Comments on: Spitfire vs. Mustang

By: J. Eddolls

J. Eddolls — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:52:10 +0000

Sorry Mike, Mossies had the best survival rate of any Allied aircraft. It carried more bombs into the heart of Germany at a far higher speed than a B17. It was making unescorted daylight raids all the way to Berlin. 20 mm Hispano Cannons were fairly standard in RAF fighters after mid 1941. They were supplimented in Spits with 4 x .303. Spits from the VB, had selective fire buttons so MG's could be used for fast moving deflection shots and Cannon for more deliberate attacks. That was the theory anyway!

The SpitI XIV that outclassed the Mustang in every way, except range was introduced to Squadron service at the same time as the P51B. The RAF did not have a requirement for a long range fighter. If it needed one it would have devolped one, the bombers that needed escorting were American not RAF.

By: J. Eddolls

J. Eddolls — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:32:22 +0000

The RAF broke the back of the Luftwaffe in 1940 over Southern England. American cities were not attacked hence my comment. Seeing a Spit in the skies where it fought is a bit more relevant.

By: J. Eddolls

J. Eddolls — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:26:24 +0000

Mike really, get your facts straight, Spits faced the same Luftwaffe fighters that the Mustang did. Please research your arguments before making them.

I am not going to comment on your other statements as they are not qualified. Oh, the P51K, what was it's climb rate? Certaintly less than the Spit IX.

By: J. Eddolls

J. Eddolls — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:17:17 +0000

Please qoute your references Mike.

By: J. Eddolls

J. Eddolls — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:55:55 +0000

Mike we have discussed this already, the Spit IX accelerated far faster than any mark of Mustang. In addition it outclimbed it at a rate of 25' per second,
The difference in acceleration made up for any lack of level speed.

The Mustang never became competetive to any RAF fighter in climbing ability due to the Laminar flow wing. The Mustangs climbing ability was similar to the Tbolt!

By: J. Eddolls

J. Eddolls — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:46:57 +0000

Please Mike can you state your references for your statements. Most of us qoute the publications or accredited Authors of the 'Facts' that we discuss.

Please also be aware that the RAF did take part in the ETO after the BofB, and secured many victories after that event.

By: mike gee

mike gee — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:11:37 +0000

And YET the mustang piloted by US, UK, French and commonwealth pilots delivered the "knockout" punch in both the ETO and PTO against the axis. Funny and sad that in defending the remarkable spitfire, so many here have to keep droning on about "later models" that barely (if at all) saw combat! In war ,advancements in technology come fast, and better variants of the Spitfire did appear- models that did surpass the Mustang III/D design- point? The Mustang took over the FINISH of the airwar,which meant going into Germany, escorting the bombers on day raids(The RAF had switched to ni ght bombing cause it had taken high numbers in casualties), AND taking on the job of delivering the KNOCKOUT punch to the luftwaffe- a job the Spits, the P-47s, and the P-38s couldn't do as well. If the Spits were a better fighter platform,it would have a higher kill ratio, machine to machine tha the mustang- it didn't.

By: mike gee

mike gee — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:03:34 +0000

Again only LATER on in the war, when allied bombing and the invasion of europe! The. Luftwaffe outclassed the RAF until then. The spit held the line until a better fighter came along- that fighter was the P-51 ; gun to gun and at above 20k the mustang D(437mph) owns the Spit IX(max 400mph); talkabout faster spits is lame if you can't show they CLOSED the War in europe the way the mustang did……..

By: mike gee

mike gee — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:43:07 +0000

Yaks were dogmeat and the germans racked up MAJOR scores against the lame yaks (the lavochkin was a better turn and burn fighter) Russians simpled threw MORE target in the air and wore the german ranks down as well as #s. The BoB is another "myth" in reality it was a stalemate and that is what Britain needed to SURVIVE! Any REAL military leader( which Hitler was NOT) would have never turned to attack Russia. The Luftwaffe was poised to wipe the Spitfire forces of Britain off the map in 1940-41. Again Mustangs were in action since '43 and getting kills more rapidly due to the superior performance of the acft design. And as far as performance,spitfire had far more deficiencies in service,maintenance, speed,and range. American acft with the exception of the F6F hellcat were not turn and burn fighters- they relied on Speed and Speed kills slower acft(ask any FW190 pilot who hunted Spits- couldn't do that as well against a mustang!) Also the Brits used F6F and F4Fs ( brit navy pilot actually scored an aerial victory in an F4F against a ME109)on their navy carriers and only switched to seafires LATER in the war to PROTECT their fighter industry and lessen costs and dependence on US manufactured acft!….

By: mike gee

mike gee — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:09:15 +0000

Most german aces didn't FEAR the spit like they did the Mustang! The spit stalled in high G turns and its trans soniic dives were in purpose built test spits! The myth that it could outdive and outturn the BF109 has been LONG debunked by German AND British pilots- had the lufwaffe had the range in their fighters like the P-51s, the battle of britain would have been LOST by England! Even in successuve fighting after the BoB the FW190 was superior to the Spit and pilots knew it- again Spits didn't face the deadly FW190 D or the Me262- the P-51 DID …….. As far as the "faster" Spit IX???? Try again,ala the 480 mph P-51K actually used in Combat over japan!