Nakajima Ki-43 Oscar

The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa was a single-engine land-based tactical fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II. The army designation was "Army Type 1 Fighter" the Allied codename was "Oscar", but it was often called the "Army Zero" by American pilots for its resemblance to the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. Like the Japanese Navy's A6M Zero, the radial-engined Ki-43 was light and easy to fly. The Ki-43 was legendary for its combat performance in East Asia in the early years of the war.

It could outmaneuver any opponent, but did not have armor or self-sealing tanks. Its armament was poor until the last version in 1944. In spite of its drawbacks, the Ki-43 shot down more Allied aircraft than any other Japanese fighter and almost all the JAAF'S aces achieved most of their kills in it. Allied pilots often reported that the nimble Ki-43s were difficult targets, but burned easily or broke apart with few hits. Total production amounted to 5,919 aircraft. Many of these were used during the last months of the war for kamikaze missions against the American fleet.

The Ki-43 was the most widely-used Army fighter, and equipped 30 groups and 12 independent squadrons. The first version, Ki-43-I, entered service in 1941, the Ki-43-II in December 1942, the Ki-43-II-Kai in June 1943, and the Ki-43-IIIa in summer 1944. The aircraft fought in China, Burma, the Malay Peninsula, New Guinea, the Philippines, South Pacific islands and the Japanese home islands.

Like the Zero, the Ki-43 initially enjoyed air superiority in the skies of Malaya, Netherlands East Indies, Burma and New Guinea. This was partly to do with the better performance of the Oscar and partly due to the relatively small numbers of combat-ready Allied fighters, mostly the P-36 Hawk, Curtiss P-40, Brewster Buffalo, Hawker Hurricane and Curtiss-Wright CW-21 in Asia and the Pacific during the first months of the war. As the war progressed, however, the fighter suffered from the same weaknesses as the Ki-27 "Nate" and the A6M Zero; light armor and less-than-effective self-sealing fuel tanks, which caused high casualties in combat. Its armament of two machine guns also proved inadequate against the more heavily armored Allied aircraft. As newer Allied aircraft were introduced, such as the P-47 Thunderbolt, P-38 Lightning, P-51 Mustang, F4U Corsair, F6F Hellcat and late-model Supermarine Spitfire/Seafire, the Japanese were forced into a defensive war and most aircraft were flown by inexperienced pilots. However, even towards the end, the Oscar's excellent maneuverability could still gain advantage over rash Allied pilots. Like most Japanese combat types, many Hayabusas were at the end expended in kamikaze raids.

The Ki-43 also served in an air defense role over Formosa, Okinawa and the Japanese home islands. Some examples were supplied to the pro-Japanese regimes of Thailand, Manchukuo and Wang Jingwei Government as well. The Thai units sometimes fought against the USAAF in southern China.

Hayabusas were well liked in the JAAF because of the pleasant flight characteristics and excellent maneuverability, and almost all JAAF fighter aces claimed victories with Hayabusa in some part of their career. At the end of the war, most Hayabusa units received Ki-84 Hayate "Frank" fighters, but some units flew the Hayabusa to the end of the war. The top-scoring Hayabusa pilot was Sergeant Satoshi Anabuki with 39 confirmed victories, almost all of them scored with the Ki-43.


General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 8.92 m (29 ft 3⅜ in)
• Wingspan: 10.84 m (35 ft 6¾ in)
• Height: 3.27 m (10 ft 8¾in)
• Wing area: 21.4 m² (230.4 ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,910 kg (4,211 lb)
• Loaded weight: 2,590 kg (5,710 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 2,925 kg (6,450 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Nakajima Ha-115 fourteen cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 858 kW (1,150 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 530 km/h (286 knots, 329 mph) at 4,000 m (13,125 ft)
• Cruise speed: 440 km/h (237 knots, 273 mph)
• Range: 1,760 km (952 nmi, 1095 mi)
• Ferry range: 3,200 km (1,730 nmi, 1,990 mi)
• Service ceiling: 11,200 m (36,750 ft)
• Wing loading: 121 kg/m² (24.8 lb/sq ft)

Armament

• 2× fixed, forward-firing 12.7 mm (.50 in) Ho-103 machine guns in the cowl with 250 rpg
• 2× 250 kg (551 lb) bombs

** Nakajima Ki-43 Oscar - Warbird Fare

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Mitsubishi A6M Zero

“I don’t think I have ever flown a fighter that could match the rate of turn of the Zero". said Capt. Eric Brown, Chief Naval Test Pilot recalls how he was impressed when they tested the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. The Zero had ruled the roost totally and was the finest fighter in the world until mid-1943.

