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Captain Fumisuke Shono’s Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hei “Hien” fighter of the 244th Sentai over Tokyo Bay in February of 1945. This variant of the Hien known as the Hei model carried 2x wing-mounted German made 20mm Mg151/20 cannons and 2x 12.7mm Ho-103 machine guns in the fuselage
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Mitsubishi J2M3 Raiden model 21 intercepter (Jack), almost as big as a P-47 Thunderbolt
joe smith
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Was the is the 262 version Hitler called the " Blitz Bomber'? Hitler saved alot of American lives demanding this be turned into a bomber, delaying the fighter version of the 262....
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While it's true that Hitler demanded a bomber version to be used to attack the Allied forces that were expected to move in through France (anticipating 'D-Day'), the main reason that the plane was less effective, even as a fighter, was engine problems. Both issues of reliability and supply kept the number of flyable aircraft to much lower numbers. Probably worse than Hitler's decision was an earlier edict from Herman Goering himself who cut funding and personnel working on jet turbine research early in the war simply because it was expected that they would have won by the time the jets were in service.
So yes, given that the ME262 actually started development before the war had started, if full backing was given to the jet fighter idea from the start then the outcome would have been much worse for the Allies in the air. If instead of entering service in limited numbers in April 1944 they had pushed for maximum development and started being useful 18 months earlier it would have made a huge difference. At the end of 1942 there were still many more experienced pilots to be used, and production rates from not-yet-bombed factories would have been much greater. Plus, the jets had a big advantage in not needing high octane fuel which in the end was becoming harder to supply for the piston engined fighters.
So yes, given that the ME262 actually started development before the war had started, if full backing was given to the jet fighter idea from the start then the outcome would have been much worse for the Allies in the air. If instead of entering service in limited numbers in April 1944 they had pushed for maximum development and started being useful 18 months earlier it would have made a huge difference. At the end of 1942 there were still many more experienced pilots to be used, and production rates from not-yet-bombed factories would have been much greater. Plus, the jets had a big advantage in not needing high octane fuel which in the end was becoming harder to supply for the piston engined fighters.
Slap Stick
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One big problem with the factories building planes, tanks, etc was the engineers couldn't leave well enough alone. If one brace is good, two are better. Gusset this and gusset that. Before ya knew it the plane had little payload and the tank was hard to service. But most of all it delayed deployment due to the engineers knew as long as they had control of the projects they had jobs.
Thank goodness.
Thank goodness.
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