Fighter Pilot: The First American Ace of World War II

Appendix: The War Birds

Appendix: The War Birds When someone finds out you were a fighter pilot during World War II, they often express an interest in the sort of aircraft you flew and fought against. And many times they'll say: "I understand the Me. 109 was better than the Hurricane and Spitfire, and the FW.190 was better than the Spitfire, Thunderbolt, and Mustang." I haven't the slightest idea where they get the "understandings." If those Hun kites were so damned superior to our fighters, how come we won the war in the air? When anyone comes out with the flat statement that, as an example, an Me.109 was better than a Spitfire, or a FW.190 was better than a P-51 or Jug, that person hasn't any idea of what he or she is talking about. Anyone who knows anything about military aircraft and wartime flying understands that each type of combat aircraft goes through a number of mechanical modifications and capability improvements during its service life. Therefore, on a given date, one fighter aircraft's capabilities and limitations are at a certain level and may be less, equal, or better than another type of fighter. An aircraft that is not quite as good as another will be modified—larger engine, improved armament, configuration design changes to increase maneuverability, speed or climb—and suddenly it's better than the opposing fighter. The other aircraft then goes through a series of modifications which, in turn, upgrades its capabilities. So when someone starts telling you one aircraft was better than another, just ask what version or model series he's talking about. Generally, they don't know. Yes, it is true, the Me.l09E was better than the Hurricane Mk I, but the Hurricane Mk II was about equal, and the Spitfire Mk II was better. When the Huns came out with the Me.l09F version it was better than the Spitfire Mk II, but the improved Spitfire Mk V outclassed the 109F. The Me.l09G and the FW.190A had an edge over the Spitfire 196 Fighter Pilot Mk V, then the Spitfire Mk IX entered service and proved to be better than both of the Kraut kites mentioned. And so the aircraft performance improvements went on, including many modifications to the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang: water injection and cold fuel injections for greater engine power; turbosuperchargers for high altitude performance; three-bladed propellers, which in turn were replaced by four, five, and six-bladed props. To flatly say one type of fighter was better than another is silly, unless the specific type, model, and series is defined. Another thing that gets to me is how some so-called military historians arbitrarily change historical facts to suit their own misunderstandings . A perfect example is that these "historians," in the past several years, have designated the Messerschmitt Me.109 as the "BF.109." Yes, I know the abbreviation "BF" stands for Bayerische Flugzeugwerk, the aircraft factory that produced the Me.109, but that fighter was designed by Willy Messerschmitt and known to all who flew or fought it as a Messerschmitt 109, or an Me.109, or just a plain109— not a BF.109. This account is to acquaint later generations of military aviation enthusiasts with the several types of aircraft we fighter pilots flew during the war. I can, of course, only speak from experience about the aircraft I flew and fought against in air combat. Therefore, I will discuss the wonders, the warts, and the winning ways of the Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire, Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, and the North American P-51 Mustang. My comments concerning the Hun fighters-the Me.109 and FW.190-will necessarily be limited to their observed performance when I fought them. It should also be noted that my comments may vary from those of someone else who flew the same aircraft; our likes and dislikes were not always the same. For the reader's edification, I have thrown in a few technical, operational , and historical facts relating to the service life and times of each aircraft. It is true that the Hawker Hurricane, that gallant war bird of the early years of the Second World War, provided the bulwark of the British Empire's air defenses, and, by struggling magnificently against staggering odds, turned the tide of the air war against the enemy. And the Hurricane continued to fight valiantly, on every front, until the final victory...