The Mitsubishi Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighter also designated as the 'Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen' and 'Mitsubishi Navy 12-shi Carrier Fighter', was a long range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was usually referred to by the Allies as the "Zero", from the 'Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighter' designation. The official Allied reporting codename was Zeke.

When it was introduced early in World War II, the Zero was the best carrier-based fighter in the world, combining excellent maneuverability and very long range. In early combat operations, the Zero gained a legendary reputation as a "dogfighter", achieving the outstanding kill ratio of 12 to 1, but by 1942 a combination of new tactics and the introduction of better equipment enabled the Allied pilots to engage the Zero on more equal terms. The Imperial Japanese Naval Air Service also frequently used the type as a land-based fighter. By 1943, inherent design weaknesses and the increasing lack of more powerful aircraft engines meant that the Zero became less effective against newer enemy fighters that possessed greater firepower, armor, and speed, and approached the Zero's maneuverability. Although the Mitsubishi A6M was outdated by 1944, it was never totally supplanted by the newer Japanese aircraft types. During the final years of the War in the Pacific, the Zero was used in kamikaze operations. In the course of the war, more Zeros were built than any other Japanese aircraft.

The Mitsubishi A5M fighter was just entering service in early 1937, when the Imperial Japanese Navy started looking for its eventual replacement. In May they issued specification 12-Shi for a new carrier-based fighter, sending it to Nakajima and Mitsubishi. Both firms started preliminary design work while they awaited more definitive requirements to be handed over in a few months.

Mitsubishi's chief designer, Jiro Horikoshi, felt that the requirements could be met, but only if the aircraft could be made as light as possible. Every weight-saving method was used. Most of the aircraft was built of T-7178 aluminum, a top-secret aluminum alloy developed by the Japanese just for this aircraft. It was lighter and stronger than the normal aluminum used at the time, but was more brittle. In addition, no armor was provided for the pilot, engine or other critical points of the aircraft, and the self-sealing fuel tanks that were becoming common at the time were also left off. This made the Zero lighter and more agile than most other aircraft at the start of the war, but also made it prone to catching fire and exploding when struck by enemy rounds.

With its low-wing cantilever monoplane layout, retractable wide-set landing gear and enclosed cockpit, the design was one of the most modern in the world. The Zero had a fairly high-lift, low-speed wing with a very low wing loading; combined with the light weight, this gave it a very low stalling speed of well below 60 kn (110 km/h; 69 mph). This is the reason for the phenomenal turning ability, allowing it to turn more sharply than any Allied fighter of the time. Roll rate is enhanced by servo tabs on the ailerons which deflect opposite to the ailerons and make the control force much lighter. The disadvantage is that they reduce the maximum roll effect at full travel. At 160 mph (260 km/h) the A6M2 had a roll rate of 56° per second. Because of wing flexibility, roll effectiveness dropped to near zero at about 483 km/h (300 mph) indicated airspeed.

The A6M is universally known as the Zero from its Japanese Navy type designation, Type 0 Carrier Fighter taken from the last digit of the Imperial year 2600 (1940), when it entered service. In Japan it was unofficially referred to as both Rei-sen and Zero-sen; Japanese pilots most commonly called their plane Zero-sen. The meaning of the A6M official designation was that "A" signified a carrier-based fighter, "6" for the sixth such model built for the Imperial Navy, and "M" for the manufacturer, Mitsubishi.

The official Allied code name was "Zeke", in keeping with the practice of giving male names to Japanese fighters, female names to bombers, bird names to gliders, and tree names to trainers. "Zeke" was part of the first batch of "hillbilly" code names assigned by Captain Frank T. McCoy of Tennessee, who wanted quick, distinctive, easy to remember names. When in 1942 the Allied code for Japanese aircraft was introduced, he logically chose "Zeke" for the "Zero." Later, two variants of the fighter, not immediately identified as such, received their own code names: the A6M2-N (floatplane version of the Zero) was called Rufe and the A6M3-32 variant was initially called Hap. After objections from General "Hap" Arnold, commander of the USAAF, the name was changed to Hamp.

