Spitfire why so popular??

[Robotic Pope]

Originally Posted by redtiger02

These men took and impossible situation and won by sheer willpower, the plane is totally irrelevant. There were quite a few battles on the Eastern Front where Russian pilots went up against the most modern air force in the world in planes that were more outdated than the Hurricane, yet they were able to win through sheer determination. I don't care if you're in a Me-262 with twin jet engines and 4 x 30mm cannons, 2 Russians in biplanes with enough determination will annihilate you, even if it's with their last breath. Simple point, it;s not the plane that makes the pilot, it's the pilot that makes the plane. A little research goes a long way.

Thats going a bit far huh? Of coarse the plane matters otherwise pilots would have fought WWII in hang gliders. What mattered was the pilot needed to be at one with the plane. An inferior plane that gave it's pilot confidence and trust would perform better than a superior plane without feeling. The Hurricane gave pilots confidence which leads to determination.

[David603]

Originally Posted by redtiger02

.I don't care if you're in a Me-262 with twin jet engines and 4 x 30mm cannons, 2 Russians in biplanes with enough determination will annihilate you, even if it's with their last breath.

Just out of curiosity, did this ever happen? I could be wrong but I thought the Russians had phased out all bi-plane fighters before the Me262 came into service. Also I'm not sure how this could possibly happen, unless the bi-planes caught the Me262 as it took off or on its final landing approach.

[redtiger02]

Originally Posted by David603

Just out of curiosity, did this ever happen? I could be wrong but I thought the Russians had phased out all bi-plane fighters before the Me262 came into service. Also I'm not sure how this could possibly happen, unless the bi-planes caught the Me262 as it took off or on its final landing approach.

I seriously doubt it ever happened. I was focusing more on the tenacity of the Soviet pilots in reference to my it's the pilot not the plane statement. I suppose they could hang around the Me-262's airfields and catch them on landing the way Chuck Yeager used to in his P-51D, then catch them on landing. As for whether or not the Russians phased out all of their biplanes by that time, I am really not sure. Soviet Ace is the guy to ask about that, for obvious reasons.

[Soviet Ace]

Yes, all Soviet Bi-planes I-152 etc. were all phased out by late 42' for the better La-5's and Yaks, but some were used as prey for Fw's while La-5s and Yaks would watch over them, this didn't happen very often, but it was pretty much mono-planes that the USSR was using as their main stead of fighters.

EDIT: Yes David, the Mk IX was in the USSR, but not until about mid-late 1944.

[skullblits]

Anyone know about my question?