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Originally Posted by Warlord  OK, but, why were they sent to the RAF in the first place, with the Brits having spectacular "shavers" (russian slang for ground attack) like the Typhoon and the Beaufighter, and then onto the CBI?
Also, it has to be taken into consideration that even though by the days the Jug found its way to Continental Asia, the Hurricane was completely out-of-date as a fighter (totally outclassed by the P47 in that respect), it was still highly regarded by the men of the XIV Army and attached forces as a deadly accurate ground attacker. Again and again was Camm´s creation called in by forward observers to blast Jap strongpoints - sometimes even machine gun nests hidden among the roots of single trees! - damn close to allied lines, a trade that required high marksmanship and a stable and reliable gun platform. |
Not really well up on the subject but the Tyhoon was quite a limited aircraft, its thick wing made only really suitable for low altitude operations and it was very limited in a high threat enviorment, it was not the best air to air dogfighter esp at medium altitudes hence it was not a very versitile aircraft, not a problem in the western front where they had more aircraft than they knew what to do with and an aircrasft for every job but probably not ideal in the far east where aircraft where in shorter supply and might be execpted to do more and varied roles. Im sure the P47 was a lot more capable in this situation. Ok the P47 wasnt a great dogfighter but it it least packed a punch and was great at altitude.
Also the Sabre engine was a real pig, horrible sleave valve design with 2 cranks greared together was a real pain to start and had to be run every 4 hours, it wasnt really suitable for maintaince in some shack in the jungle. The P47 (and Beaufighter) was no doubt a lot easier to live with. Had a lot of trouble with the sabre, in contrast to the big US radials which where very reliable and 2 a penny. Theres no contest really, the P47 was a big tough old thing, where by the modern British fighters where never as steady and tough, I dont think the Hurricane was ever really replaced in the British inventory in the shape of a good solid, cheap easily maintable multi purpose single engine aircraft.
Kev