The first Zeros (preseries A6M2) went operational in July 1940. On 13 September 1940, the Zeros scored their first air-to-air victories when 13 A6M2s led by Lieutenant Saburo Shindo attacked 27 Soviet-built Polikarpov I-15s and I-16s of the Chinese Nationalist Air Force, shooting down all the fighters for no losses. Before they were redeployed a year later, the Zeros had shot down 99 Chinese aircraft (266 according to other sources).

At the time of Pearl Harbor 420 Zeros were active in the Pacific. The carrier-borne Model 21 was the type encountered by the Americans, often much further from its carrier than expected, with a mission range of over 2,600 km (1,600 mi). Thanks to a combination of excellent maneuverability and firepower, the Zero easily disposed of the motley collection of Allied aircraft sent against it in the Pacific in 1941, while its tremendous range allowed it to appear over distant battlefronts and give Allied commanders the belief there must be several times as many Zeros as there actually were. The Zero quickly gained a fearsome reputation. However, it eventually lost air superiority due to the gradual development of suitable tactics and new aircraft by the Allies. During World War II, the Zero destroyed at least 1,550 American aircraft.

Designed for attack, the Zero gave precedence to long range, maneuverability, and firepower at the expense of protection most had neither self-sealing tanks nor armor plate - and many Zeros and their pilots were too easily lost in combat. During the initial phases of the Pacific conflict, the Japanese trained their aviators far more strenuously than their Allied counterparts. Thus, unexpectedly heavy pilot losses at the Coral Sea and Midway made them difficult to replace.

With the extreme agility of the Zero, the Allied pilots found that the appropriate combat tactic against it was to remain out of range and fight on the dive and climb. By using speed and resisting the fatal error of trying to out-turn the Zero, eventually cannon or heavy machine guns (.50 caliber) could be brought to bear and a single burst of fire was usually enough to down it. Such "boom-and-zoom" tactics were used successfully in the China Burma India Theater against similarly maneuverable Japanese Army aircraft such as the Nakajima Ki-27 and Ki-43 by the "Flying Tigers" of the American Volunteer Group (AVG). AVG pilots were trained to exploit the advantages of their P-40s: very sturdy, heavily armed, generally faster in a dive and in level flight at low altitude, with a good rate of roll.

Another important maneuver was then-Lieutenant Commander John S. "Jimmy" Thach's "Thach Weave", in which two fighters would fly about 60 m (200 ft) apart. When a Zero latched onto the tail of one of the fighters, the two planes would turn toward each other. If the Zero followed its original target through the turn, it would come into a position to be fired on by his target's wingman. This tactic was used to good effect at the Battle of the Coral Sea, at the Battle of Midway, and over the Solomon Islands.

When the powerful P-38 Lightning, F6F Hellcat, and F4U Corsair appeared in the Pacific theater, the A6M, with its low-powered engine, lost its competitiveness. In combat with an F6F or F4U, the only positive thing that could be said of the Zero at this stage of the war was that in the hands of a skillful pilot it could maneuver as well as most of its opponents. But the ever-decreasing number of experienced Japanese aviators became a significant factor in Allied successes.

Nonetheless, until the end of the war, in competent hands the Zero could still be deadly. Due to the scarcity of high-powered aviation engines and problems with planned successor models, the Zero remained in production until 1945, with over 11,000 of all variants produced.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 9.06 m (29 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 12.0 m (39 ft 4 in)
• Height: 3.05 m (10 ft 0 in)
• Wing area: 22.44 m² (241.5 ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,680 kg (3,704 lb)
• Loaded weight: 2,410 kg (5,313 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Nakajima Sakae 12 radial engine, 709 kW (950 hp)
• Aspect ratio: 6.4

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 660 km/h (356 kn, 410 mph)
• Maximum speed: 533 km/h (287 kn, 331 mph) at 4,550 m (14,930 ft)
• Range: 3,105 km (1,675 nmi, 1,929 mi)
• Service ceiling: 10,000 m (33,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 15.7 m/s (3,100 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 107.4 kg/m² (22.0 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 294 W/kg (0.18 hp/lb)

