Was the p39 any good?
The P-39 Airacobra may be the least loved American fighter plane of World War II, deemed inadequate by military planners at the outset of hostilities and written off as nearly useless by many historians. It would only take a single direct hit to down an enemy airplane, and the P-39 also carried two additional .
Was the Yak a good plane?
It was robust, easy to maintain and a highly successful dog-fighter. It was used mostly as a tactical fighter, flying low over battlefields and engaging in dogfights below 4,000 m (13,000 ft). The new aircraft began to reach frontline units during summer 1944.
Why was the Soviet Air Force so bad in ww2?
One of the main reasons for the large aircraft losses in the initial period of war with Germany was not the lack of modern tactics, but the lack of experienced pilots and ground support crews, the destruction of many aircraft on the runways due to command failure to disperse them, and the rapid advance of Heer troops.
Were there any female fighter pilots in ww2?
During World War II, women pilots flew 80 percent of all ferrying missions. They delivered over 12,000 aircraft. WASP freed around 900 male pilots for combat duty during World War II.
Why was the P-39 so hated?
Furthermore, the Airacobra’s slow climb rate made it terrible at its original role of intercepting high flying enemy bombers. The P-39 centrally-mounted engine also pushed the center of gravity to the rear, making it prone to vicious spins once cannon ammunition was expended from the nose.
How many planes did the P-39 shoot down?
The main weapon of P-39, a 37 mm cannon, was so powerful that it could destroy almost any airplane on a single hit. The pilot who scored the most aerial victories was Grigori Rechkalov of the Soviet Air Force. He shot down 57 Germans with Airacobra….Bell P-39 Airacobra.
| P-39 Airacobra | |
|---|---|
| Variants | Bell XFL Airabonita Bell P-63 Kingcobra |
Who was the Russian on the yak?
Yakovlev Yak-9
| Yak-9 | |
|---|---|
| Yak-9U fighter in the Central Air Force Museum, Monino, Russia | |
| Role | Fighter |
| National origin | Soviet Union |
| Design group | A.S. Yakovlev Design Bureau |
How many Russian planes were shot down in WW2?
Soviet Union: Total losses were 17,900 bombers, 23,600 ground attacker, 46,800 fighter aircraft, and 18,100 training, transport and other aircraft; an overall loss of over 106,400 aircraft; 46,100 in combat and 60,300 non-combat. Of which, 18,300 Lend-Lease aircraft were lost.
What did pilots wear in World War 2?
A young female pilot in uniform of Soviet Army pilots during the World War II. Military shirt with shoulder straps of a major, parachute, flight helme A young female pilot in uniform of Soviet Army pilots during the World War II.
What kind of gloves did fighter pilots wear?
(F-4) Shown above is the RAF 1941 pattern gloves accompanied by the silk inserts. These gloves show up in a few photos of U.S. bomber crews, but were much more prevalent with U.S. fighter pilots.
Who was the first female fighter pilot in the Soviet Union?
This included pilots, and by the end of the war, there were three female air regiments that eventually flew more than thirty thousand sorties and produced at least thirty Heroes of the Soviet Union. Marina Raskova, who was known as the “Soviet Amelia Earhart,” was the first female navigator in the Soviet Air Force.
What kind of helmet did fighter pilots wear?
It is rare to find a bomber crew, B-17 or B-24, wearing this helmet. (See Joe Vieira Salute on the F-2 page as an exception.) Among fighter pilots based in England, most pilots flew wearing the C helmet or A-11 helmets.