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Posted by Steppenwolf from h00e0293afff3.ne.client2.attbi.com (24.61.218.52) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 at 5:41pm :

In Reply to: Let's agree to disagree. posted by graml from user-2ivev24.dialup.mindspring.com (165.247.124.68) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 at 7:01am :

Don't dismiss the P-38 altogether. Apart from having some groundbreaking advances in design, it was a squadron of P-38s that shot down Admiral Yamamoto in '43.

--S

: The P-39 was developed in the late 30s when the Air Corps realized it needed a design to act as a bomber interceptor. Hence the heavy cannon in her nose; it was meant for shooting down the tough-as-nails bombers some Axis countries had developed. Though in the end, it turned out to be more useful in the tank destroying capacity that marked the P-39's career. For more info, check out "Aircraft of World War II: A Visual Encyclopedia" (Sharpe, Scutts and March), page 392. Another good source is "Deadly Sky: The American Combat Airman in World War II" by John McManus, which cites numerous interviews with the Air Corps pilots. If you haven't read it, I think you might enjoy it, although McManus' approach to history is a tad scattershot...A good British source is Mondey's "American Aircraft of World War II." It's nice to see the Brits give a little credit to the guys from the 8th Air Force. :)
: As for the P-40, I think the stats you cite are more a testament to the ability of pilots of the AVG, rather than the Warhawk. Just imagine if they'd been equipped with the P-38!
: Anyhow, I apologize if I've been at all snotty and/or snooty in this thread, Rundquist. I've really enjoyed talking planes around here; I don't get a chance to do that often enough! We may have our differences of opinion, but it's nice to discover a fellow aero-nut.
: Tally-ho!
: -graml





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