Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

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Tim Smith
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Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

#1

Post by Tim Smith » 28 Jul 2011, 14:47

I've been reading a book on Japanese Army Air Force Aces of WW2, and it made me wonder who the bravest fighter pilots of WW2 were.

I have a lot of respect for the Japanese pilots who flew the Nakajima Ki-27 (Type 97 Army Fighter). This was really outdated in 1941-42 compared to some of the opposition. The Ki-27 might be able to hold its own against an RAF Buffalo, but against the AVG's P-40B or USAAC P-40E, it was hopeless. Slow, armed with only 2 7.7mm mgs, and with no armour or self-sealing fuel tanks, the Ki-27 was a deathtrap by 1942.

But the Polish pilots who flew the PZL P.11c in 1939 against the Luftwaffe in 1939 were even braver. Hopelessly outclassed by the Bf 109D and Bf 109E, and hopelessly outnumbered as well, they had an even harder task to face.

Any other thoughts about pilots who flew outdated fighters, or faced hopeless odds?

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Kingfish
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Re: Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

#2

Post by Kingfish » 28 Jul 2011, 17:03

The Marine fighter pilots who defended Midway comes to mind.


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Re: Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

#3

Post by Seppo Jyrkinen » 28 Jul 2011, 17:18

In a war you can't choose your tools. At 1944 Finnish Air Force pilots were using a lot of obsolete fighters against Red Army Air Forces. Russians had La-5, Jak-7, Jak-9, Aircobra and even some Spitfire and Mustang planes.

Curtiss Hawk 75, Flying Squardon 32, http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lentolaivue_32 statistics http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luettelo_L ... tappioista

Morane-Saulnier 406, Flying Squardon 28, http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lentolaivue_28 statistics http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luettelo_L ... tappioista

Brewster (Buffalo), Flying Squardon 24, http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lentolaivue_24 statistics http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luettelo_L ... tappioista

Brewster (Buffalo), Flying Squardon 26, http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lentolaivue_26 statistics http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luettelo_L ... tappioista

Mostly in Finnish, but statistic is easy to understand. Statistics tells results as whole, not only with those types.
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AVV
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Re: Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

#4

Post by AVV » 28 Jul 2011, 17:52

Hello!
Tim Smith wrote:Any other thoughts about pilots who flew outdated fighters, or faced hopeless odds?
The Soviet pilots used Polikarpov I-5 fighters which were considered obsolete even somewhere about 1935. Although these planes were used for ground attacks, this fact does not lessen the courage of the Soviet pilots, as these attacks were carried out by daylight and under conditions of German air superiority.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polikarpov_I-5

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Re: Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

#5

Post by paspartoo » 28 Jul 2011, 18:07

Tim Smith wrote:
Any other thoughts about pilots who flew outdated fighters, or faced hopeless odds?
Soviet Air Force 1942 ? :D

German Day fighters 1944 ? :D :D
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Re: Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

#6

Post by Valerio » 28 Jul 2011, 19:54

Tim Smith wrote:Any other thoughts about pilots who flew outdated fighters, or faced hopeless odds?
For example, the Italian fighter pilots, "thanks" to Mussolini, were forced to fight (and they fought bravely) with really few and obsolete planes against the modern and decidedly better armoured Anglo-American aircrafts.
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Re: Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

#7

Post by Andy H » 29 Jul 2011, 00:18

Swordfish pilots flying to attack the behamoth called Bismarck must rank up there.

Also the pilots flying the Grasshopper AO planes would get a vote or three

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Re: Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

#8

Post by phylo_roadking » 29 Jul 2011, 00:53

Swordfish pilots flying to attack the behamoth called Bismarck must rank up there
But as high as Esmonde's half-dozen Swordfish flying out from Manston in the murk of 12th February, 1942....?
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Re: Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

#9

Post by Stephan » 29 Jul 2011, 11:10

Tim Smith wrote: But the Polish pilots who flew the PZL P.11c in 1939 against the Luftwaffe in 1939 were even braver. Hopelessly outclassed by the Bf 109D and Bf 109E, and hopelessly outnumbered as well, they had an even harder task to face.
Another example of the same Poles... England. The Spitfire was the "wonderwaffen" everyone praised. But the war was won by the not so good Hurricanes. The Poles et al in division (ie squadron) 303 got their numerous and striking victories in Hurricanes...
How come they had so many striking successes? Fake?? NOT.
Easy. All the polish pilots were experienced, well trained pre-war pilots, veterans from 1939. For them, the not so good Hurricane was an enormous step forward...
While most of their english collegues, and many germans, were quickly educated pilots.

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Re: Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

#10

Post by Mikko H. » 29 Jul 2011, 12:10

In a war you can't choose your tools. At 1944 Finnish Air Force pilots were using a lot of obsolete fighters against Red Army Air Forces. Russians had La-5, Jak-7, Jak-9, Aircobra and even some Spitfire and Mustang planes.
In fact there were no Spitfires or Mustangs flying against Finns. Research has proven that they were misidentified Soviet-made aircraft, such as Yak-9.

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Re: Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

#11

Post by Stephan » 01 Aug 2011, 19:17

Mikko H. wrote: In fact there were no Spitfires or Mustangs flying against Finns. Research has proven that they were misidentified Soviet-made aircraft, such as Yak-9.
Talking about Finns. Some of their pilots had massive successes. I dont remember the name or which plane he flew. Mikko, you surely know whom I mean?
But his successes were even greater than these polish pilots form Squadron 303...

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Re: Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

#12

Post by AVV » 02 Aug 2011, 08:19

Hello!
Stephan wrote:Talking about Finns. Some of their pilots had massive successes.
Yes, Finns had quite a lot of pilots who scored aerial victories flying biplanes.
http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/finland.htm

Best regards, Aleks

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Re: Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

#13

Post by Optiow » 04 Aug 2011, 06:56

I think that all fighter pilots were brave, even those who were flying up to date aircraft.

Some that I think were particularly brave though were those Swordfish pilots who attacked the German navy during the infamous 'Channel Dash', as well as those who flew the Gloster Gladiators against horrendous odds.

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Re: Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

#14

Post by Spontoon » 04 Aug 2011, 18:30

Probably those pilots flying P40's with defective engines covered up by greedy manufacturers, had they but known it, were the bravest!

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Re: Bravest fighter pilots of WW2?

#15

Post by Spontoon » 04 Aug 2011, 18:31

Probably those pilots flying P40's with defective engines covered up by greedy manufacturers, had they but known it, were the bravest!

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