a done deal the P-80 would have been available even earlier, and that by the end of summer, late-fall by the latest, they'd have outnumbered the Me262 and all other German jets combine.

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Lunatic

[cheddar cheese]

But how would it have stacked up against the Ho-229 and Ta-183? Both of which had a chance of seeing service, had the war gone on a bit longer.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

for god's sake the Ho-229 was too unstable too be any use!!

Originally Posted by cheddar cheese

But how would it have stacked up against the Ho-229 and Ta-183? Both of which had a chance of seeing service, had the war gone on a bit longer.

The war would have had to go on a lot longer for either of those planes to see service. The Ho-229 was probably not a viable design. And just what engine was going to power the Ta-183?

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Lunatic

[jer]

I did not mean to sound like the only one who knew about the P-80 in WWII. It's just that I am brand new to this site and the page that asks you to vote for the best jet of WWII did not include the P-80 as an option. So I thought it was worth mentioning. Now I come to find out that most everyone on this site knows as much as I do about it. Forgive me for being presumptuous.

Jer - I agree with you, it should be listed. But for whatever reason, it is not. It seems to me that if combat usage is the criteria for inclusion, the Meteor and Aircomet should not be on the list. If those jets fit the criteria, so should the P-80. And the Me163 and Ohka were rocket planes, not jets - so they clearly do not belong in this poll.

Since the P-80 is not in the list, I've not voted.

Sorry if you got "rough housed" m8, but if you look back through this topic you will see the P-80 has been throughly argued in this thread.

Welcome to the board!

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Lunatic

[KraziKanuK]

The Meteor saw combat firing its guns in anger over the continent so I don't know why you want it excluded.

For sure, the Aircomet should not be on the list, and the Ohka and Me 163, as mentioned.

[Nonskimmer]

Originally Posted by jer

I did not mean to sound like the only one who knew about the P-80 in WWII. It's just that I am brand new to this site and the page that asks you to vote for the best jet of WWII did not include the P-80 as an option. So I thought it was worth mentioning. Now I come to find out that most everyone on this site knows as much as I do about it. Forgive me for being presumptuous.

I agree with you that it should be included. It may not have actually seen combat before the war ended, but it was there.

Few people here are anything like experts. I'm certainly not, but I do take quite an interest in the subject and enjoy reading the information presented by the more learned members of this forum. Some pretty interesting debates occur regularly.

Welcome.

[cheddar cheese]

Originally Posted by the lancaster kicks ass

for god's sake the Ho-229 was too unstable too be any use!!

Which completely contrasts everything else ive read...

Originally Posted by KraziKanuK

The Meteor saw combat firing its guns in anger over the continent so I don't know why you want it excluded.

For sure, the Aircomet should not be on the list, and the Ohka and Me 163, as mentioned.

I thought the only combat the Meteor saw was against V1's. ???

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Lunatic

Originally Posted by cheddar cheese

Which completely contrasts everything else ive read...

But there really is no reliable source to support those claims. Furthermore, in post war flyng wing designs, involving both German documents and samples and many of the German engineers involved in the Ho-229, it was found a flying wing was too unstable to work until fly-by-wire controlls were possible. Some of the designs did fly, but that did not make them suitable for combat use, there is every reason to believe the same holds true for the Ho-229. Testing never got very far, if it had it would surely have run into the same problems Northrop encountered.

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Lunatic

[cheddar cheese]

Originally Posted by RG_Lunatic

I thought the only combat the Meteor saw was against V1's. ???

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Lunatic

Im pretty sure it did too. Nothing ive read says otherwise.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

616 Sqn was based in Belgium for a period in 1945 in which they say some action..........

[mosquitoman]

They were the first Meteor equipped squadron