Armament

• 2× 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 97 machine guns in the engine cowling
• 2× 20 mm Type 99 cannons in the wings, with 60 rounds
• 2× 60 kg (132 lb) bombs or
• 1× fixed 250 kg (551 lb) bombs for kamikaze attacks

** Mitsubishi A6M Zero - Warbird Fare

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North American P-51 Mustang

The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range single-seat World War II fighter aircraft. The P-51 was in service with Allied air forces in Europe and also saw limited service against the Japanese in the Pacific War. Designed and built in just 117 days, the Mustang first flew in Royal Air Force (RAF) service as a fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft before conversion to a bomber escort, employed in raids over Germany, helping ensure Allied air superiority from early 1944. As well as being economical to produce, the Mustang was a fast, well-made, and highly durable aircraft. The definitive version, the P-51D, was powered by the Packard V-1650, a two-stage two-speed supercharged version of the legendary Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, and was armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns.

The Mustang's performance, although exceptional up to 15,000 ft (4,600 m), was markedly reduced at higher altitudes. The single-speed, single-stage supercharger fitted to the Allison V-1710 engine had been designed to produce its maximum power at a low altitude. Above 15,000 feet, the supercharger's critical altitude rating, the power dropped off rapidly.

In April 1942, the RAF's Air Fighting Development Unit tested the Mustang and found its performance inadequate at higher altitudes. As such, it was to be used to replace the Tomahawk in Army Cooperation Command squadrons, but the commanding officer was so impressed with its maneuverability and low-altitude speeds that he invited Ronnie Harker from Rolls-Royce's Flight Test establishment to fly it. Rolls-Royce engineers rapidly realized that equipping the Mustang with a Merlin 61 engine with its two-speed two-stage supercharger would substantially improve performance and started converting five aircraft as the Mustang Mk X.

The numerical superiority of the USAAF fighters, superb flying characteristics of the P-51 and pilot proficiency helped cripple the Luftwaffe's fighter force. As a result, the fighter threat to US, and later British bombers, was greatly diminished by July 1944. Reichmarshal Hermann Göring, commander of the German Luftwaffe during the war, was quoted as saying, "When I saw Mustangs over Berlin, I knew the jig was up."

By 8 May 1945, the 8th, 9th and 15th Air Forces' P-51 groups claimed some 4,950 aircraft shot down, the most claimed by any Allied fighter in air-to-air combat, and 4,131 destroyed on the ground. Losses were about 2,520 aircraft. One of these groups, the 8th Air Force's 4th Fighter Group, was the overall top-scoring fighter group in Europe, with 1,016 enemy aircraft claimed destroyed. This included 550 claimed in aerial combat and 466 on the ground.

In aerial combat, the top-scoring P-51 units were the 357th Fighter Group of the 8th Air Force with 595 air-to-air combat victories, and the Ninth Air Force's 354th Fighter Group with 701, which made it the top scoring outfit in aerial combat of all fighter groups of any type. Martin Bowman reports that in the European Theater of Operations, Mustangs flew 213,873 sorties and lost 2,520 aircraft to all causes. The top Mustang ace was the USAAF's George Preddy, whose tally stood at 27.5, 24 scored with the P-51 when he was shot down and killed by friendly fire on Christmas Day 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. The P-51s were deployed in the Far East later in 1944, operating in close-support and escort missions as well as for tactical photo reconnaissance.

The Mustang began the Korean War as the United Nations' main fighter, but was relegated to a ground attack role when superseded by jet fighters early in the conflict. Nevertheless, it remained in service with some air forces until the early 1980s.

After World War II and the Korean War, many Mustangs were converted for civilian use, especially air racing.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)
• Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11.28 m)
• Height: 13 ft 4½ in
• Wing area: 235 ft² (21.83 m²)
• Empty weight: 7,635 lb (3,465 kg)
• Loaded weight: 9,200 lb (4,175 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 12,100 lb (5,490 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Packard V-1650-7 liquid-cooled supercharged V-12, 1,490 hp
• Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0163
• Drag area: 3.80 ft² (0.35 m²)
• Aspect ratio: 5.83

