Case Studies in the Achievement of Air Superiority - Air Force ...

OPERATION OVERLORD
An overall comparison of our fighters with German although each aircraft had its
good and bad points, in the last analysis, the difference in performance was not
great enough to give either side a decided advantage.21
Detailed analysis generally supports this conclusion. Of the three
major American fighters, the P-38 Lightning was the first to be thrust into
the long-range escort role, but it proved to be unsatisfactory. At high altitude
the Lightning was faster than either of its German opponents, the
Me-109 and the FW-190, but it quickly encountered buffeting in a dive.
Moreover, the Lightning’s engines simply did not stand up well to the
extremely cold temperatures of high-altitude operation over northwest
Europe. Supercharger regulators froze up; faulty oil cooling and carburetor
problems led to engine failure. In addition, the cockpits were so cold
that pilot efficiency suffered badly. According to the USSBS report, many
P-38 pilots were confident in their ability to handle all opposition below
20,000 feet, but were more diffident about their chances at higher levels.22
Some of the P-38’s problems were heightened by the pressure of operations
on maintenance. The Lightnings were the only long-range escorts available
in November and most of December 1943. Many aircraft were pushed
into operations when they should have been held back for various repairs.23
The first model of the P-47 Thunderbolt was also inadequate in
aerial combat except at very high altitudes. Because its performance
against the current models of FW-190 and Me-109 fell off at middle
and lower altitudes, pilots tended not to follow the enemy down, even
though the Thunderbolt had superior diving speed. With modifications
that included a paddle-blade propeller and water injection boost,
Thunderbolt pilots came to believe that they could fight effectively at any
altitude.Z4
The Thunderbolt also had a well-deserved reputation for ruggedness.
Its radial engine and sturdy airframe made it more resistant to battle
damage. This quality contributed greatly to its effectiveness both as a
fighter and as a fighter-bomber. Its greatest drawback, and the one which
proved to be an important limitation on its usefulness in the struggle
against the Luftwaffe, was its thirst for gasoline. Like the P-38, it did not
possess the radius of action necessary for deep penetrations of German air
space.23
The P-51 was the one American fighter for which some margin of technical
superiority could be claimed. How significant or decisive this margin
was is still a matter of some disagreement. Despite its belief in the rough
equality of German and Allied fighters, the Strategic Bombing Survey’s
Military Analysis Division believed that the P-5 1 possessed “an all-round
superiority” and that it “provided the balance which led to the domination
of the German skies.”Z6 The Division thought that the Mustang, particularly
in its B and C models, had a performance edge over the Me-109 and
FW-190 at all altitudes. The Mustang’s liquid-cooled engine made it less
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