Best Battle of Britain Aircraft

[Njaco]

I don't seem to remember a spectic timeline questioned except for "the BoB'. I think Mike showed that there was at the very least, a concious attempt to have Spits handle escort and Hurris handle bombers. My post from a book was just to bring the point that what may have been orders wasn't alway easily implemented. Spits shot down bombers and Hurris shot down escorts. If definately wasn't Black and White.

 

[Waynos]

Agreed, As far as I can tell from reading the posts, the question wasn't whether it actually happened that way, but rather whether it was official policy to do this, I think Mike Williams has answered that point quite specifically. That the lines would become blurred and air combats actually devolved into a kind of free for all is rather obvious, isn't it?

 

[tomo pauk]

Thanks for the input, mike et al. I stand corrected

 

[buffnut453]

No plan survives contact with the enemy but at least there was a plan. We need to be cautious about German claims/losses about Spits -vs- Hurris since there was an element of "Spitfire Envy" - it was somehow demeaning to be hit by a Hurricane. The RAF had no such issues because there was only one front-line, single-engined German fighter.

The question remains, though, about RAF fighter allocation during the earlier phases of the battle. Assigning Spits to tackle fighters and Hurris to attack bombers only makes sense if the adversary has both fighters and bombers present in the same place. It has has been posited that the German fighters were tasked with closer escort as the battle evolved (and that is reflected in the movie...not that I'm suggesting that's definitive proof). Prior to this period of close escort, I suspect it would be very difficult to assign a particular RAF squadron to defend against a specific threat (ie Luftwaffe fighters or bombers) because the available radar plots were unlikely to have the precision and accuracy to categorize aircraft into "fighters" or "bombers" unless there was sufficient speed differential to make a reasoned judgement. If radar couldn't do it, you're left with signals intercepts (which may have been viable) or simply waiting until the formation entered visual range, by which stage it was too late to call in a squadron equipped with the "right type" of fighter.

I offer these thoughts merely as a way of continuing to elicit better understanding. I'm not saying my comments above are correct - they merely reflect a logical position which may not include all necessary factors. This is a fascinating discussion, particularly in light of Mike's post (thank you, Mike).

 

[tomo pauk]

Makes sense, buffnut.

One attacks invaders with whatever is at hand, so if a ground controller 'has' a squadron or two of Spitfires/Hurricanes in a favourable position, he would guide them to the enemy, regardless both of those fighter squadron composition, or composition of enemy. Moreso since it wasn't allways easy, or possible, to say (for the ground controller) if the enemy planes are Ju-88 or Bf-110...

 

[dunmunro1]

These instructions regarding intercept altitudes make sense but they also would increase the Hurricane's probability of being bounced by the Me109 fighters, which might help explain the Hurricane's greater loss rate.

 

[Heinz]

I think the general concensus regarding the spit/hurri roles also stemmed from perhaps the concentration of fire. The hurricane had a better punch with its 8 .303s grouped together rather than spaced out like the spit, these seemingly more affective against bombers?

 

[parsifal]

would the positioning of the armamament make that much of a difference however? couldnt the point of convergnece for the ermement just be adjust slightly to take this issue into account, if it was an issue?

 

[Smoke]

My vote goes to the Hurricane.

Though I wouldn't change my vote, I have to ask, where's the Westland Whirlwind?

 

[Tomahawk101]

Allies: Hawker Hurricane, got more kills than Spits and Ground Defences combined

Axis: Me 109E "Emil" the only fighter in the battle I believe.

 

[Shortround6]

My vote goes to the Hurricane.

Though I wouldn't change my vote, I have to ask, where's the Westland Whirlwind?

Late for the show, more is the pity.

 

[dennis420b]

I chose the 109. I like the DB-601 better than the Merlin. Carburetor vs. fuel injection, but i guess that didn't really matter in the end.

 

[OY-TAC]

I wote for the de Havilland Mosquito

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I wote for the de Havilland Mosquito

Mosquito?

For the Battle of Britain? Check your time line buddy.

 

[Marcel]

Mosquito?

For the Battle of Britain? Check your time line buddy.

But Chris, the Mosquite is the best a/c of the BoB as none was lost during that battle

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

But Chris, the Mosquite is the best a/c of the BoB as none was lost during that battle

 

[woljags]

considering the Beaufighter was such a fast powerful aircraft with a long career after the war you would have thought it would have made short work of its German counterparts

if they had mounted a few more guns to the front of a defiant it would have faired better

 

[parsifal]

why do you think the beau was superior to the Bf110, its nearest equivalent in the german inventory. My opinion is that the me110 was faster, but not quite as heavily armed. I would like to think the beau was more manouverable in the horizontal plane, but Im not certain. I dont know which aircraft was better in the vertical plane, but its likley to be the german a/c. In terms of electronics and comms, i would bet the farm the british aircraft was far superior, but this generally came after the battle.

 

[MaximusGR]

Its the Hurricane for me, i really have warm feelings towards that underappreciated workhorse..

 

[stona]

would the positioning of the armamament make that much of a difference however? couldnt the point of convergnece for the ermement just be adjust slightly to take this issue into account, if it was an issue?

No it didn't. Both were using eight .303 machine guns placed outside the propeller arc and both,officially at least,had the same convergence. Most Allied pilots who flew both types regarded the Hurricane as a more stable gun platform. German assessments of the Spitfire reckoned it a very unstable gun platform. This probably did make a difference.
Steve