Performance

• Maximum speed: 437 mph (703 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,600 m)
• Cruise speed: 362 mph (580 km/h)
• Stall speed: 100 mph (160 km/h)
• Range: 1,650 mi (2,755 km) with external tanks
• Service ceiling: 41,900 ft (12,800 m)
• Rate of climb: 3,200 ft/min (16.3 m/s)
• Wing loading: 39 lb/ft² (192 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.18 hp/lb (300 W/kg)
• Lift-to-drag ratio: 14.6
• Recommended Mach limit 0.8

Armament

• 6× 0.50 caliber (12.7mm) M2 Browning machine guns
• 2× hardpoints for up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) of bombs
• 6 or 10× T64 5.0 in (127 mm) H.V.A.R rockets

** North American P-51 Mustang - Warbird Fare

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Curtiss P-40 Warhawk

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk ( bears the name Tomahawk and Kittyhawk for Allied squadrons ) was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. It was used by the air forces of 28 nations, including those of most Allied powers during World War II, and remained in front line service until the end of the war. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36. By November 1944, when production of the P-40 ceased, 13,738 had been built, all at Curtiss-Wright Corporation's main production facility at Buffalo, New York.

Restorated P-40 Warhawk

The P-40 had good agility, especially at high speed and medium to low altitude. It was one of the tightest-turning monoplane fighters of the war,although at lower speeds it could not out-turn the extremely manoeuvrable Japanese fighters such as the Mitsubishi A6M Zero and Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar".

According to some sources the P-40 initially proved quite effective against Axis aircraft and contributed to a slight shift of momentum in the Allied favor. The gradual replacement of Hurricanes by the Tomahawks and Kittyhawks led to the Luftwaffe accelerating retirement of the Bf 109E and introducing the newer Bf 109F; these were to be flown by the veteran pilots of elite Luftwaffe units, such as Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG27), in North Africa.

The P-40 was generally considered roughly equal or slightly superior to the Bf 109 at low altitude, but inferior at high altitude, particularly against the Bf 109F. Most air combat in North Africa took place well below 16,000 ft (4,900 m), thus negating much of the Bf 109's superiority. The P-40 usually had an edge over Bf 109 in horizontal maneuverability, dive speed and structural strength, was roughly equal in firepower, but was slightly inferior in speed and outclassed in rate of climb and operational ceiling.

The P-40 was generally superior to early Italian fighter types, such as the Fiat G.50 and the Macchi C.200. Its performance against the Macchi C.202 Folgore elicited varying opinions. Some observers consider the Macchi C.202 superior. Clive Caldwell, who scored victories against them in his P-40, felt that the Folgore would have been superior to both the P-40 and the Bf 109 except that its armament of only two or four machine guns was inadequate. Other observers considered the two equally matched, or favored the Folgore in aerobatic performance, such as turning radius. Boyne wrote that over Africa, the P-40 and the Folgore were "equivalent".

Against its lack of high altitude performance the P-40 was considered to be a stable gun platform, and its rugged construction meant that it was able to operate from rough frontline airstrips with a good rate of serviceability.

P-40s first saw combat with the British Commonwealth squadrons of the Desert Air Force (DAF) in the Middle East and North African campaigns, during June 1941. The Royal Air Force's No. 112 Squadron was among the first to operate Tomahawks, in North Africa, and the unit was the first to feature the "shark mouth" logo, copying similar markings on some Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 110 twin-engine fighters. Inspired by 112 Squadron's usage of them in North Africa, and by the Luftwaffe's even earlier use of it, both via Allied wartime newspaper and magazine article images, the "shark mouth" logo's usage on the sides of the P-40's nose was most famously used on those used by the Flying Tigers in China.

In theatres where high altitude performance was less important, the P-40 proved an effective fighter. Although it gained a post-war reputation as a mediocre design, suitable only for close air support, more recent research including scrutiny of the records of individual Allied squadrons indicates that the P-40 performed surprisingly well as an air superiority fighter, at times suffering severe losses, but also taking a very heavy toll on enemy aircraft. The P-40 offered the additional advantage of low cost, which kept it in production as a ground attack fighter long after it was obsolete in air superiority.

