short 109 pilot interview

[Richie]

For the people who think 109s are 2nd rate aircraft. Watch the fourth video especially but the whole thing is the best "Battle Of Britain" Documentary I've ever seen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDDeLRy7UM0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5D49ohukdA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IHLZzEe5L4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8FsRU0fv_A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MW0irwx8A4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIcWxowigxY

[Rattlehead]

I'll have to watch these when I get in tonight, but thanks for posting the vids.

Regarding the 109, I personally haven't heard or read of anyone regarding them as second rate, but I was watching the Dogfights program on History one night when an American pilot, I forget who now, said they referred to the 109 as "easy meat." He had a bit of a cocky attitude which I didn't like.

I felt that the remark was quite disrespectful not only to the 109, but also to the German pilots, who were by that time mostly young, poorly trained and hopelessly outnumbered.

[Sternjaeger II]

Originally Posted by Rattlehead

I'll have to watch these when I get in tonight, but thanks for posting the vids.

Regarding the 109, I personally haven't heard or read of anyone regarding them as second rate, but I was watching the Dogfights program on History one night when an American pilot, I forget who now, said they referred to the 109 as "easy meat." He had a bit of a cocky attitude which I didn't like.

I felt that the remark was quite disrespectful not only to the 109, but also to the German pilots, who were by that time mostly young, poorly trained and hopelessly outnumbered.

he was probably one of the late stage pilots, by 1944 most of the experten were gone. But yes, in the end even pilots are human beings, and respect was a bit hit and miss on all sides..

[Al Schlageter]

Approximately 2/3 of the Experten with 50 or more claims survived the war.

[Richie]

I'm to lazy to count it up


http://www.acesofww2.com/germany/Germany.htm

[Rattlehead]

Originally Posted by Richie

I'm to lazy to count it up


http://www.acesofww2.com/germany/Germany.htm

Ha...one of my favourite pages on the internet.

I don't really see how the pilot was wrong. It was well known that you could kick the rudder on the 109 and get a hell of a lot of yaw out of it, despite the smallish rudder. Although I do agree that he's wrong with the "take on 5-6 mustangs". I can't think of a fighter mismatch in WWII that would go that way without taking something from 1939 and putting it up against something from 45.