F4U Corsair vs F6F Hellcat | Which was the better fighter?

[DishDoggie]

 

[skins45]

My 8 year old believes the Hellcat is better because it wasn't as hard to land on a carrier.  His belief was that both can fly, shoot bad guys down, and protect America, but thought it was silly that the Corsair couldn't do exactly what it was designed for (thanks to my engineer wife).  The fact that the British figured out how to land it on a carrier reliably didn't sway him.

Dang it, I can't disagree with that logic!

 

FYI: He likes the Corsair more since we watch Black Sheep Squadron on Saturday mornings.  Mind you, he's not a genius.  Just loves planes and WWII stories.

[ddc196]

F6F.

[Raisuli]

2 hours ago, ddc196 said:

F6F.

F4U. 

The carrier problem was between the stick and chair, and a lot of politics, and some bullet (and reality) proof egos.

Besides, I have a shelf full of F4U books, exactly...zero F6F books, and I'm an engineer.  That's enough logic for me.

Edited March 11, 2024 by Raisuli

[ddc196]

Samurai by Saburō Sakai.

 

[Raisuli]

41 minutes ago, ddc196 said:

Samurai by Saburō Sakai.

 

And Tunderbolt! by Robert S. Johnson, side by side so they can tell lies war stories to each other. 

[freehand]

9 minutes ago, Raisuli said:

And Tunderbolt! by Robert S. Johnson, side by side so they can tell lies war stories to each other. 

Interesting never come across anyone calling an older pilot a liar before can you give me some examples please ?

 

[ddc196]

Tall tales are a thing in a lot story telling. Also, I believe it is though that numbers were inflated by his writer to help sell books. Anyways, it was more his perspective I was focusing on.  

Edited March 12, 2024 by ddc196

[Raisuli]

3 hours ago, freehand said:

Interesting never come across anyone calling an older pilot a liar before can you give me some examples please ?

 

You make a valid point.  At no time in history has any pilot, older or otherwise, embellished a story to sell a book or a speaking engagement.  Come to think of it us older people never embellish anything.  Nothing but documented facts with multiple eyeball witness.

I sit corrected.

F4U is still a better aircraft than the F6F, and I knew a guy who taught flat spin recovery in the F6F during that war.  Just look at how long they lasted once that little disagreement ended; which aircraft keeps flying, and which one gets turned into cooking utensils... 

Edited March 12, 2024 by Raisuli

[freehand]

3 hours ago, Raisuli said:

You make a valid point.  At no time in history has any pilot, older or otherwise, embellished a story to sell a book or a speaking engagement.  Come to think of it us older people never embellish anything.  Nothing but documented facts with multiple eyeball witness.

I sit corrected.

F4U is still a better aircraft than the F6F, and I knew a guy who taught flat spin recovery in the F6F during that war.  Just look at how long they lasted once that little disagreement ended; which aircraft keeps flying, and which one gets turned into cooking utensils... 

 

Sarcasm the lowest form of wit but point taken. 

[Davee]

Useless question without providing definition of Good, Better, Best.

What is the context of the question?

 

[AeroGrappler]

The Corsair looks cooler, and was flown by Marines, so it's the better aircraft.  Undebatable due to these objective facts.

[Qcumber]

15 minutes ago, AeroGrappler said:

The Corsair looks cooler, and was flown by Marines, so it's the better aircraft.  Undebatable due to these objective facts.

Wait until both are out. Pick a marine pilot (ex or current) to fly the Corsair and a navy pilot (ex or current) to fly the hellcat then you will know for sure. 

I can see this on a future Mover and Gonky show. 

BTW, the Royal Navy also flew Corsairs and Hellcats too, so perhaps they could count as an alternative perspective!?

[Kang]

Well, in the alternate universe in which WW2 never happened the F4U happens nonetheless and ends up the decisive plane in defending against the interdimensional alien invasion. So there is that at least.

[Lyrode]

The one released into the DCS earlier is the better.