RE: which country had the best fighter planes of WWII
A few old AAF ballads from "The Pineapple Air Force" by John Lambert:
Don't give me a Peter Four O,
A hell of an airplane, I know.
A ground loopin' *******,
You're sure to get plastered,
Don't give me a Peter Four O.
Don't give me a P-39,
With an engine that's mounted behind.
It will tumble and roll,
And dig a big hole,
Don't give me a P-39.
Don't give me an old Thunderbolt,
It gave many a pilot a jolt.
It looks like a jug,
and it flies like a tug,
Don't give me an old Thunderbolt.
Don't give me a P-61,
For flying at night is not fun.
They say it's a lark,
But I'm scared of the dark,
Don't give me a P-61.
Don't give me a P-38,
With props that counter rotate.
They'll loop, roll and spin,
But they'll soon auger in.
Don't give me a P-38.
And wouldn't ya know it:
She was a honey, she was the best,
That night I put her to the test.
She looked so sweet, so pretty, so trim,
The night was dark, the moon was dim.
I rolled her over, then on her side,
Then on her back I also tried.
She was just one high thrill, the best in the land,
That P-51 of the Fighter Command.