What was the best dogfighter deployed during WW2?

Question

Lets open the debate aviation fans. Which aircraft gets the vote for the supreme dogfighter in WW2? The only rules are that it had to be deployed during the war, not necessarily to see combat. Do you go for a Yak-3? Maybe a Griffon-engined Spitfire or my personal favourite the Grumman Bearcat which made it to the Pacific just before the end of the war. Maybe you want to stick with the Corsair or the Hellcat? Maybe a late model FW-190? I'm not asking which aircraft had the most kills, just which you think was the best. Lets hear the opinions...

Answer 1

I think it comes down to two. The FW-190, and the P-51. All the fighters had their advantages and disadvantages, but these two had the best performances at all altitudes. Not necessarily a  choice of mine, but still a contender, was the P-38 for its firepower.

Answer 2

I think I understand your question to be "what aircraft was the best dogfighter in WWll" but the way you ask the question  makes me want to answer the question as follows:

There were many very successful fighter aircraft on both sides during the war. to be effective in battle, each of them needed to have a skilled pilot behind the stick. A P51 in the hands of a fool is just an accident looking for a place to happen. Which aircraft is best????? really hard to say, so he's my opinion, Germany ME 109; Britain Spitfire; USA P51

Answer 3

P-51 Mustang...That is all.....

Answer 4

I'm going for the Merlin-engined Supermarine Spitfire, sacrificing speed for maneuverability. Griffon engines made the spit faster and capable of flying higher, but they guzzled fuel and didn't turn as sweetly. There were more Hurricanes at the Battle of Britain, but the Spitfire remains the star, capturing the popular imagination with its bea,utiful curves... such a looker! Only fighter to serve through from '39 to '45, unless you count the Zero...

Answer 5

The F4-U Corsair was the best dogfighter in WWII.  In my humble opinion.

Answer 6

A good dogfighter would have competitive speeds (at all altitudes), firepower, maneuverability, survivability and endurance. I'd go for the Fw-190 "Dora" variants, a genuine offensive fighter with the agility and the killer punch.

The Corsair and the Hellcat could have matched the Dora, but then they came late in the war and had learned much by that time. So, showing justice to the timeframe and the impact it made in the war, I'd suggest the Fw-190 D.

Answer 7

A6m?

zero was pure dogfighter. most of the US designs were hit-and-run planes, and so were most of the Fw 190. Bf 109 preffered tactics was hit and run / Hartmann/ , too.

at the times spitfires still only carried machineguns, Zeroes were equipped with cannons.

well do not forget the I 16 Rata russian polikarpov plane, which was considered to be the most maneuverable plane at the dawn of war in Europe /Spanish civil war/

Answer 8

The THUNDERBOLT. Fast,maneuverable and tough as nails.

Answer 9

P-38 Lightening. I believe they were responsible for more aircraft shot down than any other single type fighter. One reason, concentration of firepower from the nose. No convergence. If you hit something, it was destroyed. No wounding an enemy.

They were also cool as h**l and very fast.

Answer 10

My vote is for the P51.  It had the range the others didn't and was just as fast as its contemporaries, with the exception of some of the early German jets.  Also, its six 50 cal machine guns gave it the firepower to take down anything.

Answer 11

P51 Mustang.

Answer 12

The P-38 Lightning served both the Pacific and European, as well as the African theatres. It was a dogfighter, prepped with more power, fuel, and less bulk to shoot at through the spread out body and dual-boom empennage. Despite the P-51 having the most "aces" out of the Allied aircraft, as many think, the P-38 served the best, and created the best results compared to other Allied dogfighters.

Answer 13

The answer to this questions is simple.  It owned the air during this timeframe, bar none.  It shot down Me-262 and would have owned any of airframes above.    The answer to the questions, is North Amercia's P-51 D.    The Bearcat was never deployed to any theater of operation,  In fact it never even went into product until after the war.

The Me-262 would have been and is better, but to late and into few small of numbers.  

So, even without the high kill ratio P-51.  The P-51 and still no contest

Answer 14

Hands Down,the MUSTANG !!