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Originally Posted by P38Lightning
Best plane? I dont know, but I want to say P-38 Lightning.  Im pretty sure it was the only mass produced single-seat double-engined plane of its time. And it was built to do a ton more things... it could climb faster, if I remember right.  |
The Lightning was a good fighter. Its combination of a high top speed, great climb, good high speed handling, good firepower, long range and the added safety of being able to fall back onto one engine in case of a failure meant it performed very well in the Pacific. Who cares about having a lousy turning circle when you can use boom and zoom tactics all day on slower fighters.
However the Lightning didn't really cut it in Europe. The Fw190 and Bf109 were as fast and more manoeuvrable, and the Lightning struggled to hold its own even as an escort. If the German fighters had been going after the escorts instead of the bombers the Lightning wouldn't have even managed a 1:1 kill ratio in Europe.