Now, let's see. If the Mosquito doesn't fit elsewhere, it might fit in here for sure...

And here we'll see how the P-38 is treated. But it is a pity that my favourite, Me-110 is not going to be mentioned...

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

The best two-engined fighter, I think, is the P-38. It was the best land based fighter in the Pacific. For every 11 enemy planes shot down only 1 was destroyed. It carried 4 .50 caliber machine guns and 1 cannon. All packed in the nose. Because it was 2 engined it was not very manueverable. So special flaps were installed to help. It was the first American aircraft to shoot down a German plane in August 1942. Today German vets still refer to it as Der Gabelschwanz Teufel or fork-tailed devil.

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FACTS ARE JUST THERE TO ARGUE YOUR OPINIONS

Weeeeelll - for best twin-engined fighter, I'd probably have to go for Me-262.......

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Martin now that is a great point, how come no-one ever considers the 262 when they ask this question. You are smarter that your Avatar looks my friend!

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"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance." Socrates

Otto :

Because it is always referred to as a jet.....

Day or twin engine ? By night the Mossie 30 and the Ju 88G-6. The He 219 was a piece of garbage ! The Bf 110G-4 had the best track record of all the German night fighters until the Ju 88G series came into production in the summer of 44, then all the night fighter crews wanted one.
For a German day fighter it would have to be the (Bf) or Me 410 which superseded the Bf 110G-2.

The Me 262 would be the top pick if it had not come into action so late in the fall of 44.

Correction, the P-38 was never called the Fork Tailed Devil by any Luftwaffe pilot or crew. This again is bogus information set upon us "kids" by un-informed authors. The Luftwaffe vets I have interviewed called it the Lightning and thought it was a joke ! The P-51 was called the Mustang and the P-47 was called the Thunderbolt.......

E

Mustang "It was the first American aircraft to shoot down a German plane in August 1942"

It may have been the first USAAF aircraft to shot a plane down, but the first American plane to shoot down a German plane was a Lockheed (A-28) Hudson of 224 Squadron RAF on the 8 October 1939, a Dornier Do 18 floatplane. [img]smile.gif[/img]

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if in doubt....Panic!!!!

Wasn't it a F4F "Martlet" (better known as "Wildcat") with the Fleet Air Arm and shot down a Ju-88? Or at least that says my book about the Air and Space Museum in Houston.

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

Friedrich H "Wasn't it a F4F "Martlet" (better known as "Wildcat") with the Fleet Air Arm and shot down a Ju-88? Or at least that says my book about the Air and Space Museum in Houston".

No, The "Martlet" was the first American FIGHTER to destroy a German aircraft, but that was not until 1940 by 804 Squadron of the FAA

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if in doubt....Panic!!!!

Sorry folks [img]redface.gif[/img]
I have given you incorrect info
The Hudson and the Martlet were the first American aircraft and American fighter in BRITISH service to shoot down a German aircraft.
However ( this is the embarrassing bit), the first American aircraft to shoot down a German plane were a unit of Curtiss P-36A`s in French service on the 8 September 1939, who are credited with shooting down two Me 109`s

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if in doubt....Panic!!!!

OK - if we stick with piston engines it's a difficult question because of the multi-purpose nature of most of the aircraft.

'Pure' twin-engined fighters ( eg P38, Westland Whirlwind ) didn't seem to perform well enough.

Looking at the others - Ju88,Me410 etc... no,I think I'd have preferred to be in a 'Mossie', streaking into Occupied Europe at treetop height loaded with guns and bombs... but when the Fw190s appear, open up those Merlins and get out - fast !

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Martin, did not you say that 'Mossies? could shoot FW-190s down?! That's a excuse to run and hide... [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img]

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

Even I, the Great Mosquito Advocate, wouldn't want to get tangled up with a Fw190 in broad daylight !

Mosquitoes did indeed shoot down quite a number of Fws, but these were night intruders.
Hmmmm - I wonder if any were shot down in daylight combat....I'll have to check !

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Sorry, I'm still reeling from the Do18 vs Hudson Dogfight...

Jumbo

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Martin :

Yes both the Bf 109 and the Fw 190 were responsible for shooting down a few mosquitos. Also several Fw 190 night ground attack were shot down by Mossie intruders during 1945 as well as by P-61's. The biggest losses of Mossies were the LSNF to the Bf 109G's of the Moskito-jagd in the fall of 44 and then in 45 to Kmdo Welter flying the Me 262A-1a.

E