@Fishmoto37:
@dadler12:
@Bob_A_Mickelson:
Sounds like a great list, but if its not too late I’d like to once again lobby for the P-51 D mustang; (and contrary to popular belief mustangs were assigned in both european and pacific theaters.) In any case, thanks for the update. Keep up the excellent work FMG.
Are you sure the P-51 was assigned to the Pacific? I know the P-40 (flying tigers) was but I thought the P-51 was used exclusively in Europe.
P51s were the only ones with the range to escort B-29s raids from Tinian to Japan. That is one of the reasons we took Iwo Jima, to have a Mustang base.
Mustangs also fought for the US in combat over Burma and the Philippines. The Australian, New Zealand, and Chinese Air forces also used the P51 in the Pacific theater during the later stages of the war.
Contemporary plans had assigned the P-51 as well as the P-47 as the primary fighters to be used the invasion of Japan, should the bombings prove to be unsuccessful in forcing a Japanese surrender.
On a side note: The P-51 was the second most produced US fighter during WWII; lagging behind the P-47 by a mer 89 units.