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 31.67 ft (9.66 m)
• Wingspan: 37.33 ft (11.38 m)
• Height: 12.33 ft (3.76 m)
• Wing area: 235.94 ft² (21.92 m²)
• Empty weight: 6,350 lb (2,880 kg)
• Loaded weight: 8,280 lb (3,760 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 8,810 lb (4,000 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Allison V-1710-39 liquid-cooled V12 engine, 1,150 hp (858 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 360 mph (310 kn, 580 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 270 mph (235 kn, 435 km/h)
• Range: 650 mi (560 nmi, 1,100 km)
• Service ceiling: 29,000 ft (8,800 m)
• Rate of climb: 2,100 ft/min (11 m/s)
• Wing loading: 35.1 lb/ft² (171.5 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.14 hp/lb (230 W/kg)

Armament

• 6 × .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns
• 250 to 1,000 lb (110 to 450 kg) bombs to a total of 2,000 lb (907 kg)

** Curtiss P-40 Warhawk - Warbird Fare

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Chance Vought F4U Corsair

This Chance Vought F4U Corsair has been serving U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines during World War II, It became the most capable carrier-based fighter-bomber of World War II.

Restorated F4U Corsair

The F4U incorporated the largest engine available at the time, the 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) 18-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial. To extract as much power as possible, a relatively large, 13 feet 4 inches (4.06 m) Hamilton Standard Hydromatic three-blade propeller was used. To accommodate a folding wing, the designers considered retracting the main landing gear rearward, but for the chord of wing selected, it was difficult to fit undercarriage struts long enough to provide sufficient clearance for the large propeller. Their solution was an inverted gull wing, a similar layout to the one used by Germany's Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber, considerably shortening the length of the main gear legs. The anhedral of the wing's center-section also permitted the wing and fuselage to meet at the optimum angle for minimizing drag, without the need for wing root fairings. Offsetting these benefits, the bent wing was more difficult to construct and weighed more than a straight one.

Corsairs were flown by the famous "Black Sheep" Squadron (VMF-214, led by Marine Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington) (VMF is Marine Attack Squadron, an aviation unit of USMC) in an area of the Solomon Islands called "The Slot". Boyington was credited with 22 kills in F4Us (of 28 total, including six in an AVG P-40). Other noted Corsair pilots of the period included VMF-124's Kenneth Walsh, James E. Swett, and Archie Donohue, VMF-215's Robert M. Hanson and Don Aldrich, and VF-17's Tommy Blackburn, Roger Hedrick, and Ira Kepford. Nightfighter versions equipped Navy and Marine units afloat and ashore.

At war's end, Corsairs were ashore on Okinawa, combating the Kamikaze, and also were flying from fleet and escort carriers. VMF-312, VMF-323, VMF-224, and a handful of others met with success in the Battle of Okinawa.

F4U Corsair on formation

Corsairs also served well as fighter bombers in the Central Pacific and the Philippines. By spring 1944, Marine pilots were beginning to exploit the type's considerable capabilities in the close-support role during amphibious landings. Charles Lindbergh flew Corsairs with the Marines as a civilian technical advisor for United Aircraft Corporation in order to determine how best to increase the Corsair's payload and range in the attack role and to help evaluate future viability of single- versus twin-engine fighter design for Vought. Lindbergh managed to get the F4U into the air with 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg) of bombs, with a 2,000 pounds (910 kg) bomb on the centerline and a 1,000 pounds (450 kg) bomb under each wing. In the course of such experiments, he performed strikes on Japanese positions during the battle for the Marshall Islands.

By the beginning of 1945, the Corsair was a full-blown "mudfighter", performing strikes with high-explosive bombs, napalm tanks, and HVARs. She proved surprisingly versatile, able to operate everything from Bat glide bombs (without sacrificing a load of 2.75 in/70 mm rockets) to 11.75 in (300 mm) Tiny Tim rockets. The aircraft was a prominent participant in the fighting for the Palaus, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Today this legendary "Whistling Death" fighters are mostly used for airshows, flybys, film and also for a warbird aerobatic airshow routine.

