Aircraft Trivia Quiz

Just read, the Brewster model 239 (a sort of down-engined version of the Buffalo sold to the Finns, there were two other export versions too) achieved a kill ratio of 32:1 in the Finnish-Russian war during WWII.  I think that's pretty impressive!

The Gloster Meteor because it went after the undefended V-1s

F-8fanatic

.....Incidentally, the Hellcat was not designed to couner the Zero.  it was already in the design phase long before we got our hands on the first captured Zero.  Before we knew what exactly the Zero was capable of, the F6F was already in progress.

Agreed. A common myth. The Hellcat was designed sometime in 1938 with the Wildcat. Hellcat first flew in June 1942 and captured Zero flew in Sept. 1942.

How about the P-38. Its success was due to its long range(espeically in the PTO), being in service and production for the entire duration of US participation in the war, and it's twin engine giving it the ability to survive battle damage that woud knock down other single engine fighters.

How about the Hurricane. Served in ETO, PTO, MTO and Russian front from 1939 to 1945.

Wildcat FM-2. I don't know the exact ratio, but it's something like 35:1.

Why? Hmmm... because they were deployed on Jeep carriers and saw a lot of action relative to patrol time, because they shot down kamikazes, because they did ground support sweeps and saw a lot of ragtag opposition, because they were later in the war.

F-8fanatic

It wasnt the Hellcat or the Mustang.....Incidentally, the Hellcat was not designed to couner the Zero.  it was already in the design phase long before we got our hands on the first captured Zero.  Before we knew what exactly the Zero was capable of, the F6F was already in progress.

The Helldiver, Avenger, and Corsair all came out of a 1938 requirement for the next generation carrier aircraft.  The Helldiver and Avenger had back-up programs from the start, but both back-ups were awful.  The Avenger program didn't run into any big snags, but the Helldiver and Corsair did.  When it looked like the Corsair was going to be late, the navy approached Grumman to design a super-Wildcat as an interim.  I think it was in 1940.

Grumman did crank out a fighter in a very short time.  The Corsair and Hellcat entered combat service within a few months of one another and the Hellcat program started 2 years after the Corsair.  I guess the Navy wasn't as concerned about the Helldiver situation since the SBD was proving to be a good combat aircraft, even if the range was not what they wanted and it didn't have folding wings.

I had always read that the Hellcat had the best kill to loss ratio among Allied fighters, so my guess has already been proved wrong.  I suppose it could be a late war fighter that saw limited service against a weak enemy.  Something like the Tempest maybe?

Bill

bondoman

Wildcat FM-2. I don't know the exact ratio, but it's something like 35:1.

Why? Hmmm... because they were deployed on Jeep carriers and saw a lot of action relative to patrol time, because they shot down kamikazes, because they did ground support sweeps and saw a lot of ragtag opposition, because they were later in the war.

Here it is guys--the FM-2 variant of the Wildcat.  It held a kill ratio of 37:1, a record which stood intact until the advent of the F-15 Eagle.  The primary reason for this was because the FM-2 saw more combat against Japanese bombers than fighters....and most of the fighters they did engage were flown by less experienced pilots, being that they flew combat during the second half of the war.  The lowest source I found for the FM-2 claimed a ratio of 33:1, and even using that number it beats out all others.  Over to you!

As a matter of interest, and it's not a question, I wonder what the worst ratio for any fighter/interceptor would be?  The ME-163 Komet?  A PZL?  CR.42?

This nuclear armed bomber had a conventional weapons bay, except that it was loaded from the top. What aircraft, and why?

Hustler?

Just as a point of note the B-58 did not have a conventional weapons bay, its ordinance was carried externally.

Mike

A-5?

Canberra because of its low wheel stance

P6M Seamaster?

defcon1

P6M Seamaster?

Alright!

I hope this is not too easy.

In the Me 262 A-1a designation, what is the small letter "a" denotes?

I believe it was the designation saying it had Jumo engines.

simpilot34, you got it! The floor is yours.

now that completely caught me off guard. Because i was thinking something British, they put wing tanks and missile's on the top of the wings, so why not top loading weapons. The U.S. Air Force hated the P6M, because it could out perform the B-47, and they thought they had the right's for Nuclear Bombing capability. Ultimately played a big role in getting the P6M cancelled!

Mike

Ok, next question.

What Japanese seaplane was produced in greater numbers than all others?

MQM107

now that completely caught me off guard. Because i was thinking something British, they put wing tanks and missile's on the top of the wings, so why not top loading weapons. The U.S. Air Force hated the P6M, because it could out perform the B-47, and they thought they had the right's for Nuclear Bombing capability. Ultimately played a big role in getting the P6M cancelled!

 

Mike

simpilot34

Ok, next question.

What Japanese seaplane was produced in greater numbers than all others?

If so, I vote Rufe.

aichi E13 "Jake"

Mitsubishi F1M 'Pete'

Yes, Stikpusher gets the prize, with over 1,400 produced it was the most numerous.

Stik, you have the podium!

Ok, this aircraft has it root design in another country than the country which produced it. It was a major departure for its' building nation in one respect compared to all its stablemates. It made its' combat debut in one one of the most famous battles of the war but would not see widespread service  in it's intended role for quite some time. In that role it would score the last major successes of that aircraft type for its country, but still have a record less impressive than the aircraft it replaced.

This was a single engine aircraft.

Would you say which war?

Wild guess: Ki-61 Tony ?