Whose Victory?

[pygmypiranha]

Originally posted by TC
It was then rebuilt by American engineers to a state where it was flyable.

The salvaged Zero fightercraft lead to the design of the P-38 which later would out shoot and out fly the Zero.

 

[Manic]

Actually, this brings up quite a strong point... the greatest weapon in the US arsenal... was US intelligence. Quite unlike today's CIA and FBI, eh?

 

[Viper61]

Sorry if you have any gripes about my post Original Phoenix, I was just stating what my text book said about it (every military historian has their own slant on what was pivotal)

And I meant Avenger rather than Corsair (which was mentioned in teh text), but I just threw in the Mustang because I thought the Mustang had been introduced at this time, the Mustang was primarily a land based fighter, and Midway was land . . so I assumed . . but you know what happens when you assume .

C-ya

 

[Wedge009]

Originally posted by Manic
...the greatest weapon in the US arsenal... was US intelligence. Quite unlike today's CIA and FBI, eh?

Sorry, but whenever I see the word 'intelligence' used in the context of the military, it always makes me laugh - it's a perfect example of an oxymoron. Like the ICIS briefing in one of WCP's missions: "Due to our limited intelligence..."

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Originally posted by Wedge009
Sorry, but whenever I see the word 'intelligence' used in the context of the military, it always makes me laugh - it's a perfect example of an oxymoron.

Wow, I think the number of times I've heard that joke now officially outnumbers the number of times it was funny by two million... to zero.

 

[OriginalPhoenix]

Originally posted by pygmypiranha
The salvaged Zero fightercraft lead to the design of the P-38 which later would out shoot and out fly the Zero.

Erm, the P-38 LIghtening was well into development before the US obtained a Zero. I think the US aircraft you are looking for that was developed solely to counter the Zero, is the F6F Hellcat. Though preliminary designs were already being considered for a fighter to replace the F4F Wildcat, obtaining the Zero brought about a number of significant changes and enhancements. The Zero was still more manueverable, but the Hellcat was superior in just about every other performance category.

Ironically, it was in fact P-38s which caught and shot down Yammamoto in April of 1943. Look up the operation on the 'Net for the story, but it's another example of excellent Intelligence and pristine planning.

Originally posted by Wedge009
As in the tanks seal themselves if a rupture occurs? How does that work?

Rubber compound liner in the tank prevented fuel from spilling and subsequently catching fire.

 

[Ghost]

Originally posted by Bandit LOAF


Wow, I think the number of times I've heard that joke now officially outnumbers the number of times it was funny by two million... to zero.

Yep, no matter the country or the language

 

[junior]

Originally posted by pygmypiranha


The salvaged Zero fightercraft lead to the design of the P-38 which later would out shoot and out fly the Zero.

The Flying Tigers were using P-40s in China BEFORE the US entered the war, iirc. While I'm not 100% certain, this would imply that the P-38 existed before the war, as well.
If so, it would probably qualify as the only good fighter plane that the US had before the war (albeit of limited usefulness in a dogfight - nasty air to ground craft, though, with a nice long range - also great for shooting down unarmed transport planes carrying a Japanese Admiral).

 

[Battler Hawke]

Originally posted by pygmypiranha
A good point. The Kilrathi were dumping out fighters all the way home and still had one old Carrier and one super Carrier intact. If the Kilrathi had been smart they would have been able to do a heck of a lot more damage. We have seen the same fault in history. Everyone remembers Pearl Harbor, think of what would have happened if the Japanese had continued their attacks with a third and force air strike.

from some of what i have read in books and military history mags some of the command crew thought that it was to easy and that we had a fleet heading in to ambush them while the air craft whore out.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Yes... whore out...