YAFT: Best WWII fighter?

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Calin

Diamond Member
Apr 9, 2001
3,112
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Originally posted by: K1052
Originally posted by: Kenazo
Originally posted by: K1052
Originally posted by: Kenazo
a little off topic, but how many ppl lived in the axis countries? I still find it amazing that they were able to do so well against so many countries.

I would not attribute it to just population. Germany and Japan were far more prepared for the war than the Allied nations.


Yeah, I guess seeing as they started the war, they would be more prepared. It is still quite amazing that they came as close to conquering Europe as they did, in my opinion. If they hadn't gone east, they might have pulled it off too. Scary thought.

Thankfully, Hitler was a crappy general. He also went to war two years before Germany would have been really ready.

And maybe two years before France would have been really ready
 

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
24,442
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There were a small number of Fw 190D-0 and D-1 aircraft built for service evaluation and delivered during the spring and summer of 1943. For some odd reason, the designations Fw 190D-2 thru 8 were skipped, and the first production version of the "Dora" was the Fw 190D-9, which attained production status in the early summer of 1944. It was powered by a Jumo 213A-1 engine rated at 1776 hp for takeoff and 1600 at 18,000 feet. However, with MW 50 (water/methanol) injection, it could give 2240 hp at sea level and 2000 hp at 11,150 feet. The boost could not be used longer than ten minutes at a time, but there was sufficient MW 50 fuel for a maximum of 40 minutes use. Armament was two 20-mm MG 151 cannon in the wing roots with 200 rpg and two 13-mm MG 131 machine guns with 475 rpg mounted in the upper fuselage deck. A 1102-pound bomb could be carried on an underwing rack. Maximum speed was 357 mph at sea level, 397 mph at 10,830 feet, 426 mph at 21,650 feet, and 397 mph at 32,800 feet. An altitude of 6560 feet could be reached in 2.1 minutes, and 32,801 feet could be attained in 16.8 minutes. Range was 520 miles at 18,500 feet on internal fuel. Weights were 7694 lbs empty, 9840 lbs normal loaded, and 10,670 lbs maximum. The aircraft was well-armored, having a 14-mm plate for the pilot's head and shoulders, and an 8-mm plate for the seat back and surrounding area. The engine was protected by armor rings around the cowling.

Man, we really forget how GOOD piston-powered aircraft got during the war. That's one nice plane.
 

Biggerhammer

Golden Member
Jan 16, 2003
1,531
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Originally posted by: Kenazo
(snippy)
The Gotha Go229 (there was another name for it, can't remember right now) was quite capable, just never got finished by the end of the war.
AKA the Horton. The two brothers who deisgned it were deisgned it were the Hortons.
(I loved SWOTL!)