Boy talk about a war of words between the P-51 and P-47 boys on the favorite fighter post. I saw alot of posts that argued which of these fighters was the best but I have to throw in my two cents on this sometimes very heated subject. I have alot of respect for the P-47 and the brave pilots that flew them they were there in the beginning fighting the mighty Luftwaffa. But the bottom line was is that the P-47 could not escourt the bombers all the way to deep targets in Germany which was a big thing if the Allied Bomb Campaign was to be successful. B-17’s and B-24’s were being lost at an alarming rate until the P-51 came along. Yes the P-47 was a rugged fighter and could take alot of punishment but again its range was limited and the Luftwaffa boys took advantage of its weakness. Also not all the fighter groups loved the P-47. One was the 4th fighter group. They hated the plane and if you dont believe me just ask Colonel Don Blakeslee. He would tell you what he and his boys thought of it. I have a freind that I talk to who was a member of the 354th Fighter Group “the pioneer Mustang group” and he has told me on several occasions that his group also had a big dislike for the P-47. The P-47 made its claim in the ground attack roll which it was very very good at but you want an all around fighter that could do almost everything it was asked to do it was the P-51 Mustang. Also there is all this talk about Gabreski being the best WW 2 ace in the European theater and yes he has the kills to prove it but had Major George Preddy lived and not been shot down by American ground artilery he would have come out as THE top ACE in Europe. Now if you want to talk about best pacific fighter it would be the F6F hellcat hands down. But because it wasnt beautiful like the Corsair it dont get the recognition it so well deserves. Well I’ve stated my veiws so feel free to argue P-47 boys!
I once talked to a pilot who had flown both of them, he said that he prefered the Jug out of the two of them. He felt safer in it. The Mustang turned better than the Jug, and was a bit faster at low altitudes, but the Jug had a better roll rate. I do really like the looks of the P-47, but I think that the Mustang is one of the most beautiful planes ever designed.
As far as the Pac goes, the F-4U was the best. The Hellcat was a great plane, but wasn’t as fast, didn’t climb or dive as well as the corsair, and only turned a little bit better.
I asked the same question to my uncle who flew the P-51 in WW ll in the ETO. He said in an eye ball to eye ball dog fight the P-51 was better. If an enemy fighter got on your tail you were in trouble because the P-51 could not take much damage. One shot in the engine and you were done.
He flew the P-47 after the war and said it was a better aircraft, able to take all kinds of damage and still fly. The P&W R-2800 engine could be missing clyinders and still fly.
He also flew the F-51 in Korea and has often said the P-47 would have been a better ground attack aircraft for use in Korea.
His overall favorite WW ll era aircraft he flew is the P-38. Hi least favorite is the P-40. His ranking was P-38, P-47, P-51, and P-40.
I think that the P-51 is better than the P-47. Not oly was it faster than the P-47 it had a longer range. Its top speed was over 400 miles and hour. It could out fight the P-47 any time.
Arguments for ‘The Best’ are always difficult. No one plane can excel in all aspects of flight and ariel combat. A couple of surveys done in print and television specials for determining the best of the two always comes up infavor the the P-47 because it was considered more versatile than the P-51. The 51 had better flight characteristics but it was not as tough as the 47 so it could not carry out ground attacks as well. The 51’s radiator was a liability for both air-to-air and air-to-ground engagements.
As a better plane and design, the P-51 is tops but as a combat machine the P-47 is tops. On a one-on-one the 51 would have the performance edge but that’s not how wars are fought. And that reminds me of a phrase I’ve heard P-47 pilots say:
‘If you want to send a picture home to your girl or wife you sat in a P-51. If you were going into combat you sat in a P-47’
Hi, Mike! Just click on “Update Profile” up at the top of the screen, go to your profile, and you can put it in your “signature” box, like a regular picture. You’ll have to bring your own “[img] [/img ]” symbols (take the space out after /img), then just put your picture’s html in there.
There might be a better way, but that’s how I figured it out myself!
If I am ground-pounding-- I want to be in a Jug as the stray rifle bullet won’t hurt me when it hits my engine…nothing like those big P&W radial engines…
Up high-- protecting bombers-- I like my chances in a Mustang much better. As long as I have eyes in the back of my head and don’t get fixated, I can pretty easily keep anyone from getting behind me.
At least that’s how it is for me when I fly online in FB or SDOE
I always thought the two aircraft were created for different roles, and if that’s the case, then trying to determine the best is apples and oranges. It’s like asking, “What’s the best, a Suzuki motorcycle or a Hummer?”
Of course the bottom line is: What difference does it make?
Give me a T-Bolt for sheer survivability. The Mustang did a great job as an interceptor and bomber escort, but you had a better chance of getting home in one piece in a Jug.
As you can see, I have my biases. I like both but prefer the Thunderbolt. The Allied war effort would not have been as successful without both types in the air.
I would agree that this argument is subjective and nobody is going to win it. [;)]
I like both aircraft, although my favorite WWII aircraft would have to be the P-47 followed by the P-38 and the P-51.
Now if I could go back in time to WWII with an F-15E I could really show those ME109’s the meaning of air superiority! [(-D]
Actually, up above 20k or so, the P-47 is faster than the Mustang. The supercharger in the Jug is like a washing machine, so it has the best high altitude performance. Remember, speed=life. In the mid altitudes, the Mustang is faster in level flight, and climbs a bit better, but nothing dives like a P-47. They’re surprisingly equal, but above 20k, there’s no comaprison.
I once read an article about the toughness of the Jug. A pilot had to return to England because of engine trouble. On the way back he was jumped by a single Fw 190. He could not outrun or dogfight so he hunkered down in his armored seat and prayed. The Fw 190 emptied everything he had into the Jug. When the pilot realized he was OK he sat back up and waved to the German pilot who probably could not believe his eyes. When he returned to base he had over 200 holes in his airplane and NO oil in the engine. Put me down as a P-47 fan
