Which theater of War Would you choose for flying?

[Lightning Guy]

Well, I know exactly where I would have been, 475th FG Satan's Angels in the Pacific. I've even done a couple drawings of what my plane would have looked like.

[plan_D]

The Japanese really did need a good tank, the Marines put their Shermans and Hellcats to good use, even in the jungles.

[brad]

i voted for the european becauese of the planes although it would have been cool to fly pasific

[Lightning Guy]

I'm not sure that the lank of a serious tank hurt the Japanese that much. The Marines never used that many tanks for any of the invasions and many of the ones used were destroy even without other tanks to oppose them. Tanks are best when they have room to maneuver and that just wasn't the case of the small, heavily vegetated islands of the Pacific.

[Erich]

I find some of the response's a bit disturbing. If you ever get a chance to serve on anothers land and in combat I surely do not think you will find it "cool" . In any case most likely you should think upon your chances of survival and how good it would be with the undertanding that you do not know the outcome of the war.

[plan_D]

The Japanese did need a good tank, their lack of a tank did hurt them quite a bit. Your look on the Pacific seems to be only on the islands taken by the Marines, when in reality they were fighting in India, Burma and Singapore. The Japanese, and the Allies knew that the Japanese were at a disadvantage without an effective tank.
In fact the Japanese bought a Tiger, and Panther off the Germans in 1945 but they stayed in Germany (Lended from Japan) to defend the Reich.

The Marines did actually use their tanks very effectively for clearing the jungle, and burning out bunkers with their flame cannons (The flame armed ones)

[Erich]

ah little off topic aren't we Plan ? I am finding that these threads become very convoluted by some of you. Is this the result of lack of researching or sources ? possibly just being a gag party ?

yeah I know, I need to lighten up

I need a cup, long night last eve............

[plan_D]

You can't really get an extensive discussion from 'What theater of war would you choose for flying?' since it's all opinion based.

[MP-Willow]

Plan_D, yes the Marines did use the tanks well and a lot of the vegitation was burned in part with Naypham, but still the volcanic or coral soils of a lot of the islands coupled with the well placed and dug in gun and troop posions in the Pacific made good tank use difficult. As for the tank in China-Burma-India (CBI) Theature yes they were used but I need to read more to be shure, but you are looking at more heavy jungle and mountains. Also remember the the IJA thought that they could win the fight because of the great "Fighting Warrior Spirit" of the troops.

[Erich]

a BIG FAT ?. why is the issue of tanks brought into this thread when one see's that the question was regarding flying ? see my point how easy these threads remain off topic ?

[plan_D]

I don't know, Erich, but this is interesting also.

The Marines used their tanks to more effect than some may think. Yes, they were big bulks of metal charging through the Jungle but this was sometimes an advantage to the troops behind them. Clearing the Jungle itself and burning out the enemy (I may add it wasn't Napalm until late war).
On top of this tanks provided an effective mobile turret being dug in, in any event of a Japanese counter-attack, tanks are surprisingly well hidden in the Jungle.

In the CBI the British used their tanks to great effect, what seemed to be obselete designs in Europe were masters of the battlefield in India, and Burma. The thick armour of the Matilda proved invunerable to a lot of the Japanese AT equipment. This proved a huge disadvantage to the Japanese, and it is unfortunate that the tank forces in the Pacific are recognised as a failure when they weren't.
The Japanese needed a tank, and you'll find a lot of their tanks were dug in but were destroyed too easily because of weak armour. And in fact poor armament as well.

[brad]

which russin plane is the flying tank

[Lightning Guy]

I believe you are refering to the Il-2.

[plan_D]

Or maybe it's that one I posted a pic of. Tank with wings attached.
To avoid confusion; it's the Il-2 Sturmovik 'The Flying Tank'

[the lancaster kicks ass]

it's a shame the idea of the tank with wings never took off (sorry about the pun)................