I came across this interesting comparison of the P47 to other aircraft of the period. A German pilot of the day said the Jug was a bullet sponge and he was never able to bring one down. An allied flyer once said he could dodge incoming fire by running around inside the cockpit. What a monster! View attachment 21254
The Boeing Museum in south Seattle has a WW2 fighter display, most of the ones Jeff's chart shows, and seeing a P 47 and Corsair sitting near an ME 109 is very telling.....They are huge. Both had a sectioned 2800 radial sitting in front of them and that is a monster of an engine as well. Great chart. GB
"Running around in the cockpit" lol...Ah yes, the American tall tale, in line with Paul Bunion/Big Blue. Uniquely American? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_tale
I beg your pardon sir, but pilots were officers and thus gentleman. A gentleman wouldn't lie about a thing like that.
"If brute force dosen't work, you're not using enough of it" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVAiGYBrajs
I am nonplussed that Poppy would call into question the veracity of the pilot's account, as though he were stretching the truth.
The Stuka had the same reputation. Remember the episode when Rudel flew with a birch tree stuch in his wing.
There is a P-47 video on Youtube where pilots who flew them talk, and one pilot said he drove through heavy trees tree after being shot up, some damage, but still flew fine.
Most were made Flight Officer or Second Lieutenant before entering combat, only a little over 200 flew their first combat mission while still an NCO.
Thanks, didn't realize that. Some were likely in the Pacific early on then and most if not all likely promoted before flying Jugs.
Tough it was, but it wasn't invulnerable. Around 3500 jugs were lost in the war. I still believe the jug did more damage to the Luftwaffe than any other plane.
