800mZero

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spitfire

Ram-bro

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me-109

Evil_Merlin

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Thats not really a good question... why?

Well for starters, take the Fw 190. There were nine PRODUCTION Antons: Fw 190 (A1-A9), one pre-production version (which had two versions itself) the A0, and of course the whole Dora line up (the D9, D11 and D13) all had flying versions built and used in combat

Because the Germans were fond of feild and factory modifications, UmrΓΌst-BausΓ€tze and RΓΌstsΓ€tze were quite common, take the A6, which had A6 R1, R2, R3, R4, R6 and R7. All of which were considered different versions of the Fw 190 A6.

If we want to go down the whole Bf 109 street, things are even more complex...

Bf 109A (just the A0)
Bf 109B (B-1 and B-2)
Bf 109C (C-0, C-1 and C-2 (the C-4 was never built))
BF 109D (D-0, D-1, D-2 (even though it was a failure several did fly), and D-3)
BF 109E (E-0, E-1 (and its three variants), E-2, E-3, E-4 (and its four variants), E-5, E-6, E-7 (and its three variants), E-8 and E-9)
Bf 109F (F-0, F-1, F-2 (and its tropical variant), F-4 (and its two variants), F-5 and F-6
Bf 109G (G-0, G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, G-5, G-6, G-6AS, G-8 G-10, G-12, G-14, G-14/AS), most had numerous sub variants.
Bf 109H (H-0 & H-1, both saw LIMITED production)
Bf 109K (K-0, K-4, K-14, no other K's saw production)
Bf 109T (later reconverted back to Bf 109E's (for the most part))
Bf 109X (one did fly with the 801A)

Most of the later Bf 109's also had numerous UmrΓΌst-BausΓ€tze and RΓΌstsΓ€tze available.


So mayhap you can clarify the question a little bit?

proptop

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So.....what be happenin'...are we stuck here...?

I kinda figured scalebirdman's question would open a can 'o worms...

Ernie P.

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This is too good a thread to let go. Thanks; Ernie P.

Question:
What WWII warbird do I describe?

Clues:
Originally designed as a strategic reconnaisance aircraft, it was later modified to serve as an interceptor.

wingspar

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opps

800mZero

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fw-189

Ram-bro

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voodoo

Evil_Merlin

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DH98 Mosquito

psb667

p38

Ernie P.

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No correct answers so far. Thanks; Ernie P.

Question:

What WWII warbird do I describe?

Clues:

(1) Originally designed as a strategic reconnaisance aircraft, it was later modified to serve as an interceptor.

(2) The original specification contained no design restraints other than the plane had to have an endurance of six hours, and must have enough speed to be capable of evading all fighter aircraft then in existence or under development.

vertical grimmace

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BF 110

ampeater

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ki-46 dinah

800mZero

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yep the dinah!

Ernie P.

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You are correct, Sir; and you have the floor. Please post your question within 24 hours. Thanks; Ernie P.

Although at first the Ki-46 proved almost immune from interception, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force realised that improved Allied fighters such as the Supermarine Spitfire and P-38 Lightning could challenge this superiority, and in July 1942, it instructed Mitsubishi to produce a further improved version, the Ki-46-III. This had more powerful, fuel-injected Mitsubishi Ha-112 engines, and a redesigned nose, with a fuel tank ahead of the pilot and a new canopy, smoothly faired from the extreme nose of the aircraft, eliminating the "step" of the earlier versions. The single defensive machine gun of the earlier aircraft was also omitted. The new version first flew in December 1942, demonstrating significantly higher speed (630 km/h (391 mph) at 6,000 m (19,700 ft). The performance of the Ki-46-III, proved superior to that of the aircraft intended to replace it (the Tachikawa Ki-70), which did not enter production.

In an attempt to yet further improve the altitude performance of the Ki-46, two prototypes were fitted with exhaust driven turbosupercharged Ha-112-II-Ru engines, flying in February 1944, but only two prototypes of this version were built.

