Re: Mustangs vs Il-10s, Yaks and MiG-15s

[<AMPSOne@aol.com>]

I think what Ron means is that the pilots did not measure up to the qualities of the aircraft. That's not quite true, as one of the main problems the Russians point out is that without G suits they could not use all of the potential performance of the aircraft. 

Also, the first five regiments in the 324th and 303rd IAD were crack pilots and vets of WWII. They were not slouches and were the ones dubbed "honchos" by USAF pilots. The ones from later units, like the hapless 190th IAD, were rookies and it showed. 

As for guns being lousy, not quite true. Soviet military science figured that in jet combat you may not get to hit the other fellow with many bullets, but those that do hit better count. They figured 1-2 37mm rounds or 10-12 23mm would blow a Sabre away, and reality tends to support their thinking. Most of the static shots of "37mm hits" on Sabres were more likely 23mm, as every aircraft the Soviets knew was hit by a 37mm bought it. (They tended to keep them for bombers, however, and just use the 23mm on fighters as the cannon were faster firing.)

The best example of Sabre gunnery was one MiG with something like 275 hits from .50 calibers. Note that this aircraft survived and was rebuilt to fly again. (Also recall that the Sabre carried something like 1,800 rounds so figure the hit percentages from that as it was a one on one fight, possibly with Gabreski.)

Cookie Sewell
AMPS