What are the top three fighters of WWII?

[H]

As previously noted, the Spitfire and Bf109 were already ruled out as not being American (by manufacture) fighters; the same for the FW190.
The P51 seems to be up in front .

[Biggles125]

With all due respect, the heading of the topic was 'What are the top three fighters of WWII?'  By narrowing it down to just American fighters you are taking a lot of the fun out of the disscusion.  And since so many people have replied on the wider issue, what say we continue to do so?

[Hagar]

Hi Biggles & welcome to the madhouse.

As a new member you might not appreciate that this subject has already been done to death in many similar topics. It's only natural that most people will be influenced by patriotism & choose aircraft from their own country. Narrowing it down to aircraft from one country is a much fairer way of doing it.

[Biggles125]

Ooops - shot down in flames!


CFS1 Forever!!!

[H]

No big problem; if you'd taken a few days to peruse all of the posts you would have found my 2nd page assist to a previous post by Hagar:

I think part of the problem is that the entry title is "What are the top three fighters of WWII?" whereas the actual question posed in his entry is, "Just wondering what you think the three best, overall American fighters of WWII were."

and kraftwerk1976 also corrected in response to Hagar:

---Hmm, well I am fit to reply now.  I have been in another town with no computer access.  Anyway, yeah, I meant US manufactured aircraft.

I'm quite apt to make confusing messages, too, as well as overlook something already posted in a hurried scan

[Horten_IX_Ho229]

    It all depends on your personal preferances really.  If you prefer fast planes with average or better fire power thats relatively easy to fly, and don't care about how well they turn, how much damage it can take, then planes like the Fw 190A.  
    If you like planes that have great performance at the risk of suddenly spiraling out of the sky, then the P-51, which requires a certin finesse to fly, is your plane.  
    Picking the best plane is like picking the best woman, you can't honestly say that there is one.  I ought to write that down...
    This doesn't really answer your question but General  Eisenhower once said that "thee vehicles had been instumental in achieving Allied victory:  the Douglas DC-3 (better known as the C47), the landing craft, and the Jeep."  I find this last one funny for some reason...

[Bombardier101]

Ho229, I must agree.

The P40 was always said to unmanuevarable. I don't know what that's about. Maybe the P40 in CFS2 I was in had an inaccurate AIR file, maybe the stock Zero has a bad AIR or maybe it's how dumb the AI are. I bet you I could fight as many Zeroes I could handle with my ammo and get them all down. Maybe if I get on multiplayer one day I could see how good I am against other human beings.

The P51 was overally the best I must say, regardless of how much I love other planes as well as the CFS3 P-51.

[Biggles125]

I love the P40 series (Warhawk, Tomahawk & Kittyhawk)  They were used to great effect by the Flying Tigers in China against Japenes fighters, but that was mostly due to the tactics they used.  

While very rugged and very manouverable, they were out performed by top line Axis fighters. I think it had to do with rate of climb and acceleration but they did extremly well as close support.

P40's I've used in CFS1 do perform very well and they do look very good. I like them but they were not the best.  :)

[GooneySkunkWorks]

Hmmm top 3 aircraft (American), eh?

Well, this is only an opinion, and worth every penny you paid for it

1) P-51D Mustang by North American

2)F4U-1A Corsair by Chance-Vought

3)P-38L Lightening by Consolidated(?)

Just an opinion

[denishc]

Hmmm top 3 aircraft (American), eh?

Well, this is only an opinion, and worth every penny you paid for it

1) P-51D Mustang by North American

2)F4U-1A Corsair by Chance-Vought

3)P-38L Lightening by Consolidated(?)





























Just an opinion

 Not to split hairs, buth the P-38 was built by Lockheed.

[H]

...3)P-38L Lightening by Consolidated(?)...

Not to split hairs, buth the P-38 was built by Lockheed.

Well, he did question his entry but it shouldn't have taken that much to check on it. Also, the plane did not lighten when armament was added -- but it was still a Lightning.

[Bombardier101]

Good one H!

Mosquito - not a fighter, but what a FAST!!! attack plane

Ever heard of the NFII? Mossie night fighter!
Yes it was immensly fast!

Lets not forgget people that the P51 was in reality a American and British Airplane flown mainly American pilots

Ahem, it was actually designed by a German and was manufactured by North American Aviation.

Its Airframe was American but its engine was the same as the Spitfire Merlin used but modified for the P51.

Yes, the Merlin was a Packard Merlin.

The P-38 was also rejected by the RAF. Some say they lost out on one of the best fighters produced during WWII. The version tested by the RAF was an "export model" with unsupercharged engines & both props rotating in the same direction. This obviously affected its performance & it was nothing like the same aircraft that served with the USAAF.

Unless you want a night fighter, long-distance plane or good ground attack plane I don't recommend the P38. Why didn't they use it for a night fighter? As for a fleet defense fighter, I think it is better for the US Army just like that good ol' P40 Kittyhawk. Go 75 Squadron!

My fave US fighters of WW2:

Chance Vought F4U Corsair
North American P-51 Mustang
Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk/Warhawk/Kittyhawk

Happy flying,



Bombardier

[FlyerNZ]

Hey folks,
I think we are overlooking several types easily among the best at the time.
Depends on whether we are talking about daylight or nightfighter types, but day fighters?
The top three unquestionably in my view are;
Spitfire Mk XIV
Focke Wulf Fw190 D series
Hawker Tempest

All had extraodinary manoevreability, at all heights, all surpassed 400mph, and the 190Ds were easily the best high altitude figher then in production, the next generation model, the TA 152 did not reach proper production and so cannot be included.
In any of those three fighters, the P-51 would be at a disadvantage  in many circumstances. I'd have the Mk XIV myself.

[H]

Depends on whether we are talking about daylight or nightfighter types, but day fighters?
The top three unquestionably in my view are;
Spitfire Mk XIV
Focke Wulf Fw190 D series
Hawker Tempest

Now, which is the best American fighter of the time?

[DieStaffel]

My 2