Mitsubishi factories made a total of 1,742 examples of all versions (34 units Ki-46-I, 1093 units Ki-46-II, 613 units Ki-46-III, 4 units Ki-46-IVοΌ‰during 1941-44.

ampeater

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And the Ki-46 had a huge fuel tank in between the pilot in front and the observer in back. Must have been pretty lonely in the back seat.

Here's one that'll cause a mad rush for google:

What was Mary Babnik Brown's contribution to the war effort?

P-51B

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The story goes that a woman by the name of Mary Babnick Brown donated her hair for bomb sight cross hairs since her hair was uncut since birth and maintained uniform thickness from root to tip.

I have no idea if its true, as I thought the bombsights had etched crosshairs.

ampeater

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Right! I know there's been some controversy over it because of the etched crosshairs. But since the AF recognized her with a ceremony a few years ago, before she died, I'll take it as true. I think her hair was almost to her knees and she had to send in 18" lengths.

You're up.

P-51B

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I am looking for a pilot.

Clues;

[ul]
[1] On the Pilot's second combat mission, this pilots first air victory was a Ju-88 .
[2] This Pilot's second air victory took place immediately after downing the Ju-88 by downing one of the escorting Me-109Gs.
[/ul]

800mZero

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Lydia Litvyak

the white rose, or white lilly of stalingrad. She flew Yak 1's, and may have possibly wound up becoming a vitim of the great Eric Hartman.

P-51B

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And I thought I had come with a question that would take a while.



More of the story;

The Bf 109 was piloted by an 11-victory ace, three-time recipient of the Iron Cross, Staff Sergeant Erwin Maier of the 2nd Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53. Maier parachuted from his aircraft, was captured by Soviet troops, and asked to see the Russian ace who had outflown him. When he was taken to stand in front of Litvyak, he thought he was being made the butt of a Soviet joke. It was not until Litvyak described each move of the dogfight to him in perfect detail that he knew he had been beaten by a woman pilot

On August 1, 1943, Lydia did not come back to her base of Krasnyy Luch, in the Donbass, from an escort to a flight of Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmoviks. Her Yak-1 was last seen pouring smoke and pursued by as many as eight Bf 109s. No parachute was seen, and no explosion, yet she never returned from the mission. Litvyak was 21 years old. Soviet authorities suspected that she might have been captured, a possibility that prevented them from awarding her the title of Hero of the Soviet Union

In 1979, after uncovering more than 90 other crash sites, 30 aircraft and many lost pilots killed in action, "searchers discovered that an unidentified woman pilot had been buried in the village of Dmitrievka... in Shakhterski district." It was then assumed that it was Litvyak and that she had been killed in action after sustaining a mortal head wound. A specialist commission was formed to inspect the exhumed body and it concluded the remains were those of Litvyak.

On May 6, 1990, USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev posthumously awarded Litvyak Hero of the Soviet Union. Her final rank was senior lieutenant. Litvyak was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, Order of the Red Star, and was twice honored with the Order of the Patriotic War.






Out of curiosity, how did you get it so quick 800mZero?

Oh, and your up!

800mZero

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While researching for a yak 1 1/48 scale model back in college I remember stumbling across her story.

800mZero

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Ok,
Upon first flight of this aircraft the german test flight noted the foloowing:

1. Too many controls for throttle, pitch, and engine cooling leading to pilot disorientation.
2. Bad engine insulation, leading to exhaust in the cockpit.
3. Fantastic roll rate.

a65l

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Me 209

800mZero

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In correct

Upon first flight of this aircraft the german test flight noted the foloowing:

1. Too many controls for throttle, pitch, and engine cooling leading to pilot disorientation.
2. Bad engine insulation, leading to exhaust in the cockpit.
3. Fantastic roll rate.
5. innefficient rudder at higher speeds.