Всё
← Back to Squawk list
How The Air Force Almost Brought Back The P-51 Mustang
Today’s pilots are expensively trained and politically expensive to lose. A pilot lost over Serbia or Syria has major diplomatic repercussions, which is why drones are becoming the aircraft of choice. The Air Force does like its high-priced jets, and cost is a lingering issue for hundred-million-dollar aircraft like the F-35. But while a propeller-driven aircraft might be useful to organizations like Special Operations Command that fight small wars in remote locations, America is not about to… (nationalinterest.org) Ещё...
Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
I don't know how the relate this bird to a P51. This appears to be a different critter for air speed, power, bomb load even the tip tanks. It only resembles the fuselage. Still a bad ass looking air plane though.
Read the story as it started out as one that was modified by putting a turbine in it.
The other AC that followed were probably built from scratch that's how its related.
The other AC that followed were probably built from scratch that's how its related.
P51 and Corsair pilots had amazing records - higher kill ratio than today.
The P-51 had a kill ratio of 11:1 against the Luftwaffe. How do you figure that is lower than that of any modern fighter in today's US Air Force?
The Mustang and Corsair may have had a higher total kill count due to a target-rich environment, but the kill ratio of today's fighters in air-to-air combat is tough to beat. There have been only one aircraft and pilot air-to-air lost (Lt Cmdr Michael Scott Speicher and his F/A-18C).
The Mustang and Corsair may have had a higher total kill count due to a target-rich environment, but the kill ratio of today's fighters in air-to-air combat is tough to beat. There have been only one aircraft and pilot air-to-air lost (Lt Cmdr Michael Scott Speicher and his F/A-18C).
>> How do you figure that is lower than that of any modern fighter in today's US Air Force?
Sorry, I meant HIGHER, not LOWER.
Sorry, I meant HIGHER, not LOWER.
Which US WWII fighter shot down the most enemy aircraft?.
5,944 P-51/A-36/F-6
5,229 F6F
3,785 P-38
3,662 P-47
2,155 F4U
1,944 P-40
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/aviation/us-wwii-fighter-shot-down-most-enemy-aircraft-30227-2.html
5,944 P-51/A-36/F-6
5,229 F6F
3,785 P-38
3,662 P-47
2,155 F4U
1,944 P-40
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/aviation/us-wwii-fighter-shot-down-most-enemy-aircraft-30227-2.html
Those are total kills, they aren't ratios. The F-15 has never been defeated in air combat, it has an infinite kill ratio.
While true, I feel like most a/c in WWII had more head to head fights in a month than the F-15 has really had in its USAF career, I can think of very few wars we have fought where the F15 was ever called on to battle fighter v fighter. That is also why it has lower total kills as well, hard to get 6000 kills when you never get to fire the guns in anger.
All in all it seems no matter which stat you compare its still apples to oranges
All in all it seems no matter which stat you compare its still apples to oranges
I don't consider firing a missile from 20 miles away air combat. Not in the way it was during WWII, Korea or even VN.
WE will never fight another air war like we did in WWII. We can identify an opponent far out and set up a kill from there. There may be the occasional dog fight but they will be the exception not the rule. Pilots have become an expensive commodity.
The biggest differentiator for WWII vs. modern air combat is situational awareness.
Today's American dogfighters are unlikely to get bounced by an opponent due to on-board radar, AWACS and other assets that would normally alert them to an opponent's presence, whereas over WWII Germany, a pilot could be flying in limited visibility and find himself in front of an opponent's guns.
Today's American dogfighters are unlikely to get bounced by an opponent due to on-board radar, AWACS and other assets that would normally alert them to an opponent's presence, whereas over WWII Germany, a pilot could be flying in limited visibility and find himself in front of an opponent's guns.
