NAVY P51 Mustang

[Mumbles]

The Helldiver was not warmly received by it's aircrews, most of whom wanted to go back to Dauntless's.

 

[VetteMuscle427]

These two great birds combat debuted the same month ... the stats:

Hellcats - flew 45% of all fighter sorties during the Pacific War ... achieved a kill ratio of 19:1, and produced > 300 Aces.

Corsair - flew 44% of all fighter sorties during the Pacific War (only 15% from carrier decks) ... achieved a kill ratio of 11.1, and produced < 35 (? -- anyway, vastly fewer) Aces.

Hellcats anytime, Baby.

Just out of curiosity... can you really compare? Just a few things I'd see, if the Corsairs weren't carrier based the majority of the time, would that limit their number of encounters for air to air? With the Corsairs initially coming in with the Marines, wasn't it more of a fighter bomber?

I'm just thinking that we might be comparing apples and oranges.

Food for thought, if the Hellcat was so great... where was it during Korea, when Corsairs were going feet dry every day? Makes sense to me to keep the better aircraft.

 

[Mumbles]

I thought Patrick was up by Cocoa Beach...not Ft. Lauderdale.

 

[A4sForever]

Food for thought... if the Hellcat was so great... where was it during Korea, when Corsairs were going feet dry every day?....

Food for thought?? Where was the Hellcat in Korea?? Uhhhh .... mebbe morphing into this ???

More Grummie 'CAT-LOVE ... ... A VF-111 "Sundowners" F9F-2 dropping bombs in Korea, 1951/52 and purrin' all the way back to the ship:

Gimme a harder one ... ... I'm still hungry.

 

[Mumbles]

the Navy turned them into drones....

 

[A4sForever]

the Navy turned them into drones....

The Navy did that w/ me, too. :sleep_125

 

[Pugs]

The Helldiver was not warmly received by it's aircrews, most of whom wanted to go back to Dauntless's.

I think that's putting it kindly. The "beast" was truly hated. Often counted up there with the Gutless Cutlass and AJ Savage as worst Naval Aircraft to ever go into service.

 

[Pugs]

the Navy turned them into drones....

There's one at NAF Andrews, gear up on a swiveling base as a windsock, the lights work and the pilots head moves back and forth. It was a drone that went nordo on takeoff and ran into the control van

 

[Mumbles]

Since we're talking about the merits of these beautiful airplanes, I wonder what kind of ribbing went on between hellcat and corsair drivers. The fact that the Marine Corps operated it the F4U operationally first there must have been some spirited shenanigans between the 2 communities. Consider how A-6 guys didn't like the light attack A-7 mafia, F-8 guys didn't like F-4 guys. Tomcat guys resent hornet guys, et.al.

 

[Mumbles]

There's one at NAF Andrews, gear up on a swiveling base as a windsock, the lights work and the pilots head moves back and forth. It was a drone that went nordo on takeoff and ran into the control van

I drive past that mofo from time to time....he's got rockets under the wings.

 

[HuggyU2]

I thought Patrick was up by Cocoa Beach...not Ft. Lauderdale.

Correct. Patrick is near Cocoa Beach. But it is also correct that Patrick was previously "NAS Banana River" prior to being handed over to the (then) new USAF.

 

[Gatordev]

I think that's putting it kindly. The "beast" was truly hated. Often counted up there with the Gutless Cutlass and AJ Savage as worst Naval Aircraft to ever go into service.

Well poop on you both. Actually I didn't even know what it was but I knew it wasn't a Dauntless. Still, it's pretty rare, which is what was cool. There was also a beautiful Corsair parked right across from the Weiner I brought in. All good stuff.

 

[nittany03]

Non-folding wings, whispy gear, non-radial engine, slow speed handling characteristics, not stressed for CV ops, huge low speed/wave-off torque roll considerations ... and many more, I am sure.

Funny, this didn't stop 'em from fielding the F8F for awhile . . .