Beating up the St Barts skies

[Retired W4]

Reminded me of the old joke, kid asks his grand father, "Grand Dad, what did you fly in the war?" The old man replies "A P-400." Kid says, "A P-400? I never heard of that." The old man says "Sure, it's a P-40 with a Zero on it's ***."

 

[LVSteve]

Reminded me of the old joke, kid asks his grand father, "Grand Dad, what did you fly in the war?" The old man replies "A P-400." Kid says, "A P-400? I never heard of that." The old man says "Sure, it's a P-40 with a Zero on it's ***."

A more memorable answer than the actual P-400 of WWII, a neutered version of the original turbo-charged XP-39.

 

[Retired W4]

A more memorable answer than the actual P-400 of WWII, a neutered version of the original turbo-charged XP-39.

The Bell Aeracobra was pretty fast in it's day.

 

[MDF4]

I didn't see a DB-7 in that video, but I did see:-

North American B-25 Mitchell, J model with solid nose with 8x .50 cal
Grumman F7F Tigercat x2
Curtis P-40 (K model or later)
Mitsubishi A6M Zero
Grumman TBF or TBM Avenger
Vought F4U Corsair

I'd bet dollars to donuts that Connie was flying one of the F7 Tigercats. She's quite the pilot and nothing but respect for her.
I had an opportunity to buy a converted fire bomber F7F many years ago at low price but it was the restoration of a quarter million plus that put the brakes on that. I love these old war birds.

 

[fordson]

The Airacobra P-400 were export versions originally ordered by the French before their surrender. The British picked up the order adding some changes (20MM and six 303 Brownings). Dissatisfied by the performance of the non- supercharged engine and the resultant poorer aircraft speed, the British canceled the order. Some 200 production aircraft were then sent to the USSR where they were used in the close air support role. The remaining 180 or so aircraft were picked up by the USAAF (who were desperate for aircraft in the South Pacific) and re-designated P-400. About 100 of these were eventually assigned to fighter groups in Australia and mixed in with P-39D squadrons. They saw combat in New Guinea and Guadalcanal where they performed well, not great but ok.

 

[fordson]

I'd bet dollars to donuts that Connie was flying one of the F7 Tigercats. She's quite the pilot and nothing but respect for her.
I had an opportunity to buy a converted fire bomber F7F many years ago at low price but it was the restoration of a quarter million plus that put the brakes on that. I love these old war birds.

Operating cost, too, must be something else as well. With two R2800's drinking avgas , a couple of T&Gs would put a dent in the credit card. I believe that until the S2 Tractor came along, the Tigercat was the largest twin engine reciprocating engine aircraft to operate off a carrier.