General characteristics

• Crew: 1 pilot
• Length: 33 ft 8 in (10.2 m)
• Wingspan: 41 ft 0 in (12.5 m)
• Height: 14 ft 9 in (4.50 m)
• Empty weight: 9,205 lb (4,174 kg)
• Loaded weight: 14,669 lb (6,653 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W radial engine, 2,450 hp (1,827 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 446 mph (388 kn, 718 km/h)
• Range: 1,005 mi (873 nmi (1,617 km))
• Service ceiling: 41,500 ft (12,649 m)
• Rate of climb: 3,870 ft/min (19.7 m/s)

Armament

• 6 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns, 400 rpg
• 4 × 20 millimetre (0.79 in) AN/M2 cannons
• 8 × 5 in (12.7 cm) high velocity aircraft rockets
• 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg) Bombs

** Chance Vought F4U Corsair - Warbird Fare

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Messerschmitt Bf-109

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s. It was one of the first true modern fighters of the era, including such features as an all-metal monocoque construction, a closed canopy, a retractable landing gear, and was powered by liquid-cooled, inverted-V12 aero engines. The 109 first saw operational service during the Spanish Civil War and was still in service at the dawn of the jet age at the end of World War II, during which time it was the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force. From the end of 1941 the Bf 109 was supplemented, but never completely replaced in service, by the radial engined Focke-Wulf Fw 190.

Originally conceived as an interceptor, later models were developed to fulfill multiple tasks, serving as bomber escort, fighter bomber, day-, night- all-weather fighter, bomber destroyer, ground-attack aircraft, and as reconnaissance aircraft. It was supplied to and operated by several states during World War II, and served with several countries for many years after the war. The Bf 109 was the most produced warplane during World War II, with 30,573 examples built during the war, and the most produced fighter aircraft in history, with a total of 33,984 units produced up to April 1945.

The Bf 109 was flown by the three top-scoring German fighter aces of World War II, who claimed 928 victories between them while flying with Jagdgeschwader 52, chiefly on the Eastern Front, as well as by the highest scoring German ace in the North African Campaign. It was also flown by several other successful aces from Germany's allies, notably Finland, including the highest high-scoring non-German ace Ilmari Juutilainen, and pilots from Romania, Croatia and Hungary. Through constant development, the Bf 109 remained competitive with the latest Allied fighter aircraft until the end of the war.

Originally the aircraft was designated as Bf 109 by Reichsluftfahrtministerium (German Aviation Ministry, RLM), since the design was submitted by the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (literally "Bavarian Aircraft Factory") company. However, the company was renamed Messerschmitt AG after 11 July 1938 when Erhard Milch finally allowed Willy Messerschmitt to acquire the company. Subsequently, all Messerschmitt aircraft that originated after that date, such as the Me 210, were to carry the "Me" designation. Despite regulations by the RLM, wartime documents from Messerschmitt AG, RLM and Luftwaffe loss and strength reports continued to use both designations, sometimes even on the same page. All extant airframes are described as "Bf 109" on identification plates, including the final K-4 models, with the noted exception of aircraft either initially built or re-fitted by Erla Flugzeugwerke, which sometimes bore the Me 109 stamping. "Me-109" is usually pronounced in German as may hundert-neun ("hundred-nine") while English-speakers usually say "emm ee one-oh-nine".

The aircraft was given several nicknames by its operators and opponents, generally derived from the name of the manufacturer (Messer, Mersu, Messzer etc.), or the external appearance of the aircraft the G-6 variant was nicknamed by Luftwaffe personnel as Die Beule ("the bump/bulge") because of the cowling's characteristic covers for the breeches of the later Bf 109G's synchronized 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine guns, while Soviet aviators nicknamed it as "the skinny one" for its sleek appearance. The names "Anton", "Berta", "Caesar", "Dora", "Emil", "Friedrich", "Gustav" and "Kurfürst" were derived from the variant's official letter designation (e.g. Bf 109G – "Gustav"), based on the German phonetic alphabet of World War II, a practice that was also used for other German aircraft designs.

