Your favorite WWII Aircraft

[Sailor Steve]

Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star. They didn't see full service until after the war, but in November 1944 four YP-80-As were rushed to Italy as Project Extroversion. As far as I know they didn't see any combat, but they were there.

One plane I really like that I never see much regarding, the P-39 Air Cobra, the middle mounted engine just gives it a unique look to it...

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Cybermat47

[PEDANTISM] Bf-109, dammit, Bf-109![/PEDANTISM]

Actually Me109 and Bf109 are both correct terms.Bf is a German abbreviation for the name of the company Bayerische Flugzeugwerke(Bavarian Aircraft Works) the company that Mr.Willy Messerschmidt worked for when he designed the 109 and 110 in late summer 1938 he bought Bayerische Flugzeugwerke and it became a part of Messerschmidt after this date RLM used the Me prefix on all aircraft designed from the company so if it was produced many post 1938 109s could be found with factory ID plates that said Bf or Me right up to the end of the war.

Clearly even the Germans themselves used both names interchangeably therefore either term Me or Bf is correct.I used Me109 under Jimbunas photo as RAF pilots used the term Me109 most all allied pilots ID 109s as Me during the war.A friend of mine his grandfather will tell you stories about cannon shells from an Me109 and how they nearly blew him apart in his B-17 I'd dare not say to him "sir it is Bf109 not Me109" because he would justly slap me in the face.

[Kptlt. Neuerburg]

I've got a big list but heres a few.

Me-109 G-2
B-239

P-51 D Mustang

F4F Wildcat
F4U-1A Corsair
Supermarine Spitfire
Hawker Hurricane
Ho-229 and/or Go-229
B-24 Liberator
D.H Mosquito
Me-262

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

Actually Me109 and Bf109 are both correct terms.Bf is a German abbreviation for the name of the company Bayerische Flugzeugwerke(Bavarian Aircraft Works) the company that Mr.Willy Messerschmidt worked for when he designed the 109 and 110 in late summer 1938 he bought Bayerische Flugzeugwerke and it became a part of Messerschmidt after this date RLM used the Me prefix on all aircraft designed from the company so if it was produced many post 1938 109s could be found with factory ID plates that said Bf or Me right up to the end of the war.

Is there anyone here who can even read that sentence?

Clearly even the Germans themselves used both names interchangeably therefore either term Me or Bf is correct.

No. According to Warplanes of the Third Reich, by William Green (a Brit), any plane designed before the name change to Messerschmitt AG is properly Bf, and any after, starting with the Me-163 Komet, is of course Me. What any Allied pilots called them is irrelevant.

[Bubblehead1980]

F4U Corsair

[Cybermat47]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

A friend of mine his grandfather will tell you stories about cannon shells from an Me109 and how they nearly blew him apart in his B-17

He's lucky to be alive, that cannon was brutally powerful!

[razark]

I've always likes the P-38. I can't say why. Perhaps the fact that it looks so different from most of the other planes of it's era.

My favorite bomber is the B-17. Here in Houston, we've got "Texas Raiders" that fireftr18 posted up on the north side, and down south in Galveston, we've got "Thunderbird". Every so often, you hear that sound, look up, and watch as one of these legends passes overhead.

Lately, I've really come to appreciate the C-47. It's not a sleek, sexy fighter, or a heavy hitter, but it was important in its role in winning the war, and the fact that there's still folks using it today is just impressive.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by razark

I've always likes the P-38. I can't say why.

Because it looks COOL!

I've never had a personal favorite. There are just so many of them. I've always been a fan of prototypes, and have built models of a few, but never all the ones I wanted to. The B-17 holds a special place in my heart, because Utah's own Hill Air Force Base was named for Major Ployer P. Hill, who died flying the prototype at Wright field, and in 1990 I built a model of the 299 for Hill AFB's 50th anniversary. It's still the centerpiece of the museum entrance.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...8&postcount=13

[razark]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

...in 1990 I built a model of the 299 for Hill AFB's 50th anniversary. It's still the centerpiece of the museum entrance.

That's awesome. I will have to add that museum to the list of places I need to visit someday.

Edit: You even have a great story about the model.

[Sailor Steve]

It's nothing to compare to Wright-Patterson, but they have quite a few planes on display, and I think it's worth the trip.

Just be sure to PM me before you come.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

No. According to Warplanes of the Third Reich, by William Green (a Brit), any plane designed before the name change to Messerschmitt AG is properly Bf, and any after, starting with the Me-163 Komet, is of course Me. What any Allied pilots called them is irrelevant.

It is relevant when during the war allied intelligence incorrectly IDed them as Me109s and I said in the above post (that was too long a of sentence for you sorry.... for the error it was not intended) even 109s on their factory ID plates could be found with both the Bf prefix or the Me prefix.Therefore even the Germans themselves used both prefixes even though "officially" RLM said it was "Bf" not every factory got the message.

Allied intelligence never got the message and assumed that the Me prefix applied to all Messerschmidt designs even those originally produced by
Bayerische Flugzeugwerke(Bf).In fact RLM wanted the BF prefix to stay with the 109 allied intel had no way of knowing this until the war ended.So Me109 was used as the ID by the men that actually fought against them in WWII therefore as i said it is for the sake of historical accuracy relevant.That is why I used the term Me109 in my post under Jimbunas photo it is what would have been said in any RAF fighter wing or any allied fighter unit during the war.

Yes I fully agree that the correct name is Bf109.What I am saying is that giving the historical facts and terms used by all sides during the war it is 1005 correct to say that allied pilots IDed and knew the plane as Me109.If a film about WWII allied fighter pilots where to show the men refer to the BF109 as BF 109 and not Me109 the terminology used would be incorrect based on the actual terminology used by Allied air crews during the war. Maybe i did not come across that way before but that was what I was trying to say.

Agree to disagree I suppose.

Unless you feel like settling it with a dog fight?

By the way part of my typo errors are to blame on the new keyboard I have.It is washable and the keys are raised in a funny way and my clumsy fingers are not used to it.As a result i might miss some "." here and there.

[CCIP]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

MkV Spitfire

I see your Canadian Spit pose, Jim and raise you my Canadian Spit pose

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

even 109s on their factory ID plates could be found with both the Bf prefix or the Me prefix.Therefore even the Germans themselves used both prefixes even though "officially" RLM said it was "Bf" not every factory got the message.

I've never seen that. On the other hand I've been told that since the 109 was so modular that older version got new wings, new engines and that in some parts of the world there were Bf-109Gs with 'E' factory plates on the fuselage.

Agree to disagree I suppose.

Fair enough, though I would like to know more about the 'Me' plates.

[Stealhead]

Jimbuna wins his has 9 kills.