What WWIIfighter of US manufacture claims the most victories

[spartakle]

I was wondering what WWII fighter of American maufacture was responsible for the downing of the most Axis aircraft during the time period 1940 thru 1945. Clearly the P-51D would spring first to mind but in pondering this question and in establishing approximate totals one would take into account victories credited to the type while in the hands of all Allied air forces, not just USAAF/USN pilots. Any comparitive totals?

[hang the expense]

The P-40.Period.

[spartakle]

P-40? Interesting! Any firm numbers to put out there?

[Wildchild]

F6F Hellcat with a 14-1 kill ratio

[spartakle]

Thanks for offering up the Hellcat numbers as contender for "most enemy aircraft destroyed by a fighter of American manufacture" during WWII.

Does anyone have any figures for the Bell P-39 Airacobra? With 4,746 of the type in Soviet service one would think the numbers could be impressive.

[old iron]

F6F Hellcat with a 14-1 kill ratio

I am sure that this is a comment that people don't want to hear, but might a 14:1 ratio claimed of a carrier fighter suggest the prospect of some serious overclaims?

[nick3593]

It had to have Definately been the p-40.

[spartakle]

Thought I would throw this quote into the debate in support of the P-39 from the Smithsonian Air & Space Magazine and found on-line at:
http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/english/a ... novsky.htm

"...It may come as a surprise to the admirers of Mustangs and Lightnings that the highest-scoring U.S.-made fighters in World War II were P-39 Airacobras, flown by Soviet pilots. Throughout the war, combat on the Eastern Front rarely occurred above 20,000 feet. Against the Red Army, German aircraft flew ground attack and close-support missions, down at low altitudes where the Cobras could strike. Eight Soviet P-39 pilots shot down at least 30 German aircraft each, and the highest-scoring Soviet ace, G.A. Rechkalov, scored 48 of his 54 confirmed kills in a P-39. [Rechkalov has 61+4 confirmed victories of which 54 were scored in P-39 – IG]. The Soviets called it Kobrushka—Little Cobra."

[spartakle]

I might have muddied the waters with that quote because the referrence may be stating that it was a Soviet ace that flew a P-39 to a greater number of victories than aces flying other American aircraft types of any allied air forces. Make sense? And not saying the Airacobra as a type, cumulatively, claim the greatest number of Axis aircraft destroyed.

[whistlingdeath77]

F6F Hellcat with a 14-1 kill ratio

I am sure that this is a comment that people don't want to hear, but might a 14:1 ratio claimed of a carrier fighter suggest the prospect of some serious overclaims?

Actually the hellcat was one incredible fighter and that number is about right. Sure, theres room for error with claims and such but the plane was an amazing fighter when it encountered zeros. The P-40 could be right up there since it saw so much early combat

[jtramo]

It was interesting to note that examination of "captured" post war Japanese squadron records (no reason/way to lie) showed the launch of ten aircraft and the return of nine while an American squadron supposidly shot down 6/10. I'm paraphrasing from a few sources but the wild claims went both ways. It's also hard to judge air to air kills one on one with trained and experienced pilots on both ends.....vs our guys against kamakazis with enough training for straight and level.

[drgondog]

Well - here are statistics from USAF 85 Victory Credits Board for just the ETO

P-38 452P-47 2658P-51 4179

This total is Solely for 8th and 9th AF ETO figures. 1. Does not include the ground scores which would nearly double the total (3199 for 8th AF Mustang ground credits). 2.) Does not include MTO, CBI or PTO or RAF.

For contrast purposes regarding the impact of the P-51B/C. It scored more victories from December 1943 through June 5, 1944 than all the P-47s in both the 8th and 9th AF since the beginning of P-47 Combat ops from April 1943 through June 5, 1944. Recall how slow Mustang groups organized and realize that the Mustangs 'crossed over' in the scoring from Feb 20th, start of Big Week through Big B, March 6 and 8. In that time frame the 4th, 354th and 357th outscored all the P-47 groups in the 8th and 9th AF and from that point forward never looked back.

I'm working on the MTO now.

For general observations the P-40 is probably number eight behind (Hurricane, Mustang, F6F, Spifire, P-47, P-38, F4U, P-39) other Allied Fighters (including Allied scores in USSR, MTO and PTO).

I suspect the P-39, while have some impressive single a/c victory totals is nowhere close to either the P-38 or the P-47 (and certainly not the F6F). Depending on how credible the VVS credits were against the LW, the P-39 did well but the LW experts discount the scores significantly.

Remember the P-40 was basivcally a ground support fighter from early 1943 on as the P-38 and P-47 replaced them in the Fighter Groups responsible for escorts and sweeps.

[SaxMan]

IIRC, the P-38 destroyed more enemy planes in the Pacific theatre than any other type.

I'm surprised someone hasn't posted a definitive answer yet!

[drgondog]

IIRC, the P-38 destroyed more enemy planes in the Pacific theatre than any other type.

I'm surprised someone hasn't posted a definitive answer yet!

http://www.warbirdsandairshows.com/airc ... eswwii.htm

Aircraft Type - flown by US. Victory credits only for US

Columns - ETO - European Theatre of Operations MTO - Mediterranean Theatre of Operations PTO - Pacific Theatre of Operations CBI - China-Burma-India Total
type-----ETO-----MTO-----PTO-----CBI-------Total
P-51(Includes F-6 and A-36) 4239 1063 297 345 5954
F6F 8 0 5160 0 5168
P-38 497 1431 1700 157 3785
P-47 2685.5 263 696.67 16 3661
P-40 0 592 660.5 973 2225.5
F4U 0 0 2140 0 2140
F4F 0 26 986 0 1012
FM-2 0 0 422 0 422
Spitfire 15 364 0 0 379
P-39 & P-400 2.5 25 288 5 320.5
SBD 0 0 138 138
P-61 59 0 63.5 5 127.5
TBF/TBM 0 0 98 0 98
Beaufighter 6 25 0 0 31
F2A 0 0 10 0 10
P-43 0 0 3 3 6
P-36 0 0 3 0 3
P-70 0 0 2 0 2
P-26 0 0 2 0 2
P-35 0 0 1 0 1
Mosquito 0 1 0 0 1

[JohnB]

Thanks for finding those figures.

I might question the P-26 total. I know the Phillipines (and Chinese, I think) flew them in the war, but the US?
Also, I'd thinkthe Helldiver had some air to air victories...unless by the time it arrived the USN fighters kept the enemy off their tails.
Likewise, I'd have expected the Mustang to have more victories in the Pacific considering how many were on Iwo and the like.
Also, remember with UK types the figures don't include victories by US airmen flying for the RAF.