Soon after the public debut of the new fighter, in July 1937 three Bf 109Bs took part in the Flugmeeting in Zürich. Under the command of Major Seidemann, they won in several categories First Prize in a 202 km speed race, First prize in the Class A category in the international Alpenrundflug for military aircraft, and also victory in the international Patrouillenflug. On 11 November 1937 the Bf 109 V13 flown by Messerschmitt's chief pilot Dr. Hermann Wurster, and powered by an 1650 1,650 hp (1,230 kW) DB 601R racing engine set a new world air speed record for landplanes with piston engines to 610.55 km/h (379.38 mph) and won the title for Germany for the first time. Converted from a Bf 109D, the "V13" had been fitted with a special racing DB 601R engine that could deliver 1,650 hp (1,230 kW) for short periods. Heinkel, having had the He 112 rejected began work on the He 100. On 6 June 1938, the He 100 V3, flown by Ernst Udet, established a new record of 634.7 km/h (394.4 mph), and later, on 30 March 1939, test pilot Hans Dieterle surpassed that record, reaching 746.61 km/h (463.92 mph) with the He 100 V8. Messerschmitt soon regained the lead in this race. On 26 April 1939, Flugkapitan Fritz Wendel, flying the Me 209 V1, raised the figure to 755.14 km/h (469.22 mph). This was a racing aircraft having little in common with the Bf 109, powered by the DB 601ARJ, producing 1,156 kW (1,550 hp) but capable of reaching 1,715 kW (2,300 hp). For propaganda purposes, the machine was called the Bf 109R, suggesting it was just another version of the standard fighter. This world record for a propeller-driven aircraft was to stand until 1969.

When the Bf 109 was first designed in 1934, by a team led by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser, its primary role was that of a high-speed, short range bomber interceptor. The 109 was also designed to take advantage of the most advanced aerodynamics of the time and embodied structural techniques which were an advance on its contemporaries. In the years of the Blitzkrieg, the Bf 109 was the only single engined fighter operated by the Luftwaffe, until the appearance of the Fw 190.

The 109 remained in production from 1937 through to 1945 embodying many different variants and sub-variants; the primary engines were Daimler-Benz DB 601 and DB 605, with the Junkers Jumo 210 powering the most of the pre-war variants. The most produced Bf 109 model was the 109G series; more than a third of all 109s built were the G-6 series, with some 12,000 units being manufactured from March 1943.

The Bf 109 was credited with more aerial kills than any other aircraft. One hundred and five (possibly 109) Bf 109 pilots were credited with the destruction of 100 or more enemy aircraft. Thirteen of these men scored more than 200 kills, while two scored more than 300. Altogether this group were credited with nearly 15,000 kills between them. Official ace status was granted to any pilot who scored five or more kills. Applying this to Luftwaffe fighter pilots and their records reveals that "Ace" status belonged to more than 2,500 German pilots. Against Soviets, the Finnish-flown Bf 109Gs claimed a victory ratio of 25:1 in favour of the Finns.

Some Bf 109s remained in service for many years after the war. Hungarian 109s were destroyed in Germany by their own crews on 6 May 1945, Romania used its Bf 109s until 1955. The Finnish Air Force did not retire their Bf 109Gs until March 1954. The Spanish Hispanos, however, flew longer. Some were still in service into the late 1960s. They appeared in films (notably The Battle of Britain) playing the role of the Bf 109.


General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 8.95 m (29 ft 7 in)
• Wingspan: 9.925 m (32 ft 6 in)
• Height: 2.60 m (8 ft 2 in)
• Wing area: 16.05 m² (173.3 ft²)
• Empty weight: 2,247 kg (5,893 lb)
• Loaded weight: 3148 kg (6,940 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 3,400 kg (7,495 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Daimler-Benz DB 605A-1 liquid-cooled inverted V12, 1,475 PS (1,455 hp, 1,085 kW)
• Propellers: VDM 9-12087 three-bladed light-alloy propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 640 km/h (398 mph) at 6,300 m (20,669 ft)
• Cruise speed: 590 km/h (365 mph) at 6,000 m (19,680 ft)
• Range: 850 km (528 mi) 1,000 km (621 mi) with droptank
• Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)
• Rate of climb: 17.0 m/s (3,345 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 196 kg/m² (40 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 344 W/kg (0.21 hp/lb)

Armament

• 2 × 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine guns with 300 rounds per gun
• 1 × 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon as Motorkanone with 200 rpg. G-6/U4 variant: 1 × 30 mm
• 2 × 20 mm MG 151/20 underwing cannon pods with 135 rpg
• 2 × 21 cm (8 in) Wfr. Gr. 21 rockets
• 1 × 250 kg (551 lb) bomb or 4 × 50 kg (110 lb) bombs

** Messerschmitt Bf-109 - Warbird Fare

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