DONALD NIJBOER

In the first part of a major new Aeroplane series, in which we compare five aircraft from specific points in aviation history to establish a clear winner,Donald Nijboer analyses five fighters on the front line in mid-1940..

Since the end of the Second World War the process of assessing and measuring which weapon system was “the best” has been an ongoing process, with varied results. To say this aircraft or tank or ship was the best often overlooks a series of variables that had a direct effect on the performance of each individual weapon system. Much depends on how and where the weapon was used and how well-trained the people using it were.

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B-29 Combat Missions takes the reader through every Superfortress crew position, bringing to life what it was like to fly and fight in the advanced bomber that was credited with bringing World War II to a conclusion earlier than predicted.

Fighter pilots are the elite of the elite. It can take years of training to produce a fighter pilot and even longer to produce a plane that is worthy of their skills. Yet a dogfight can last only minutes.

The ready-room deep inside HMS Indefatigable offered little relief from the tropical heat in late March 1945.The briefing had been quick and to the point. The Japanese had introduced a deadly new weapon that could alter the tactical situation in the Pacific at a stroke, and it had to be defeated at all costs.

Parachutes in hand, the pilots began the long climb to the flight deck, where six Supermarine Seafire LF.IIIs had been readied for take-off; kamikazes were on their way. Throttles wide open, the six Seafires pointed their noses skyward. Climbing at an incredible angle, they were in their element.

Please continue reading below or view the entire PDF article as it appears in AEROPLANE, August 2010