Welcome • User Guide
ToS • Privacy • Canary
Donate • Bugs • License

©2025 Poal.co

940

Yet, they took an island that cost 25,000 lives so P-51s could escort B-29s.

Yet, they took an island that cost 25,000 lives so P-51s could escort B-29s.

(post is archived)

[–] • 1 pt (edited )

Never thought of this before and feel dumb for not doing so. Though I thought the mustang did take off from land bases in the Pacific theater towards the end of the war.

Here's an article https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/very-long-range-p-51-mustang-missions-to-japan-taxed-pilots/

[–] • 1 pt (edited )

Nice, thank you for this!

Edit to add: I never knew P-47s also operated out of Iwo Jima. That must have scared the shit out of Japanese pilots seeing that beast in their skies!

[–] • 0 pt

The realist in me says because of politics and government contracts.

[–] • 0 pt

There is a lot to that, and Grumman was deep in the pockets of the navy but did make outstanding rugged carrier based fighters. (Personally, I just love the wildcat, line holder of 1942!)

[–] • 0 pt

The Corsair was a better plane. The P51 only outshined the Corsair at above 25,000 ft or in dives. The Corsair had better climbing and turning abilities and could carry more armaments.